Special needs: Assistance dogs ‘making a difference’ to NI pupils

Geraldine McGaughey is the chief executive of Assistance Dogs NI and she says the dogs are trained from the age of 12 weeks by their foster families.

“It’s very intensive, basically 24/7,” Ms McGaughey said.

“From very early on they are touched on their ears, their paws, their tails, so they’re going to get used to that because that’s what children do,” she said.

“They become very accustomed to it.”

She added: “So whenever they go into the school environment, whenever they’re fully trained, it’s not going to take a fizz out of them.”

She told BBC News NI that labradoodles were the most popular breed to be trained as assistance dogs in schools.

“Just their sheer presence in from being a pup is making a difference,” she said.