Brigadoon Service Dogs

"OFFERING A HELPING PAW"  We provide trained service dogs for veterans, children, and adults with physical, developmental, and behavioral health disabilities to promote a more independent and enriched life.

WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO

Founded in 2004, Brigadoon addresses the great need for assistance dogs in the Pacific Northwest by creating and supporting world-class service dog teams.  Fully accredited in 2012 by Assistance Dogs International (ADI), we operate in accordance with ADI’s highest standards of excellence for the global assistance dog industry.

Our shared passion for service dogs and the assistance they provide is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. Through an intentional and compassionate approach to animal assisted interventions (AAI), our focus is on harnessing the therapeutic potential and healing qualities of each match. Positive reinforcement and force-free training maximizes the success and welfare of the dogs in our care. We aim to be the region’s leading provider of purposeful human-canine partnerships.

HOW OUR PROGRAM WORKS

Brigadoon sources Labrador and Golden Retriever puppies through our partnership with other ADI-accredited members in an international breeding cooperative. These puppies are purpose-bred for temperament and health, and are promising candidates for service dog work. Volunteers raise and socialize our puppies and receive ongoing support and training as we work together as a community to nurture and develop our future service dogs. 

When the puppies reach adolescence, they rotate into one of our four cooperative prison programs with the WA State Department of Corrections. The dogs live 24/7 with their incarcerated trainers who provide daily training, enrichment, and care. We visit these facilities and hold classes for our incarcerated trainers to increase their skills and techniques. These programs improve the mental health of our incarcerated trainers by offering them much-needed purpose, vocational skills, and the companionship of the dogs. They also help us place more service dogs at a lower overall cost.

Brigadoon’s dogs cycle between the prison programs and periodic breaks in volunteer homes, until they are ready to come to our Bellingham, WA, campus for advanced training. Here, our trainers prepare each dog to be ready for placement with a client, focusing on tasks that mitigate that client’s disabilities. Clients receive coaching at the time of placement, and we continue to deliver ongoing support after graduation. This empowers clients with the skills and knowledge to thrive and evolve as a successful partnership throughout the dog’s service life.

WHO WE SERVE

Since our founding, Brigadoon has served 100+ clients, including 50+ veterans and 20+ children, with an ongoing commitment to expanding our impact. Our service dogs perform tasks that help clients in need of mobility or physical assistance, PTSD, anxiety mitigation, autism assistance, and more. Each client represents a lifetime commitment, with Brigadoon providing continuous support throughout their journey with their service dog.