Strength in soft coats℠
Changing Lives, One Dog at a Time.
We train dogs to change lives.
Lighthouse Canine Learning Center prepares highly trained service dogs to help people with disabilities live with greater independence, confidence, and freedom.
From mobility and autism assistance to psychiatric support, our dogs are trained for a purpose... and placed with people who need them most.
WHY LIGHTHOUSE EXISTS
I know firsthand how much the right support can change a person’s life.
My own journey with disability showed me that independence doesn’t always mean doing everything alone. Sometimes, independence means having the right partner beside you—someone who can help you move forward, retrieve what you need, provide stability, or simply give you the confidence to keep going.
For me, that partner is a dog.
I began training dogs because I saw their incredible ability to become more than companions. With the right training, a dog can become a working partner—helping someone navigate the world, regain independence, and do things they once thought might not be possible.
That belief became Lighthouse Canine Learning Center.
Today, we train dogs for meaningful service work, including mobility assistance, autism assistance, psychiatric support, and medical alert. Every dog is trained with purpose, compassion, and the understanding that one day, their skills may become someone else’s freedom.
We don't just train dogs. We prepare them to change lives.
WHAT WE DO
Dogs trained for balance, counterbalance, wheelchair assistance, retrieval, and more...
Support with Elopement prevention, interruption, grounding, and other individualized tasks.
Here is how we turn the mission into action:
Dogs trained for interruption, deep pressure therapy, medication retrieval, and other individualized tasks.
Mobility Assistance
Autism Assistance
Psychiatric Support
Every dog is trained for a purpose.
Every handler is treated like an individual.
Therapy & Companion
We offer fully or partially trained dogs to pet/companion homes and for therapy dog work.
Tested service dog registry℠
Because "Service Dog" should mean more than just a vest.
We believe that service dogs should be evaluated on their behavior, public access skills, obedience, and the ability to perform the tasks that they were trained to do.
The Next Chapter of the Bobtail Bernard
Lighthouse service dogs kairos, CGC
Kairos is a Bobtail Bernard who embodies the qualities we value in our dogs: a steady temperament, confidence, intelligence, and a willingness to work. He is a wheelchair mobility support dog trained to assist with everyday tasks that promote independence.
His skills include wheelchair pulling, retrieving dropped items, carrying belongings, opening and closing doors, pushing buttons, picking up laundry and trash, straightening rugs, retrieving a wheelchair, locating a vehicle or exit, and seeking help when needed.
Kairos has undergone DNA and health testing, including screening for 270 genetic diseases, an OFA eye examination, hip and elbow evaluations, and a cardiac examination. His semen is cryogenically preserved for potential future breeding.
Rescued in 2013, Cooper helped inspire the development of the Bobtail Bernard and continues to demonstrate the potential of this mix for service work, and therapy work.
Cooper
The dog that inspired the breed
Rosie is almost 4 years old and has been in active service for just over 2 years, being used by her handler for hearing alerts and to handle the side effects of PTSD. Rosie is one of our active breeding mothers, and has had 1 litter in 2025. Rosie has had her DNA and Health Screening, OFA Eyes (2024) and DVM Hip [Good] and Elbow Exams [Excellent]Rosie is not considered breed standard, but her exceptional temperament and health testing influenced us to breed her as a foundation to our breed.
Rosie
Lighthouse Service Dogs Rosie CGC-A, +Urban, TDN
Chance is currently working as a multipurpose service dog, and has one of the most impressive skill sets of all of our dogs.
chance
Mobility ad Hearing Assistance
Service Dog Prospect
Boulder
Boulder is a wonderful example of the breed standard, he has a magnificent temperament, solid bone structure and very eager to please. If everything goes as planned, Boulder will be moving along to become a service dog.