Tauranga's Linda Scott has endured seven bouts of heartbreak and keeps going back for more. 'There's a lot of crying,” she says.

But why? There is an autistic boy in Auckland. 'He rarely smiled or had any relationship with his parents for nine years,” says Linda.

And there is a dog, Logan – not just any four-legged friend, but a highly trained, 'very special” assistance dog, which has changed this boy's life.

They say dogs are man's best friend, but Logan gives a whole new meaning to that adage for this Auckland family. 'Within three weeks the child was smiling, kissing his parents on the cheek, leaning into them for hugs.”

Linda has trained seven puppies to become service dogs around the country – and Logan's story is the reason she keeps going back for more. Seven dogs, seven goodbyes and seven heartbreaks.

But despite the tears, the Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust volunteer and puppy raiser loves it. 'I love watching the dogs and what they do when they leave me,” says Linda.

'It's always heartbreaking, but I love dogs and being able to help somebody else is really important to me.”

Now Linda has Asher, a four-month-old golden retriever. Asher will stay with Linda for 12 months before he's ready to go for formal training for six months before working with someone living with a disability.

'Basically, everywhere I go the puppy goes,” says Linda. 'If I'm in the supermarket the puppy is learning good behaviour. It's the same at the dentist, doctors, hospital, or cafes.

'We educate the dogs to be calm and socialise them; not only with people but with other animals so at the end of the year the dogs are happy, relaxed, confident in society and well-behaved both in the home and out and about.”

There are different dogs for people with different disabilities. 'We look at what they love to do. 'If we've got a dog that loves to retrieve and is very busy, then it's perfect for someone in a wheelchair, while a quiet dog that likes to lean on people and be touched is great for epilepsy or autism.”

Asher has all of the characteristics for someone with autism or epilepsy. 'He's going to be a big dog so he'll be great for harnessing or anchoring a child, because he'll hold his ground and the kiddie can't run into danger,” says Linda.

ADNZ is a charitable trust providing trained dogs to clients with a disability. The organisation evaluates each applicant individually and provides assessment, training and follow-up to meet each individual's specific needs. The life cost of an assistance dog is $48,000.

Dogs receive an assessment, obedience, social and task-specific training to suit the disability the dog will support.

'The appealing thing to me with this charity is pretty much every dog can have a role,” says Linda, who notes the dogs rarely fail training. 'This charity covers so many disabilities that we can find something for each dog to do. I like that.”

There is only one working assistance dog in the Bay, says Linda. Black labrador Lobo lives with Omokoroa girl Georgie Farrell, who was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Global Developmental Delay, including speech delay, at age three.

Asher and a second assistance pup in training – Harvey – are currently being raised in Tauranga with Linda and ADNZ's funding development manager Wendy Isaacs.

There are five puppy-raisers and four volunteers emptying donation boxes in the Bay of Plenty and 22 volunteers nationwide. Linda says ADNZ donation boxes raised more than $40,000 last year – they need more volunteers during their annual appeal week, their only other major national fundraiser, because ADNZ receives no government funding or support.

'Without volunteers it wouldn't happen, it couldn't happen. We appreciate all our volunteers.”

ADNZ is looking for volunteers on August 12-13, during national appeal week, to help collect much-needed funds.

To volunteer, email: wendy@assistancedogstrust.org.nz, or text/phone 022 137 4090.

For more information, to donate direct or sponsor a puppy, visit: www.assistancedogstrust.org.nz