When Louise Froment’s chocolate Labrador Oscar hears the washing machine finish, he knows exactly what to do. ‘He gets so excited and runs up to me and almost says “Mum, mum, mum, the washing machine is finished, we need to get it out!”’ says Louise, 37, from Bournemouth. It’s just one of the many tasks Oscar has learned since qualifying as an assistance dog through the national charity Support Dogs.
Louise has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a genetic connective tissue disorder diagnosed when she was 18, alongside several other conditions that affect her mobility and cause chronic pain. She uses a powered wheelchair, and everyday tasks such as bending down or reaching up can be difficult and sometimes unsafe.
Oscar can now retrieve dropped items, open doors, press lift buttons, fetch medication, help Louise get undressed and raise the alarm if she needs assistance. He takes laundry duties very seriously. Louise originally brought Oscar home as an eight-week-old puppy – she took him to obedience classes and he was accepted onto the Support Dogs programme in late 2024. Following specialist training in South Yorkshire and further work together at home, the pair graduated earlier this month.
‘What Oscar can do now makes my life so much easier,’ says Louise. ‘If I didn’t have him, I’d struggle with things like doors, or I’d be trying to bend down – things I shouldn’t be doing for safety reasons.’
Oscar’s new skills are also giving Louise the confidence to enjoy outings to the theatre.
For a Labrador who started life as a much-loved family pet, he’s turned out to be rather good at his new job.
Find out more at supportdogs.org.uk.
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