PARAGOULD, Ark. — A new sensory-friendly space designed to help children build confidence and positive experiences around dogs has opened in Paragould.
Kajun K-9 Behavior & Obedience opened Tommy’s Room inside The Dog House. The quiet, low-stimulation space allows children to interact with dogs at their own pace without the distractions or unpredictability of a public setting, according to a news release.
Although Tommy’s Room was created with children with autism and sensory sensitivities in mind, it is open to families with children of all abilities who could benefit from a calm, controlled environment.
The room is named after Tommy, the Headley family’s standard poodle and trained autism assistance dog. Tommy became an important companion for James, the son of Kajun K-9 owner and lead trainer Macie Headley.
Headley said her family’s experience with Tommy inspired her to begin training autism assistance dogs for other families.
“When we realized an autism assistance dog was financially out of reach for our family, I made the decision to learn how to train one myself,” Headley said.
Headley said Tommy changed James’ life and helped inspire her mission to make trained assistance dogs more accessible to other children. She now raises and trains autism assistance dogs while also helping families safely introduce children to dogs through education and structured interactions.
Families may reserve Tommy’s Room by the hour to introduce a child to a new family dog, prepare for a future pet, help a child become more comfortable around dogs or spend one-on-one time with Tommy.
“Our goal is to help create successful first experiences,” Headley said. “Whether that’s meeting a new puppy, preparing for a future service dog, or simply building confidence around animals, we want families to have a safe place where those moments can happen without pressure.”
Families interested in learning more or reserving Tommy’s Room may message Kajun K-9 Behavior & Obedience or The Dog House on social media.
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