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1 year in, Harrison teen with autism has made 15,000 dog cookies, donated $1,000 for guide dogs

Ryder Newhouse now has Tommy’s Choice dog treats for sale in 10 stores as part of fundraiser
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Bill Thornton, founder and CEO of BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, makes dog cookies with 15-year-old Ryder Newhouse on May 19, 2023. As of April 2023, Ryder had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Ryder Newhouse’s dog cookie fundraiser has exploded.

The 15-year-old Harrison boy, who has autism, now has his Tommy’s Choice dog treats for sale in 10 different locations in B.C., most of which are in Chilliwack and the surrounding area.

That is up from just three businesses back in June 2022.

The young entrepreneur has been donating part of the proceeds from the sale of his dog cookies to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, specifically for a puppy named Juniper, since January 2022.

He’s donated about $1,000 over the past year.

READ MORE: Harrison boy with autism fundraises for guide dog charity through canine cookie sales

“It’s amazing, absolutely exciting,” said Bill Thornton, founder and CEO of BC and Alberta Guide Dogs. “What a wonderful, positive story and what a wonderful product. I could almost eat one of these cookies myself.”

He actually could eat them as they are human-grade cookies.

Bill Thornton, founder and CEO of BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, makes dog cookies with 15-year-old Ryder Newhouse on May 19, 2023. As of April 2023, Ryder had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
Bill Thornton, founder and CEO of BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, makes dog cookies with 15-year-old Ryder Newhouse on May 19, 2023. As of April 2023, Ryder had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

Thornton and Kim Goodall, manager of the puppy sponsorship program with BC and Alberta Guide Dogs, were in Chilliwack recently making cookies with Ryder at Fergie’s Doggie Delight Pet Bakery.

It was the owner of Fergie’s, Connie MacDonald, who welcomed Ryder into her bakery as part of Agassiz Secondary School’s ‘Take Our Kids to Work Day’ around Christmastime in 2021.

That invite eventually led to Ryder’s fundraiser. Since then, MacDonald has let Ryder use her bakery regularly to make the cookies for charity. He also bakes them at home.

READ MORE: ‘Every child needs an opportunity’: Chilliwack pet bakery gives work experience to teen with autism

Ryder’s passion for making dog treats actually started even earlier, about three and a half years ago when he started baking them for his dog Tommy and other pooches. He would deliver cookies to dogs on his newspaper route.

It was shortly after MacDonald invited Ryder into her shop that he had the idea to sell the cookies and donate to support guide dogs.

Little did Ryder know that his Tommy’s Choice treats would go from being sold in one store in Chilliwack to 10 throughout B.C. He also sells them at marketplaces and other events.

As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

So far, he’s made more than 15,000 cookies where part of the proceeds have gone to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs.

“It’s becoming such a clique. People are really responding,” said grandmother Lillian Newhouse.

Most recently he sold cookies at Ties and Tails, an annual BC and Alberta Guide Dogs gala. On June 3, he’ll be set up at the Gwynne Vaughan Park Plant Sale and Garden Party.

And on June 8, Chilliwack Community Futures has invited Ryder to take part in the World Supported Employment Conference in Vancouver where he will be selling his cookies at the marketplace for 800 delegates from all around the world.

“Needless to say, we are beyond excited,” Lillian said.

Juniper, the guide dog Ryder’s raising money for, is now 18 months old and has just finished her basic training. She will now move on to advanced training where they will figure out whether she’s best suited to be a guide dog, autism support dog or PTSD support dog.

Juniper will not be a support dog for Ryder. He already has a support dog – sort of.

Even though Tommy is not an official therapy dog, she acts just like one sticking by Ryder’s side all the time and bringing him comfort.

When he first started his fundraiser, Ryder said he wanted to help other kids have therapy dogs “because some kids can’t see and the dogs help them.”

People can buy Tommy’s Choice dog cookies online at tommyschoicedogcookies.ca, or they can be bought in-store at 10 different locations in B.C. (including five in Chilliwack, two in Agassiz and one in Harrison Hot Springs). The list of locations can be found on the website.

READ MORE: Harrison teen finally meets guide dog in training that he’s fundraising for

As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)

As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)
As of April 2023, Ryder Newhouse had made 15,000 dog cookies and donated nearly $1,000 to BC and Alberta Guide Dogs over the course of about one year. (Jenna Hauck/ Chilliwack Progress)


 

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Jenna Hauck

About the Author: Jenna Hauck

I started my career at The Chilliwack Progress in 2000 as a photojournalist.
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