ASSISTANCE DOG TRAINING

Training your own assistance dog can be a rewarding and an empowering journey. I’m here to help you navigate it with confidence. My services are designed to provide you with the knowledge, tools, and support needed to successfully self-train your assistance dog in compliance with Australian laws and standards.

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Assistance dogs are trained to perform tasks that support individuals with disabilities, enabling greater independence and improving quality of life. These highly skilled animals can assist with a wide range of needs, such as guiding individuals with visual impairments, alerting to medical conditions like seizures or low blood sugar, retrieving dropped items, providing guidance for those with balance challenges, and offering emotional support during times of distress. A growing area now is psychiatric or medical assistance dogs. 

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I am contracted with mindDog as an assessor and trainer. I coach people training their pets to become psychiatric assistance dogs. Every day I am working with people that are living with challenges and finding ways to coach and enable people to train their dog way beyond what they imagined. Over the last five years, I have been developing my skills to teach people and their dogs with empathy and skill. I’m so proud to now have a school of assistance dog students that train together (where appropriate) in teams to continue supporting each other whilst training their dogs to attain the mindDog Assistance Dog status by completing the Public Access Test (PAT).

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What is the Public Access Test (PAT)?

The Public Access Test (PAT) is an evaluation designed to ensure that an assistance dog is well-behaved, safe, and reliable in public settings. It assesses the dog's ability to remain under control, respond to its handler's commands, and navigate various environments without causing disruptions. The test includes tasks such as walking calmly through crowds, ignoring distractions, and demonstrating appropriate behaviour in public spaces like restaurants, shops, and public transport. Passing the PAT is an important step in confirming that an assistance dog meets the standards required for public access rights under Australian law.

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Who are mindDog?

mindDog is the largest Assistance Dog organisation in Australia. We like working with mindDog because they are force free and believe in training a dog to be confident and independent in providing assistance to their handler without fear of correction.  We also work with other assistance dog providers, however we have the right to decline working with some organisations if they do not align with our ethics. To learn more about mindDog: https://www.minddog.org.au/ 

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Is Self-Training Right for You?

Self-training an assistance dog offers numerous benefits, including the ability to tailor the dog’s training to your specific needs and lifestyle. It allows you to build a stronger bond with your dog as you work closely together, creating a partnership based on mutual trust and understanding. Self-training also provides you with the skills and confidence to maintain and adapt your dog’s training over time, ensuring their assistance remains effective as your needs evolve. Additionally, self-training can be a cost-effective option compared to obtaining a pre-trained assistance dog, giving you greater control and flexibility throughout the process.

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Self-training an assistance dog requires time, patience, and commitment. With my guidance, you’ll have the resources and support to make the process achievable and successful. Whether you’re starting with a puppy or working with an adult dog, I’m here to help every step of the way.

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How Long Does It Take to Train an Assistance Dog?

Training an assistance dog is a significant commitment and can take anywhere from 18 months to 2 years or more. The timeline depends on various factors, including the dog’s age, temperament, previous training, your commitment to regularly train, and the complexity of the tasks they need to perform. Puppies typically require a longer training period to develop foundational skills, socialisation, and task-specific behaviours. Adult dogs with prior training may progress faster. Regardless of the starting point, consistent practice, patience, and dedication are essential to successfully preparing your dog for their role as an assistance animal.

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We highly recommend commencing training immediately before joining mindDog. This will allow you to build the required foundation skills before progressing to more challenging environments such as the grocery store. 

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Ready to begin your journey? Contact me today to learn more about my services and how I can help you train an assistance dog that meets your unique needs and complies with Australian laws.

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