I must admit, I have a toe bean fetish. Just to clarify toe beans = dog paws! I love them so much that my friend and colleague, Karen from 4paws2feet1team, calls me Jolene because I walk around the house singing the Dolly Parton song replacing Dolly’s beautiful voice with my own warbling and cracked lyrics.
Sad but true.
So, what do toe beans have to do with Assistance Dog training? Well, Karen and I are both thrilled to announce our collaboration to provide services for Assistance Dog Teams in Training at various locations across NSW. This means that I’ll get to see more toe beans than I ever thought possible!
I’ll be covering the Blacktown LGA solo as a mindDog Australia trainer. Plus, Penrith, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury and Hills LGAs. (I’ll also cover these areas as a general dog trainer for Deaf or hard of hearing people who would prefer to learn with a trainer who signs basic Auslan).
We’ll both be working together in the Penrith, Blacktown, Blue Mountains, Hawkesbury LGAs. Karen will be covering Greater Western Sydney, Northern Beaches, Illawarra, and with Canberra coming soon, for (Psychiatric and/or Mobility) Assistance Dog Teams in Training.
What is an Assistance Dog?
Assistance Dogs are trained to alleviate the effects of a person’s disability.
Our Assistance Dog Training program will be tailor made for each individual and based on training you with your dog – a program of Core, Essential and Advanced Training Skills – to alleviate your disability. This allows their human to participate more fully in life, engaging in activities that may otherwise have been too difficult or challenging.
Assistance Dogs are working dogs NOT pets, they must have significant training to be able to provide their human with assistance when required.
Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1992 (Cth) (DDA), Section 9 sets out the legal definition of an assistance animal as a dog or other animal that:
(a) is accredited under a State or Territory law to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effects of disability; or
(b) is accredited by an animal training organisation prescribed in the regulations; or
(c) is trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability and meets standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.
How will we train you and your Fido as an Assistance Dog Team in Training?
Training your own Assistance Dog comes under Section 9 Clause (c) of the Act
A dog that: “is trained to assist a person with a disability to alleviate the effect of the disability and meets standards of hygiene and behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.”
We’ll be training using force free, positive reinforcement and Concept games-based training techniques. Your milestone goals will be clear and achievable, and we’ll provide you with coaching during your Assistance Dog Team in Training journey.
Can your dog be an Assistance Dog?
Not every Fido can be an Assistance Dog. It takes a special pooch to be able to offer the behaviours that make it safe for them to assist you out in the wild. Before we can take you on as an Assistance Dog Team in Training you and your dog will need to undergo a Suitability Assessment. We want you to succeed, not set you up for failure. If we assess you and find you both suitable to be an Assistance Dog Team in Training, then we’ll do our best to get you there. Remember: Assistance dogs are highly trained and dependable in a variety of situations, but they are still dogs (not robots).
What do I need to do to book a Suitability Assessment?
If you live in the areas mentioned above then you can book your Suitability Assessment online using this online form.
What should my dog and I be able to do before we see you?
Your dog must:
- know their name
- be a healthy weight, clean and well-groomed
- be at least 6mths old, and desexed; depending on fitness and breed, under 7 years of age (NOTE: if your dog is not desexed, you may still be able to participate in a Suitability Assessment, however before commencing an Assistance Dog Training program, your dog must be desexed; which may mean waiting until your dog matures)
- Be happy to wear a flat collar and/or happy wearing a harness and having a leash attached
- Be non-reactive to people (adults and children), other dogs and animals
You also need to:
- Understand that Assistance dogs are NOT a magical fix, NOR a cure; Assistance Dogs are highly trained and dependable in a variety of situations, but they are still dogs. In fact, an Assistance Dog sometimes makes life much harder. Everything takes more time, you’ll have to deal with constant attention, and you are now responsible for another life and all that goes with it.
- Understand the commitment and ongoing cost required to raise and train an Assistance Dog – Don’t forget that the expenses continue even when your dog is fully trained. Your Assistance Dog depends on you to keep them healthy and in tip top condition. This requires a high-quality food, veterinary care (emergencies too!), grooming, training, and other supplies.
- Discuss with your allied health or health care professional about incorporating an Assistance Dog into your treatment plan – and how exactly an Assistance Dog will alleviate the effects of your disability (your dog must be able to perform 3 tasks that alleviate the effects of your disability)
- Discuss with your vet about your dog’s medical suitability to train as an Assistance Dog
- understand what external support you need in place to be able to raise and train your dog
- understand that an Assistance Dog has a job and is not a family pet – As we noted above, Assistance Dogs are highly trained and dependable in a variety of situations, but they are still dogs (not robots).
- understand that an Assistance Dog Team in Training does not yet have the rights of an accredited Assistance Dog Team
What can I expect?
You should be prepared to:
- use ONLY force-free positive reinforcement training methods
- train with your dog daily – you will need to do the daily training yourself – as your success is positively correlated to the bond and relationship you have with your dog
- acknowledge that training your “pet dog” into an Accredited Assistance Dog can take up to 2 years and must satisfy the “behaviour that are appropriate for an animal in a public place.” criteria of the Act
- participate fully in our individual tailor-made Assistance Dog in Training program, which may mean seeing Karen and/or me sometimes weekly, or sometimes every 3 or 4 weeks until your training is complete
- take your dog to your vet for an annual health check and maintain monthly preventative treatments (such as Nexguard Spectra) and annual vaccinations
- re-sit the Public Access Test as an Assistance Dog Team annually
OK, I’m all in!
If you live in the greater metropolitan Sydney, Blue Mountains, Illawarra areas or the ACT then you can book your Suitability Assessment online using this online form.
I still have questions
You can send your questions to heather@littleangelsdogtraining.au and we’ll collate them with a view to hosting a live webinar in a few weeks to answer them all.
Game On! Let’s Play!
H & K xx
