At this stage, PFA has limited capacity for child clients.

We suggest you try other organisations that specialise in autism assistance dogs for children.

Under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (GHAD), an approved trainer must have trained and then certified the dog.

PFA is unable to simply run a PAT without prior assessment consultation and training sessions. How many sessions will depend on you and your dog’s prior training and skill-set.

PFA recommends a dog be no younger than 18-24 months old for PAT eligibility. It is considered best practice to wait for the dog to be mentally and physically mature enough to take on the huge responsibilities and behaviours of assistance animal work.

What type of dog do you require? You will need to think about what you need an assistance dog for. It’s no good purchasing a Jack Russell if you need mobility support or a dog to retrieve items that don’t fit in it’s mouth!

Do you require a hypoallergenic breed such as a poodle or mix?

Do you have a physical disability that reduces your ability to care for a very large breed dog?

Do you need a diabetic alert dog that only needs to use it’s nose therefore may be a small breed?

Do you have accommodation that is adequate for your dog?

Do you have a supportive network around you to help train the puppy?

Think about what your dog of choice was originally bred for. Example: a sighthound may be prone to running off at the sight of a cat! A gundog may be too distracted by birds or water. You will never really know until the dog starts to develop it’s own personality, likes and dislikes.

We can do everything possible to train the dog, but it may simply hate the final job that we want it to do!

There are distinct levels of training to mould a successful assistance dog. Please allow your puppy to develop naturally without too much expectation on being an assistance dog during the first 6-8 months of it’s life. DO NOT expect it to be your fully trained assistance dog (AD) by 12 months old. A dog is simply not mature enough to cope with the demands of day to day AD lifestyle. It’s up to YOU to provide your young dog many varied and positive experiences during this critical 12 month developmental period. Group obedience is essential during this time. PADT can assist you through this period.

Puppy stage: 7 weeks to 16 weeks (approx.). The main focus here is on Socialisation and environmental exposure. Expose the puppy to as many different stimuli as possible in a positive manner. This does not mean dog to dog socialising, this is where you take your puppy to all sorts of places to experience sounds, smells and sights. Work on behaviours for every day living like house training, bite inhibition, crate training, the beginnings of impulse control and following the handler will set the scene for your assistance puppy. Make sure you and your puppy are attending at least a couple of puppy classes per week for socialisation around other safe puppies.

From 8 weeks on wards: As stated above, environmental enrichment such as, exposing the puppy to as many different stimuli as possible in a positive manner is of utmost importance for an Assistance Dog in the making. Your puppy is not fully vaccinated yet, so make sure to stay away from other dogs faeces, dog parks and open areas where other dogs frequent especially shaded grassed areas where the parvovirus likes to live. Your puppy CAN have dog to dog interaction at a friends home with a fully vaccinated young or adult dog.

Socialisation, Enviromental Exposure (SEE) example: loud street noises, traffic sounds, car rides, men, women, children, different outfits, helmets, hats, motorbikes, wheelchairs, walking sticks, scooters, skateboards, bicycles etc… expose the puppy in short burst and make it really fun with lots of food reward and comfort without molly-coddleing the dog. Use the dog’s daily food rations that will come from your own hand in and amongst these envrionments. PFA can step in to help educate and demonstrate the way dog’s display fear, apprehension, or willingness and emotional strength. It is important to learn how to read your dogs body language.

Foundation puppy skills: Approximately from 16 weeks. Now the puppy should be fully vaccinated although stay vigilant until 18 weeks as the vaccines are fully operational. The puppy and handler need to learn how to learn. Behaviours such as nose and paw targeting, leave it, sit, wait and eye contact are the foundations of other skills to come. This is when the bond between handler and dog really start to form. Learn how to use ‘play’ effectively with your puppy. Much can be learnt through structured play. PFA can assist you with this.
Loose lead walking, Sit, Stand, Down & learning to relax on a mat can be slowly implemented while out and about, learning to ignore distractions and focus on the handler prepares the dog for public access work.

Assistance ‘Tasks’: Once the dog understands how to learn, in the home start to teach the dog tasks that will help to mitigate your disability, especially while out in public. Dogs are generally not mature enough or ready to fully implement these ‘tasks’ in public until at least 18 months old. They are still being silly and displaying adolescent behaviours with attention spans that still need work! DO NOT expect your dog to be fully operational out in public for hours on end until at least 18 months old. Continue to train in short bursts without too much pressure on the dog. Ask PFA for more information on all of the above.

Public Access: This may go hand-in-hand with teaching ‘tasks’, however your dog is still learning to be part of a team and know when to focus on you, ignore high intensity distractions and check-in with you regularly. This is a lot to ask of a dog so it should be mature enough to cope with a human-centric environment. Always begin public access training at your local street shopping strip, which the dog should be used to already as part of it’s puppy training.

Contact PFA for a few sessions while your puppy is developing at a rapid rate!

Is Owner-Training an Assistance Dog Right for YOU?

Personal Need Assessment:

Evaluate your specific needs and symptom challenges to determine if an assistance dog would genuinely enhance your daily life.

Consider the nature of your disability or condition and whether an assistance dog is suitable for providing the necessary support. Speak to your medical professionals.

Alternative Solutions:

Explore alternative solutions or technologies that may address your needs. An assistance dog is one option among many, and it's essential to consider what might be the most effective and practical solution for your specific circumstances and financial concerns.

Training Commitment:

Assess your willingness and ability to commit to the training process EVERY day. Assistance dogs require consistent training to perform tasks and behave appropriately in various situations.

Lifestyle Compatibility:

Examine your lifestyle to ensure it aligns with the needs of an assistance dog. Consider factors such as daily routine, living arrangements, and social activities to determine if an assistance dog can seamlessly integrate into your life including those around you such as family and friends.

Financial Responsibility:

Evaluate the financial commitment associated with owning an assistance dog. This includes initial costs, such as training fees and equipment, as well as ongoing expenses like veterinary care, food, and grooming.

Emotional Preparedness:

Reflect on the emotional aspects of having an assistance dog. Understand the potential impact on your daily emotions, relationships, and overall well-being. Consider if you are ready for the responsibility and the strong bond that develops with an assistance dog. Consider the medical implications of a dog and if it is no longer able to work, needs to be retired or even euthanised.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations:

Research and understand the legal rights and responsibilities associated with having an assistance dog. Familiarise yourself with laws that protect the rights of individuals with disabilities and their assistance dogs.

Allergies and Health Considerations:

If you have allergies or health concerns, carefully consider the impact of having a dog in your environment. Consult with healthcare professionals to ensure that owning an assistance dog is compatible with your health conditions and even those around you.

Long-Term Commitment:

Recognise that having an assistance dog is a long-term commitment. Dogs typically have a lifespan of 10-15 years, so be prepared for the responsibilities and joys that come with caring for a canine companion over an extended period including medical implications and end-of-life care.

Training and Support Networks:

Identify local resources and support networks that can assist you in the training and care of your assistance dog. This may include your professional dog trainer and support groups.

In short, owner-training an assistance dog can be complicated and time consuming on many levels. A well behaved pet dog (emotional support) may be more suited to your disability challenges.

An Assistance Dog task refers to a specific trained action or behaviour that a dog performs to help individuals with disabilities or specific needs. Assistance dogs, also known as service dogs in the United States, are highly trained animals that work with individuals who have physical, sensory, psychiatric, or cognitive disabilities. These dogs are specifically trained to perform a variety of tasks to mitigate their handler's disability and improve their independence and quality of life.

These tasks are specifically trained and tailored to meet the individual needs of the person with a disability. Assistance dogs undergo extensive training to perform these tasks reliably and safely, and they work in partnership with their handlers to enhance their independence and daily functioning.

A dog who’s job is to provide comfort to an individual does NOT qualify as an ‘Assistance’ Dog.

Here are a few examples of ‘tasks’:

Mobility Assistance: Dogs can be trained to retrieve dropped items, open doors, operate light switches, and provide stability or balance support (large breeds only).

Medical Alert: Dogs can be trained to recognise & respond to changes in their handler's body, such as detecting low blood sugar levels in individuals with diabetes, detecting gluten in foods, alerting to seizures, or indicating the onset of medical conditions like migraines or panic attacks.

Psychiatric Support: One of the largest growth areas for Assistance dogs particularly in the neurodiversity sector. These dogs can provide support with conditions such as, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), creating personal space, or interrupting harmful behaviours such as excessive body picking, self hitting or other repetitive behaviours plus many other interventions.

Autism Assistance: Dogs can assist individuals on the autism spectrum by providing sensory support, helping with social interactions, offering companionship, emotional and physical grounding techniques.

Hearing Assistance: Dogs trained as hearing dogs can alert their deaf or hard-of-hearing handlers to important sounds like doorbells, alarms, or approaching vehicles.

Guide Work: Assistance dogs can guide individuals who are blind or visually impaired, helping them navigate obstacles, cross streets, and find specific locations.

• Please note, PFA currently does not work with guide or hearing dogs.

First of all, read through ‘Is an assistance dog right for me’.

It is really all about the temperament of the dog and what tasks you need the dog to do. Ask yourself:

Would you like an adult, adolescent or puppy dog?

Do you require a dog that can retrieve objects, offer mobility support, block other people from you or scent alert? This may determine the size of your dog.

Ideally, a mobility support dog will be at least half of your own body weight. E.g. if you are 80kg, your dog should be at least 40kg.

Will you be travelling on an aircraft with your dog? Airlines have dog weight restrictions,up to approx. 45kg. (check your airline).

Do you have a dog coat preference? Can you physically care for your dog?

Do you wish to have a dog that attracts attention and questions? E.g. exotic looking dogs.

Do you prefer a purebred or mixed breed?

Do you have other animals in your home that the new dog will settle with?

What level of physical touch do you need from the dog or would you like to give to the dog? E.g. Do you like to cuddle your dog? Do you like your dog to seek attention from you regularly?

Will your disabilities interfere with or limit your ability to socialise your dog with other dogs? e.g. Golden retrievers and Labradors are generally more socially forgiving.

That’s great however, is your doctor knowledgable on the finer details of owner-training and assistance dog?

Read through ‘Is an Assistance Dog Right for me’ FAQ. Print it out. Take it to your doctor or specialist and talk through it with them.

Just because your doctor or specialist has suggested an AD, does not mean it’s the right intervention for your particular scenario.

Do your due diligence and research research research if an AD is really the best practice for your disability, symptoms and lifestyle.

An apple watch or smart phone may be a more appropriate means of alerting you to take your medication or get out of bed.

An assistance dog may not be the answer to all of your problems. In fact, a dog can create a whole lot of new & novel problems!

To embark on your Assistance Dog in training (ADit) journey, you must have a report from your treating specialist such as an O.T., Psychologist, Psychiatrist, Neuropsychologist/iatrist, Speech Pathologist, Physiotherapist, et al (not a GP) that states you have a diagnosed disability and how they symptoms of your disability could be reduced from having and assistance dog in your life.

Generalised anxiety disorder will not qualify for the PADT program.  A well behaved pet dog may be what you need to reduce your symptoms.  PADT can still assist you with general ‘emotional support’ training in these cases.

To sit a Public Access Test under the Qld. state GHAD Act.09, your AD must be performing up to 3 identifiable trained behaviours to mitigate your disability. Walking around with a well behaved dog will not qualify for a PAT. WHAT will your dog DO to reduce your symptoms of your disability?

If you find yourself dissatisfied with the assistance dog organisation you're working with, it's recommended to address your concerns directly with the organisation or trainer. They may be able to address your issues or provide additional support. Open communication and collaboration with your trainer or organisation are key to ensuring a successful assistance dog partnership.

Assistance dog training requires a significant investment of time, effort, and resources. Each organisation or trainer has their own training methods, philosophies, and standards. Switching organisations midway can disrupt the continuity of training and create confusion for both the dog and the handler. It's important for the dog to receive consistent training methods to reinforce its skills and behaviour.

If you really feel it’s necessary to change trainers/ organisations, feel free to contact us.

If you begin training with Paws for Assistance, you will no longer be associated to your previous organisation or trainer. Your dog will be required to wear our identifying jacket and you will be required to carry our ID card. Please consider this carefully.

Paws for Assistance does not certify handler teams from other organisations simply to fly with Qantas.

Please read through ‘I’m coming from another organisation’. Paws for Assistance does not certify pre-trained teams from other organisations or trainers just so they can fly with Qantas. If you are working your dog under the Disability Discrimination Act., with the help of your trainer/organisation, you should be able to access Virgin Airlines and other airlines. Please speak to your supporting trainer/organisation.

The Trainer and Client will use reward based classical conditioning and operant conditiong methods, such as: positive reinforcement (giving a food reward, verbal or physical praise or toy to the dog to encourage the likelihood of that desired behaviour to re occur) and negative punishment (withholding a reward to reduce the likelihood of an undesirable behaviour occurring).

PFA does not utilise training tools such as prong collars, e-collars or the old ‘yank-and-crank’ methods within the assistance dog training and working environment.

If you think your dog does require any of these tools to work effectively as an assistance dog, it may not be suitable for assistance dog work. Please talk to us if you have any questions about this somewhat delicate subject with many folks.

PFA also adopts the LIMA methodology:

Least

Intrusive

Minimally

Aversive

“LIMA does not justify the use of punishment in lieu of other effective interventions and strategies. In the vast majority of cases, desired behavior change can be affected by focusing on the animal’s environment, physical well-being, and operant and classical interventions such as differential reinforcement of an alternative behavior, desensitization, and counter-conditioning”. (CCPDT sourced March 2022)

Dogs require a stable, predictable and consistent environment, especially during the puppy and adolescent training phase < 2years.  If there are other children in the home, how will you manage them around the Assistance Dog?

Children often become jealous if one sibling has their ‘special’ dog friend and the other child doesn’t.  How will you manage this?

Do you have support to help you manage your child in need, the assistance dog in training and any other children in your family?

A dog needs down-time from children where it can rest and not be bothered by anyone.  Can you accommodate this?

People with certain types and levels of anxieties may not be good candidates for raising their own assistance dogs. You create the environment your pup lives in. Dogs model what they see in their environment. If you are anxious, the pup may become anxious and it is difficult to train the dog to respond to anxiety attacks has been normalised for them. Sadly, many people fail due to this fact alone.

Having a service dog with you 24/7 is a serious commitment. Talk to your friends and family about what it means to have a dog by your side at all times. Dogs sometimes attract other adults and children, which is not always desirable for the handler when out in public. Are you prepared to ‘out’ yourself to the public as having a disability? Having a dog by your side attracts much-unwanted attention and random questions from the public.

It is a long and ongoing process that is never really finished

If everything goes well, expect to spend up to 2 years at least (from a puppy) to train your dog to Assistance Dog (AD) standard. There are many many factors involved.

Dogs are generally not mature enough to cope with the stress of AD tasks until at least 2years of age.

You, the handler, need to learn how to train your dog. You will be training your dog within your own daily routine.

Complications from your own disability can impact the training regime.

You may need regular ongoing help from someone else close to you to assist in the training regime or puppy-raising.

Consistent and focused training sessions are crucial for developing the necessary skills and behaviours in an assistance dog. A regular training routine allows for the gradual reinforcement of cues, socialisation, and positive behaviour, contributing to the overall success of the assistance dog's training.

To ensure effective training, it's important to establish a structured and varied program EVERY DAY that covers basic obedience, specific assistance tasks, and environmental interactions. Consistency, Patience, Repetition and positive reinforcement are key elements in shaping your dog's behaviour and helping them become a reliable and well-behaved assistance companion.

Remember to tailor the training sessions to your dog's individual needs, pace, and capabilities. Regular check-ins with a professional trainer can also provide valuable guidance and ensure that the training plan aligns with the unique requirements of both you and your dog.

By dedicating the recommended time and effort to your assistance dog's training, you increase the likelihood of a successful partnership and enhance the dog's ability to perform the necessary tasks to assist you effectively.

Can you articulate how a dog would do a better job of intervening with your symptoms than a carer, friends or family or a traditional disability aid? Write this down. Maybe an assistance dog is not the most effective or financially viable intervention.

It is a good idea to write down what you would like your dog to do for you. Play a ‘film’ in your mind of how you see a dog assisting your disability symptoms.

Some of these things may be realistic and some may not. Your trainer will work through the list with you.

This depends on where your dog has come from, how old the dog is and it’s past experiences and training to date. There are distinct levels of training to mould a successful assistance dog. (see the puppy drop down menu).

• PFA is unable to conduct a complete Public Access Test on a dog until it has reached mental and physical maturity at approximately 2years of age.

If you are beginning your training with an adult dog (preferably no older than 3years), you will need a thorough assessment from PFA. Your dog should have an excellent temperament around other dogs, children, people of all shapes and sizes and display NO aggression under any circumstance. Obedience should be of a high level. PADT will assess whether you and your dog will meet the requirements for the training program.

Please note, IF YOUR DOG IS REACTIVE to other dogs or people in ANY way or BARKS a lot in public, it will not be suitable for assistance dog work.

If you already own a dog that you are considering as a service dog, a temperament test will need to be conducted to ensure his or her suitability, or you may be considering a puppy from a registered breeder. It is preferable to have the background history of any prospective dog that you wish to train to Public Access (Test) standard.

You will require a report on your disability and symptoms from your psychiatrist, psychologist or relevant specialist (NOT a G.P.) outlining your diagnosis, symptoms and your need for an assistance dog and how an assistance dog could benefit you specifically.

To begin any dog over 6 months of age with assistance dog training, the dog MUST be up to date with C5 vaccinations. Please make copies available for your trainer. De-sexing is mandatory before the Public Access Test can be undertaken. The dog does NOT need to be de-sexed while training if it is still young.

The Paws for Assistance Dog Training process is casual, fun and easy to follow, with fees charged by the session plus a monthly commitment/administration fee to keep us all on track and moving towards your goal of having a highly trained assistance dog by your side 24/7.

An Assistance Dog (AD) attracts attention to both you and your dog whether you like it or not.  An AD openly acknowledges you, the handler as someone with a disability. Other people and children will want to talk to you and touch your dog.  It is most annoying when all you want to do is go out and get your shopping and leave. Even if you have patches and labels on your dog’s jacket e.g. ‘Do not touch’, other people just don’t read or care.  You will need to rehearse an appropriate phrase you can verbally deliver to the public and the responses to the various questions others ask about you and your dog. You may even tell them that you are training the dog for an organisation.  Your trainer will have ‘do not distract’ cards for you to politely give out and walk away.

PFA is unable to train short nosed dogs to become assistance dogs due to the common problem of Brachycephalic Airway Syndrome and general overheating. See more information HERE

Restricted dog breeds as defined by AGRICULTURE VICTORIA:

American Pit Bull Terriers (or Pit Bull Terriers)
Perro de Presa Canarios (or Presa Canario)
Dogo Argentinos
Japanese Tosas
Fila Brasileiros.

“The training process is a lot more difficult and time consuming than I thought”.

“I’m too busy with my work/family to train my assistance dog”

“This is way more expensive than I budgeted for”.

“NDIS won’t cover my assistance dog training”.

“I’ve run out of funds to keep up the training”.

“Why can’t I take my dog out with me everywhere right away?”

“It takes me so long just to get to the shops to train my dog for 10 minutes”.

“The dog knows what to do, but won’t do it”.

“Maybe I chose the wrong dog for AD work”.

“I can’t cope with my dog’s annoying behaviours during it’s adolescence” (6mths-24mths)

Dog has to be washed/re-purposed from the AD training program because of unsuitability.

“Do I keep my half trained dog as a pet or do I get a new dog?”

“My disability won’t allow me to train my dog. I thought I would be fine”.

“My own anxiety won’t allow me to access public places to train my dog properly”

“I’m sick of the attention I get when out with my dog”

“I’m constantly educating others about Assistance Dog laws”.

“I can’t keep up with the training notes and record keeping”.

“My dog is developing anxiety behaviours and now I can’t take him into public places to train anymore”.

Can you handle these pressures of owner training?

As of 2022 there are updated NDIS Assistance Animal guidelines for obtaining funding. There is also an updated AA Assessment Template that your specialist (preferably an OT) AND your assistance dog trainer will need to complete.

Be prepared, NDIS is very reluctant to fund the training or even ongoing maintenance of assistance animals. DO NOT rely on NDIS funding please!

Have a look at our Resources page for more information on NDIS.

Learn more at this link:

https://ourguidelines.ndis.gov.au/supports-you-can-access-menu/equipment-and-technology/assistance-animals-including-dog-guides/what-information-do-we-need-decide-if-we-can-fund-assistance-animal