Annie's Dogs: Victorian Assistance Dog Training

15/07/2024

In case you're looking for a PUPPY SCHOOL :)

🥳 Learn tricks like spin, roll over, look at me, sit, come, weave between my legs, walking weave, lay down and more.
📖 Discover education about dog psychology 101, common problem behaviours and how to correct them, puppy behaviours, toilet training and other hosue manners, all things health, exercise, food and water, as well as a lot more.
🐕 Experience puppy to puppy play and be taught how to read and understand dog body language.
🥳 Socialise them with other pups, children, people, chooks, and more.

Feel free to spread the word. :)
⏰️ Sundays, 2pm.
💰 $50 a session, or $190 for all four sessions upfront.
📅 4 sessions total which operate on a cyclical basis. Join any week.
🩺 Pups need to be up to date with their vaccination schedule and 4.5 months old or younger.

Send my obedience page a message for more info.

https://www.facebook.com/3daysobediencetraining?mibextid=ZbWKwL

06/07/2024

🐕 Like what you're seeing BUT you're too far away?
🙌 I do have a range of services available which don't require face to face interaction.
😊 Read on for more information:

✨️ FREE puppy/dog Facebook group filled with hundreds of free tips, advice, and handy hints. Join here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/594467001156856/?ref=share_group_link

✨️ $10 PDF book written by me, filled with my top advice for raising a well-rounded puppy into dog-hood. While I market this book as a puppy guide, it's also very relevant for dogs across the lifespan stage.

✨️ I also have a step by step do it yourself guide to help teach your dogs how to perform actions "tricks". I originally designed this guide for assistance dogs, though it's always handy to have a four legged friend make the bed in the morning. $100.

✨️ Online dog reactivity / mindful relationship course. This isn't just useful for reactive dogs, but for anyone wanting a more mindful relationship with their dog. This course does go at a much slower pace than all of my other courses as it focuses on going at your dog's pace and taking the time to understand your dog more fully and deepen the relationship of trust between you both. $175.

✨️Email/phone behaviour consultations. $50. Tell me about your dog's issue. I'll then talk with you and write you up a behaviour plan to follow to help address your concern.

Feel free to reach out for more information.

Services I offer that require face to face attendance in Ararat, Victoria:

✨️ Tone-based obedience course focussing on high level obedience without the use of food. $660. The last three Sundays of each month.

✨️ 5 day therapy dog training, visits and certification. $2000.

✨️ Puppy School. $50 a session or $190 for all four. 2pm Sundays. Start any Sunday. For pups 5 months or younger.

04/07/2024

🐾📚 Exciting news for everyone struggling to train their assitance dog; or for people who feel they need an assistance dog but aren't quite sure what they could learn to do for you! 📚🐾

Look no further! 🐶💡

Service highlight:

Introducing my Assistance Dog DIY training guide which will guide you through the step-by-step process of teaching your own dog how to do things like:
👌Make the bed
👌Find your phone
👌Retrieve an item from the fridge
👌Get the washing from the washermachine
👌Apply deep pressure
👌Alert bark
And more.

With detailed instructions and helpful tips, you and your dog will soon be on your way to gaining accreditation as an assistance dog 🌟🐕

If you would like the book (sent as a PDF) to you, it's $100. Feel free to message me directly and I'll send you the details. :)

Annie

10/05/2024

Maternity leave is over. PUPPY school is back on! Starting next Sunday.
May 19. 2pm-3.30pm.

Pups up to 4.5 months old and younger.
Up to date with their vaccination schedule (do not wait for them to have had their full vaccinations. This is too late to begin safe socialisation as your pup has a critical socialisation window which closes at just after 12 weeks... before your pup's last shot!)

What:
Puppy education- topics include but are not limited to toilet training, health, food, behaviour problems, digging, chewing,
Puppy training- recall, their name, sit, drop, tricks.
Puppy socialisation- with other pups, chooks, kids, people, bikes, etc
Puppy play- for those who wish. This is not forced.

It's on a 4 weekly cycle. So join anytime.
$50 a session or $190 upfront for all 4 sessions.

Feel free to share the word around!

17/04/2024

~All things dog~
$10. 128 pages. Sent to your inbox.
Don't forget if you have a dog, thinking of getting a puppy, or have a puppy:
I have a guide on all things dog.
It's 128 pages long and covers almost everything you need to know about caring for your dog and raising a well rounded pup.
And yes, this guide is useful even if your dog isn't a pup anymore :)

Check out the contents page to see what topics are covered.

Shoot me a message if you'd like a PDF copy emailed to you.

09/04/2024

Another one from today :)

Come along again tomorrow to Ararat 800 Primary School to meet, walk, pat, and put our therapy dogs in training through their paces. FREE. All ages are welcome - babies right through to grandparents.

Here's the schedule:

Wednesday - 10.30am-11.30am;
Pat, love, distract, walk, and learn how to teach our therapy dogs new tricks.

Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.

Please speak to me if your child does NOT have photo permission (ie you don't want their photo taken). This is completely fine, but usually we have a lot of people at these events so I may not get around to everyone to find out. So if you don't want your child to have their photo taken, please come and see me so I know :)

My next available obedience course is June 16 23 30, $660, 9am-12pm. Spaces limited.

Next available therapy dog course is July 1-5, $1760, 9am-3pm, spaces limited.

Assistance dog training options available from now, ranging from $100 +

09/04/2024

Obedience day 2 - learning how to walk on a loose lead, loose enough for a child to walk. :) If your child requires an assistance dog, legally they need to be able to control the dog themselves.

My next obedience course is June 16 23 30, $660, Great Western.

Next therapy dog course is July 1-5, $1760, Ararat.

Next assistance dog options now, $100 +

08/04/2024

More of day 1's obedience. It's important for Assistance dogs to have high levels of obedience, ignoring all distractions in order to focus on their owners.

My next obedience course is June 16 23 30, 9am-12pm, $660.

My next therapy dog course is July 1-5, 9am-3pm, $1760.

My next assistance dog course- options available to start now. From $100.

08/04/2024

Day 1's obedience. Our dogs learnt to stay in their sit while kids, other dogs, balls, and toys rolled past.

My next obedience course is June 16 23 30, 9am-12pm, $660.

My next therapy dog course is July 1-5, 9am-3pm, $1760.

My next assistance dog course- options available to start now. From $100.

06/04/2024

EXPANDING YOUR FAMILY WITHOUT LEAVING YOUR DOG BEHIND: ~Pregnancy and your dog~

The following is divided into two parts: The first- some awesome information about dogs and pregnancy; and the second- my recommendations as to what you should start to do with your dogs from the moment you know you are pregnant.

Will my dog know I’m pregnant?

So you’re pregnant. Maybe you know you are, maybe you don’t. But I can guarantee who does know: your dog. Women often report that in hindsight they should have realised they were pregnant because their dog started acting differently toward them. Others have reported their dog was the first reason they checked the pregnancy stick; and still others tell funny stories of how they hadn’t yet told their friends, but when they went over to visit, their friend’s dog was all over them, so much that their friend just “had to ask”.

Whatever your story, the answer is clear: it’s likely your dog will know.

How does your dog know?

The science of the matter is: a dog’s hearing and sense of smell are far better than ours. They have the ability to hear a second heart beat (aka your baby’s heartbeat) as well as the ability to smell your hormones shift. Dogs are also keen feelings and emotional sensors, and, if you are anything like I was when I was pregnant- those early weeks when your body is adjusting to all the new hormones, you feel like a truck bound on the highway of emotional wreckage. Your dog will be noticing all of these things. Your dog also picks up a lot on body language and cues. Do you have morning sickness? Are you going for less walks because you’re just so tired? Are you spending time nesting away getting ready for the baby? Don’t worry, I see you, and your dog does too! Now these signs won’t tell them: I’m pregnant, but it will be alerting them to the idea that change is happening.

Will my dog’s behaviour change?

Many people report that when they became pregnant, their dog’s behaviour changed in some unique and observable ways (bear in mind, not all dogs will react in the same way, and some dogs may not change at all).

- Your dogs might feel the need to sniff and rest their head or body against your tummy (this was Ronnie in our house – whenever I sat down he was always on me, particularly as I grew further along).

- They may become protective and guard you a little more. Seeing you as a very precious person who needs their support. (This was Pauley in our house – he would stand in front of me whenever the other dogs were getting too energetic/playing or when people came to the house instead of going and greeting them as he usually would, he would lay down at my feet and expect them to come to him, but he wouldn’t move away from me).

- Some dogs also become really attached to you (even more than usual), they want to stay close. They become alert to your every subtle movement. (This was Murphy in our house).

Other people also report their dogs become more distant, destructive and start exhibiting some not great behaviour changes. This is likely because of those last signs I spoke about earlier (the less frequent walks, more time spent away from them while you organise things etc). If you are noticing these signs in your dog, I’d encourage you each day to spend some intentional time with them so they know they aren’t being shafted.

Will they know when I am about to go into labour?

Many people report their dogs became extra clingy the days/hours leading up to having the baby. It was as if the dog knew something was impending. This may again be because they can smell the hormonal changes that are occurring, or are watching your body language (the awkward pregnancy waddle, the cringe-worthy Braxton hicks etc). In my case, I didn’t notice any signs that would suggest my dogs appeared to know anything about what was coming, but some people do notice signs.

​

During the pregnancy stage here are my recommendations for what to start doing with your dog (yes! Even before baby arrives):

1. If your baby is going to have a room (even if it’s your room) where you don’t want the dog/s to go (or simply want that room as an invite only room- aka the dog/s are allowed to enter, but only when you tell them) then start teaching that to your dog now.

2. It’s likely when your baby arrives on the scene that your dog/s won’t have as much free access to you (i.e. when you’re putting your little one to sleep, you probably won’t want the dogs with you). So make sure you start NOW making times when you are home BUT your dog/s can’t get to you. Go into the baby’s future room and stay there for half an hour, then come back out to them. Get them used to the fact that you will disappear during the day, and this isn’t cause for them to bark etc.

3. If your dog/s jump, start teaching them NOW not to.

4. If your dog/s don’t know how to be calm, start teaching them now to be.

5. If your dog/s chew toys, start teaching them now to only choose the toys you give them and not other toys.

6. Research tells us that babies who are read to in the womb benefit from this early communication. During your daily reading sessions to your bump, why not bring your dog/s in and teach them to be calm while you read. This will come in handy later when you are playing/being with your little one on the floor. Your dog/s learn that it’s not a time for excited play.

7. If your dogs have free access everywhere (i.e. couches, beds etc) think about making these spaces invite only (consider for example if you are sitting on the bed with your little one and your dog jumps up – or if you have the cot next to the bed, can the dog/s jump into the cot. You want to establish boundaries before your baby arrives.

8. Think about car travel. If your dog/s usually sits in the backseat, you may need to think about changing where they sit in the car. Again, now is the time to start this.

9. If your dog/s haven’t been around babies and baby noises very much/at all, think about possibly playing baby crying sounds, squealing sounds etc through speakers so your dog/s become used to the sounds.

10. It’s time also to start getting your dog/s used to you being all up and in their space. Teach them that if they don’t like something, the answer is to MOVE AWAY (so if they move away from you in this activity, don’t follow them. We want to teach them that that was a good choice). Put your face on them, touch their tail, their feet, their body. Lay next to them while they sleep on their bed, and while they’re eating. At this stage they need to be very comfortable with you doing all of these things, and later (when your bub is born) you are going to do the same things but holding your bub (You need to stop this as soon as your bub starts comprehending what is going on as you do NOT want your bub to think this is okay behaviour for them to do. The purpose of what you are doing here is solely to desensitise your dog to your baby and to become more aware of what their default behaviour might be if your later-moving child invades their space without your knowing). If your dog reacts negatively to you doing these things (walking away is FINE! But biting, growling, hackles, lip turns etc are NOT) you need to get a behaviour trainer in as a dog that does this is not safe for children to be around. DO NOT PERSIST in these behaviours if your dog shows a negative reaction. All you are wanting to do at this stage is assess your dog's tolerance level - NOT push them beyond that tolerance level. This will allow you to have a better awareness of how your dog might react if your soon to become toddler gets too in their space. AGAIN, IF YOUR DOG DOES SHOW a negative reaction (no matter how mild) aside from moving away, PLEASE REACH OUT TO A DOG TRAINER ASAP.

11. If your dog/s aren’t obedient in a way that you want them to be, it’s now time to look at booking in some obedience lessons.

12. If your dog/s wake throughout the night to go to the toilet/have a drink it’s time to start teaching them to sleep through. Crate training can be useful here (though not a necessity). Otherwise, it’s time to hand that responsibility over to your partner as no way are you going to want to wake multiple times a night with your human child AND with your animals. Stuff that for a joke!

13. Grandparents/aunts/uncles/extended family and anyone who is likely to be involved with your little one, should also do all of the above with their animals as hopefully they might like to baby sit for you once in a while, and you want to be comfortable that their animals are safe for your little one too.

14. Work out a plan for your animals (all of them) for when you go into labour and head to the hospital. Who will look after them while you are away? Think: food, sleeping, shelter, water, etc. Be prepared in case your stay is extended (i.e. you have a C-section, baby needs a stay in the NICU ward, is prem etc).

15. Also, look around and see hazards: Think water bowls as drowning risks. We used to use water buckets for the dogs, but now Thelli is crawling these have been replaced as babies can pull themselves up on them and flop in becoming trapped and drown. Replace any buckets and/or deep water bowls with shallow water bowls. Also think food bowls as choking hazards. We used to feed our dogs inside. Our dogs have been taught to be grazers rather than guzzle guts. So we’d leave the food in the bowl and throughout the day they’d come and eat at their leisure. This isn’t safe for little ones as they will pick up anything and put it in their mouth. For the dogs, eating now occurs outside where Thelli can’t get to any of the food.

16. At some point in your pregnancy you will also be at home more than usual (i.e. usually the last 4-6 weeks of your pregnancy you’ll stop working), make sure during this time (and continued into your maternity leave once your little one is earth-side) that you intentionally set aside time when your dogs do not have access to you. This isn’t specifically for your baby, but this will help with preventing separation anxiety for when you go back to work eventually.

17. Finally, one great way to see if there’s anything else you might need to get your dogs used to before baby is born is to carry around a doll for a few hours a day. This can help you notice behaviours you may need to modify i.e. if your dog/s sit on your lap every time you sit down (you want to change this before baby arrives), jumps on you when you come inside, etc etc.

The reason you want to do these things before baby arrives is not only because you’ll have so little time, be sleep deprived, and possibly be quite overwhelmed once baby is here, but more so, so as your dogs don’t associate all these changes with the baby! We want them to regard the baby with love, rather than having them look at the baby with annoyance thinking “when you arrived, my life turned to crap.”

Read more at:
https://www.anniesdogs.com.au/about-1

05/04/2024

Just in from a current particpant working toward her full assistance dog certificate.

"Thank you again Annie ❤️

Birdie has had a busy week (vet, daycare trial and public training) and EVERYWHERE we go I get
“She is the most polite dog I’ve ever met! Can I keep her?!”

And she really is (now)!
I’m blown away by how EASY and FUN having her out and about is..
Once that Halti is on she is 99% perfect!

I have sang your praises to AT LEAST 9 people just this week alone!
So I just wanted to say Thank You again, because you have changed my life.
My little “wheelchair in training” 😉 is helping me live a more full, comfortable and fun life and it’s all thanks to your amazing work.

So thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!!

I didn’t think it was possible and I bet the group I trained with didn’t think it would be possible either but now I have a little buddy who follows me everywhere and helps me live a healthier and happier life!

This course has been the best money I’ve ever spent and I can’t wait to get back there and level up!

(Picture of Birdie sitting at the far end of a Bunnings aisle waiting patiently for me to give her next command!)"

05/04/2024

Want to train your dog as your assistance animal in Victoria?
Unsure how?
Wanting clarification on Victoria's legal requirements?

All the information you need is in the photos of this post (Facebook doesn't allow me to upload it as a file). Alternatively, send me a message and I'll send you the PDF file. :)

04/04/2024

There are three dogs doing recall here - one even to their owner around the corner; 2 dogs who are waiting away from their owners until it's their turn; and 2 who are free (allowed to move). My course is always busy. Which is how it needs to be as that's what the real world is.

My next available obedience course is June 16 23 30, $660, Great Western, 9am-12pm.

This course is an excellent option for those who need help with getting their dog's obedience to an assistance dog level.

03/04/2024

Thelli - my 22 month old little girl in this picture- taking Pauley, my Standard Poodle, for a walk.



(Safety note- while Pauley would happily walk beside Thelli for his entire walk, I only let her walk him to the end of the drive, and in our back yard, as there are too many variables on the street. Don't get me wrong, this isn't because Pauley wouldn't listen or walk nicely on the street for her (he absolutely would), it's more for Thelli's safety- if an off lead dog were to approach etc. Such situations require an adult to be in charge).

03/04/2024

One of the things I love is when past participants send me videos like this one..why? Not only because of the awesome content (brilliant off lead recall), but more because it shows the owners have "got it". They understand that this course is a lifestyle change - a building of high expectations into your daily life. They understand it takes consistency - a willingness to hold the same expectations of your dog all of the time. But most of all they understand that foundational to everything is relationship- spending quality time with your dog to ensure their relationship with you is paramount.

Well done to everyone who has done this course and has taken the principles on board and still live by them. I hope you're finding it's a rewarding journey.

Reach out if you would like to know more about the services I offer for your assistance dog training journey.

30/03/2024

EASTER is almost here!
If you're like me, I love Easter! I love the chocolate; the family and friends; and the message of hope and new life.

Your dogs may also like Easter- all the extra pats and love they get from visitors; the leftovers they sneak; and the energy that buzzes around the room.

So here's some dog-friendly advice for this Easter period:
1. Just remember dogs can't eat chocolate. So if you're planning an Easter egg hunt for the kids make sure you do a count and know that they've all been picked up. And watch where that chocolate ends up - storing it in a low place (ie coffee table, on the floor in piles, the kids Easter egg baskets etc) may not be a good idea if your dog could get into it.

2. They also can't eat raisins (ie hot cross buns). So if you've got kids who don't like the raisins either make sure they don't pick them out and put them on the floor.

3. Why not include your 4 legged friend in the action? Instead of an Easter egg hunt, you can hide some of their favourite treats around the yard and let their nose get a scent workout. Remember, do this before doing the kid's Easter egg hunt as you don't want Fido tearing around the yard looking for treats and stumbling upon a missed Easter egg instead.

4. A lot of leftovers are also not good for dogs. Be sure to do a Google of what foods are dangerous as many of our common foods can kill them (ie onion). Even foods that don't cause too much of an issue when in moderation (ie half a sausage) can cause big problems if given a lot of (ie the family really didn't need those 10 extra snags you put on just in case).

5. Watch kids and your dog. Your kids may know how to be respectful and kind to your dog but it's likely you might have other people's kids around. Don't assume they know how to be around your dog, or not to feed them etc.

I hope these help you and your furry family member have an awesome and safe time this Easter. Check out Astro, a past grad, sporting his bunny ears. :) If you have a photo of your furry pooch in an Easter theme get up why not throw it in the comments for us to admire :)

28/03/2024

Everything I teach comes back to the philosophy I hold, namely: trust and relationship. I have studied dog training courses abroad in England and America aimed at addressing problem behaviours with these core principles. I also hold my Certificate III in Dog Training and Behaviour through the National Dog Training Foundation (Australia).

I have trained thousands of dogs in high levels of obedience. I have graduates of my therapy dog course in all states and territories of Australia, working in situations as vast as courts of law, schools, hospitals, nursing homes, counselling clinics, funeral homes, libraries, community centres, exam halls, and more. I also have participants of my assistance dog training working with their furry friends to help alleviate the affects of PTSD, medical conditions such as epilepsy, depression, anxiety, and to help live with diagnosises of ASD, ADD, ADHD and more.

I am also a qualified teacher (of humans) holding my Bachelor of Education, my Masters in Community Growth and International Development, and my Graduate Diploma of Ministry, Theology and Counselling.

As a result, if you come to my course, you will find a course that is taught by a professional; who holds the authentic caring relationship between people and animals as key; and who knows how to help you learn.

So why not scroll through my pages today to see thousands of unedited videos showing exactly what my courses teach, and what you can expect.

I hope to see you one day, but even if not, feel free to follow the page, like and share it as I also often post free advice and tips on all things dog.

For now, if you'd like to give my training a whirl, and try it out for yourself. Shoot me a message and I'll send you a brochure of the options that exist with training your dog as an assistance dog.

I also run straight obedience courses. My next dates are:
May 12 19 26 - wait list only
June 16 23 30 - 6 spaces available
August 11 18 25 - spaces available
October 13 20 27 - spaces available
November 10 17 24 - spaces available
(Cost $660; Great Western; 9am-12pm)

And I run therapy dog courses - which are different to assistance dog training. Therapy dogs are trained to bring love and joy to all people; assistance dogs are trained to provide a medical service for their owner who has a medical diagnosis.
My next therapy dog courses are:
April 8-12 - wait list only
July 1-5 - 4 spaces available
September 23-26 - spaces available
January 6-10 - spaces available
(Cost $1760; Ararat; 9am-3pm)

26/03/2024

🌟🐾 Today, on Epilepsy Day, we want to give a big shoutout to all the amazing assistance dogs who stand by their humans every step of the way. These furry heroes provide comfort, support, and even alert their owners during seizures. Let's show some love and appreciation for these incredible companions! 💜🐾

14/03/2024

Super proud of Chazz and his humans! Chazz has just gone one year old and is learning to be an assistance dog for his small-human owner, Jem. Jem has epilepsy and Chazz is being trained to alert bark when she is having a seizure, among other things. Chazz has done part 1 of his training with me and is now out and about as an assistance dog in training, getting the experience needed to return and become fully accredited. Well done, Jem, Kelly (Jem's mum) and family! Always proud of you.

27/09/2023

This is what you can expect when you complete any of my courses.
Consistency is key, continuing to challenge your dog is key. And being as brilliant an owner as Sandy who just didn't quit, is also key. Ask anyone in the recent course who participated alongside Sandy and Birdie, and they will tell you, Biride was akin to an ADHD child (incredibly loveable, but such high energy!) At 5 months old there wasn't a lot of listening going on, especially when food wasn't offered. But here they are, 1 week post course, smashing life!
Birdie is on the way to becoming Sandy's assistance dog. And as Sandy stated during the course, "thank you so much for helping to put the wheels on my wheelchair."
Stay tuned, I have a sneaky suspicion Birdie and Sandy will be regulars on this page.

My next obedience course is October 15, 22 and 29, 9am-12pm, $660.
My next therapy dog course is January 8-11, 9am-3pm, $1760.
I'm also always taking on new assistance dog training clients also. From as little as $100, I offer services like a buffet where you choose what services you require. Start anytime.

07/06/2023

Loose lead walking taught in 3 days - the vast majority of these dogs were compulsive pullers when they started.

Next available course September 10, 17 and 24. $660, 9am-12pm. Wait list available for August 13, 20 and 27.
Ararat.

28/05/2023

https://www.anniesdogs.com.au/

Updated tonight :) Why not check it out and share it with some friends who may not have Facebook :)
If you notice any irregularities let me know too! It's designed for desktop, so if you're finding issues with your mobile device shoot me a message and I'll see what I can do to make that experience user friendly also! :)
Thanks for your support everyone!
As always, much appreciated!
And happy end of the weekend.... waaaaaahhh haha 🤣😂😅

Annie's Dogs provides therapy dog training and certification; high level obedience training; and therapy dog visitations.

28/05/2023

Our last session today. What a difference, from me needing a microphone on day 1 to be heard, to the quiet, calm doggos on session 3 :) more videos to come. :)

My next available obedience course is September 10, 17 and 24, $660, 9am-12pm. Ararat. August is now booked out.

Next available assistance dog course is June 26-30, 9am-3pm, $2000, Ararat. 1 space available.

15/05/2023

Age!
Let's take a moment to zero in on these two beautiful puppas! Why? Because both Darcy and Nyx had just turned 5 and 6 months respectively, yet check out how cool, calm and collected they were. Listening to their owners in even the most busy and distracting of settings. Could they have done this before the course? Absolutely not. But the course teaches everything you need to get to this point.

So essentially the best age to train a pup has three main facets to it.
First: The age they are trainable (not debating at this point whether it's the best age or not). My method of training is suitable and successful for dogs that are 5 months or older. At this age, your pup is old enough to concentrate, learn and manage their impulses (even if they don't do it well before being trained. They are entirely capable of it).

Second: Best age of an assistance dog (this isn't necessarily the best age to train - you'll see what I mean - rather it's what age assistance dogs are generally the best at their job).

Third: In saying the above, neither of these answer when it's best to train an assistance dog. The first answer merely tells when a dog is trainable. The second, when they will likely come into their own as awesome assistance dogs. However, training them at the age they'd be amazing is not always the answer. In fact, referring back to what I shared above- many of the best assistance dogs are those that are introduced to their future work environment from day dot. So, what age is it best to train an assistance dog? My opinion is: Anywhere between 5 and 9 months. At the end of the course it's unlikely they'll be the best in the course, however, this is the age that gives you the most potential with them. It allows you to introduce them to your work space, colleagues and family and allows the dog and yourself to grow into the role together. Like people, the person who has been working at their job for 5 years, compared to the person who has recently joined the company - you can expect the employee with most experience to be markedly better than the one who has just joined (at least at the beginning). They have more knowledge, are familiar with the processes, and know what they need to do. The younger employee though still has much to offer, and, if trained and mentored well can sometimes surpass even the most experienced. That won't happen on day one, but over time as they also learn their role. t's the same with assistance dogs. Your new assistance dog may not be as good as mine who's been doing his job for 5 years (since he was 5 months), but guess what, Pauley wasn't as good as he is now when he started either. Dogs are like people, the more they do their job the better they become at it.
To be sure, when your dog graduates the course, they will be obedient, intuitive, and will listening to you in all settings. But the sky is also the limit for them (and you). Potential is open, and I'm sure they'll continue to go from strength to strength as they do more and more of their job.

This post has just given you a snapshot of puppyhood to assistance doghood. I run a free puppy Facebook group which goes into all of these points and more in a lot more detail (I.e it gives you videos to follow of how to teach your dog the tricks I mentioned; gives a step by step guide to crate training and why; as well as talking more generally on topics like how to toilet train etc). The link is here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/594467001156856/?ref=share . Feel free to add yourself.

If you'd like to give my training a whirl, and try it out for yourself, my next courses are:
June 26-30
September 18-22
(Cost $2000; Ararat; 9am-3pm)

I also run obedience courses. My next available dates are:
August 13, 20 and 27.
(Cost $660; Ararat; 9am-12pm)

I also run puppy school for puppies under 4 months. These occur every month. It's a 3 weekly cycle and you join whenever your pup has had their first vaccination. Cost is $45 a session, or $40 a session if paying all 3 upfront. Sundays 3pm. Ararat.