Paws for Assistance Dog Training

05/09/2024

Rideshare denials for assistance/service dogs. It’s a worldwide problem 😔

Originally aired on 8/29 on . Ride share refusals are more than just an inconvenience, they are a violation of the Americans with Disabilities...

29/06/2024

Happy Weekend Folks.
Love from, Chilly Melbourne.
🐕🐕🥰 🍷

23/06/2024

Acclimatising an assistance dog to a highly stimulating environment should be done slowly over time, even multiple sessions.
Always watch the dogs body language. Is it calm, loose body, checking in with you, is it able to accept food from you?
This team has done a great job of stopping regularly to allow the dog to adjust & take in all this meat market has to offer (& sorry doggo, nothing for you…yet)!
Take it slow folks.

*shared with consent from this team.

06/06/2024

Spam alert: Sorry folks.
some crappy messages about t-shirts or something. please don’t engage with it. I’ve hopefully blocked it… for now.

27/03/2024

Congratulations to this team 👏
Most folks have no idea how long it takes to train an assistance dog let alone doing it from a wheelchair!
Of course it can be done with the right mindset, a HUGE amount of patience, time, consistency, dedication and the RIGHT DOG for the job.
This handler has put in an incredible amount of time to achieve this task where this 11month old labrador will take the object from the handler-hold the object-perform a paws up behaviour-release object to an unknown person then do it all again in reverse order. 😮‍💨 👏👏👏👏
Here are the

28/02/2024

👏 Kudos to the in-training assistance dog handler team I've had the privilege of witnessing in action for the past 12 months🐾
They’re overcoming all odds & obstacles while showcasing dedication and resilience to the training program.
This week, they achieved a remarkable milestone - a solo train trip (no support worker) to Melbourne from rural Victoria on a scooter, accompanied by their trusty assistance dog while enduring a 3.5-hour train journey to and from Melbourne🌟 🥱
is very proud of your dedication!
Your accomplishments are truly inspiring!

🚂 🦮 ♿️

This photo was shared with consent.

Photo description:
A young lady sitting in a 4 wheel scooter wearing hot pink tights, noise cancelling headphones while leaning to her left looking adoringly at her golden labrador retriever who is looking back at her.

Here are the hashtags:

13/02/2024

13 February 2024

A Remarkable Collaboration: Engineering Assistance for Assistance Dog trainers.

Paws for Assistance Dog Training, based in Glenroy Victoria, is thrilled to share a heartwarming success story that highlights the spirit of collaboration and ingenuity within our local Strathmore Men's Shed (SMS).

In a wonderful display of community support, Gerry, a talented member of SMS has recently engineered an innovative dog training food dispenser to aid individuals with disabilities who are training their own assistance dogs under the Paws for Assistance training program.

The collaboration began when Paws for Assistance identified a need for a practical solution to support those with compromised limb movement during the crucial process of training their own assistance dog. Recognising the potential impact of such a project, Gerry stepped forward with his engineering skills and a desire to make a difference.

Working closely with Paws for Assistance, Gerry designed and crafted a custom food dispenser that can be easily attached to wheelchairs. The dispenser facilitates the efficient and timely delivery of dog training food, ensuring that individuals with disabilities can effectively train their assistance dogs without the hindrance of compromised body movement or finger dexterity.

The beauty of this project lies not only in the technical prowess demonstrated by Gerry but also in the compassion and community spirit that underpins the entire endeavor. The Strathmore Men’s Shed continues to be a place where skills, ideas, and goodwill converge to create solutions that enhance the lives of those within and beyond the community.
Paws for Assistance extends a heartfelt thanks to Gerry for his remarkable contribution and partnership. Together, we are making a positive impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities and their assistance dogs, fostering a community that truly cares.

*The device on the wheelchair was the original prototype.

06/02/2024

Apologies folks.
There’s been some spam comments on some posts. Please ignor. It has been reported and user blocked! 😠

Stay tuned for some content soon…

02/02/2024

Just another plus for scent training your doggo.
Even if it’s as simple as the dog finding strategically placed kibble around your house! 🐾🐾🙌

Dogs that were scent trained were found to be better at impulse control when tasked with treat based challenges, a study has found.

10/12/2023

Hot days coming our way in town.

03/12/2023

Animal Assisted Intervention.

Murphy has been an absolute champion.

For folks using wheelchairs, furry companions can become catalysts for community connection, motivating movement, and embracing the joy of the outdoors. 🌳 🥎 🐕
Let's celebrate the incredible bond between humans and animals that opens doors to new possibilities! 💙

01/12/2023

Whoops!
I had a bit of a collision with Murphy (black & tan kelpie) at agility practice last night. She came flying over a jump & I was in the wrong place. I sacrificed my ankle for the dog. The things we do eh! 😖👍🤦🏼‍♀️

06/10/2023

Check out the groovy boots!
🐾🐾
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Lots of hashtags coming your way…

21/09/2023

What are some of the challenges for parents with autistic & neurodiverse children when training/working their own assistance/service dogs?
This American study from 2008 describes some of these challenges:

The purpose of this paper is to describe the challenges of service-dog ownership for families with autistic children. Through a qualitative interview process, this study has found that the integration of a service dog into a home environment is a highly dynamic and interactive process with numerous....

16/09/2023

First time with wheelchair! 👏👏
👏
👏
This is the first official training session with Pixie attached to this young handlers wheelchair. They did really well.
A lot of hard work, time & effort from mum/alternate handler has gone into getting this miniature labradoodle to this point.
We’re still playing around with leash attachments at this point.
There is no one-size-fits all arrangements for this kind of set up.
Safety for both dog & handler plus comfort for the dog are of utmost importance.

03/09/2023

And there it is.
We’ve been waiting for a scenario like this to present itself. 😖

*PFA does not know the background story of this dog, so we won’t be making comments either way.
We hope the dog is safe and enjoying a relaxed pet lifestyle.
We also hope the child & all involved are able to recover adequately from this incident.

Support dog bites 6yo student's face at South Coast school - ABC News

An investigation is underway after a six-year-old boy was bitten by a support dog at his South Coast school, with reports he was attempting to give the labradoodle a cuddle.

31/08/2023

My office space 🤓😉

Great training session from this team today 👏👏
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26/08/2023

Happy International Dog Day folks 😁🎉🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕🐕

05/08/2023

I got to hang out with my colleague dog trainer & friend Kylie Smith from Elite Canine Training and Behaviour Qld. last week in Echuca, Vic. while completing a therapy dog course with Tessa Stow from K9 Support.
I’m so lucky to know these incredibly talented dog trainers 😊

16/06/2023

Owner Training an assistance dog is quite the challenge, let alone from a wheelchair!
😳
There are ups & downs, ebbs & flows throughout the entire process; ask any one of our client handler teams 🤪🤓
This particular team has demonstrated so much dedication & commitment to the training 👏👏 however, the journey is far from over 😌
YOU CAN DO IT!
🦮🦮🦮🦮🦮🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🐩🐕🐇🦤🐓🦙???

12/05/2023

Group Session
🐕‍🦺🐕‍🦺🦮
P4A was privileged to run a bespoke group review session with these 3 blokes & their fabulous assistance dogs.
👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

08/05/2023

Melbournians: Want to give your dog an unusual experience? You could try riding puffing billy with your pooch in the Dandenongs.
Note: This is a 'pet dog' accessible activity.

Dogs’ day out at Puffing Billy Railway They greet you every morning and wait for hours to see you again at the end of the day, but now your faithful…

05/05/2023

I just came across this 2021 article on a study. It may be interesting to some.
Comments welcome.

Worldwide prevalence of ADHD is estimated to be around 2.2% in children and 2.8% in adults. Prevalence rates vary with age, gender, presentation and comorbidities

30/04/2023

A beautiful afternoon in the .
Keiko & Murphy enjoying the sun before winter sets in.
All we need now are a few 😉

08/04/2023

Therapy dog doing her thang 👏

Murphy has been helping out a highly motivated client of mine who has requested some therapy dog intervention as he’s not in a position to own his own assistance dog at this time 😊
Keiko tagged along for the ball activities part 😁🐾🐾🐾🐾

29/03/2023

2020 Throwback. When I had to train & entertain a 16week old kelpie from a scooter while wearing a moon boot.
🐾🐾 🦼
I’m committed to finding out how it is for some of my clients training their own assistance dogs 😉🤓
🐕

29/03/2023

A throwback post from Dec 2020 when I had to train and entertain a hyped up 16 week old kelpie from a disability scooter while wearing a moon boot.
Com’on… that’s commitment to stepping into my client’s shoes, or moon boot as the case may be 😉

24/03/2023

Had a little trick training sesh today. Fun!

28/02/2023

I don’t share memes or sayings very often, but this one sits so true with me. I think many of the folk with PADT may feel the same.

24/02/2023

An at home assistance dog be a great help if you have trouble accessing items on the ground such as clothes in a basket. Not all assistance dogs require public access! How can your dog help with your own (dis)abilities?