Legend Retrievers & Working Dogs

09/16/2025

Hey Punkin!! 🎃
Sapper was a pro today at Hobby lobby! I rarely bring a dog here because it’s a pretty advanced outing and there’s lots of breakable stuff! Sapper was demonstrating his perfect heel, his controlled slow step and only made friends when told he was free! He was really showing off his skills today!💪💪💪

09/12/2025

Big thanks to Ashlyn and Rio for being my neutral dog today at a coffee shop. Georgie barks in excitement but also anxiety when she sees another dog and I needed her first in public intro to be with a truly neutral dog. Ashlyn also got certified as a CGC evaluator so that she could perform public access tests on my service dogs in training. This lovely lady is always willing to help! She’s a great asset to us and a wonderful friend, super thankful for her! 🫶🏻🫶🏻💗🐾

09/11/2025

This will be a great even for all of my breeder friends!

How do you know if a therapy animal is in the right setting (and what happens when they aren’t)?

Join Dr. Lindsey Wallace, PA-C and experienced evaluator, as she shares practical strategies from years of therapy animal work, including a retrospective study in behavioral health. You’ll learn how to assess environments, honor animal preferences, and measure program success.

📅 September 16, 5:30 p.m. ET / 2:30 p.m. PT
Finding the Right Fit: Matching Therapy Animals with Environment
AAAIP members: Free | Non-members: $19

➡️ Register today and strengthen your practice: https://utm.guru/ui3q2

09/11/2025

Mr Sapper was really interested in the mannequins, he was disappointed that they didn’t pet him. Don’t they know everyone wants to pet Sapper??? 🥹🥹💗💗🐾

09/08/2025

Miss Georgie the “Punkin’ Head” posing in front of a giant “Pupkin spice” on an outing today! Georgie is making fantastic progress in her training, she’s more confident each time we go out, she’s barking less and she’s a pro at sitting for pets from friendly strangers 💪💪💗🐾
🎃

09/04/2025

Chica was an exceptional stretching partner for me this morning! As I prepare to certify as an animal assisted intervention professional, Chica and 3 of my other dogs are training to provide support to my somatic and nervous system regulation coaching clients. A sweet rest of the chin on someone’s belly is the perfect response, and this sweet girl does it all on her own. 💗💗💗

09/03/2025

Sapper completed formal obedience with me about 2 years ago and is back for a touch up! He’s developed a little bit of anxiety when he goes out and about without his dog brother, so he’s with me to build some self confidence! 💪 You’d never know he trained 2 years ago, he’s sharp as a tack with his perfect swing into heel and pop into an instant down!
For starters, we gotta check out those creepy, scary halloween decorations!
We already made some great progress at Lowe’s and it’s just day 1!! 👻 🎃💀

09/03/2025

Georgie the Pit rescue was found as a 1 week old puppy wrapped in construction netting. Her skin was cut deeply and infected, each move she made only made things more painful. She was found and cut out if the net but still ended up with some major nervous system dysregulation due to the intense pain before her eyesight and hearing even developed.
Today she’s 15 weeks old, wrapped in deep scars around her entire body, and at times highly anxious and fearful. Other times, she throws her body around like a wrecking ball, and wont respect appropriate correction from other dogs. She barks nearly constantly, she will be chasing a ball one minute, afraid of it the next. She swings wildly from intense excitement, to extreme fear. 💔

Shes been with me for a week and really needed that time to acclimate to the other dogs, a new routine and environment. She’s made major strides with her confidence and so today was her first social outing. We worked through some car crate fear, body confidence getting out of the back seat, stranger danger with the sweet checkout ladies. And even picked up some collagen springs from the raw bar to keep her occupied and help with the barking. Major strides for just 1 week in!!! Way to go Georgie, the sky is the limit for you girl!! 🌟☄️

09/03/2025

🐾 Therapy Animal or Facility Animal?

If you’re bringing animals into your professional setting — or thinking about it — understanding the difference matters.

✨ Therapy Animals work with a volunteer handler to offer comfort and connection during short visits in settings like hospitals, schools, or libraries.

🏥 Facility Animals work alongside a professional as part of their daily role in clinical, educational, or residential settings, often trained for specific tasks in that environment.

Both are part of animal-assisted interventions (AAI). And both deserve the highest standards in training, safety, and well-being.

At AAAIP, we guide professionals in doing this work the right way: responsibly, ethically, and with your animal’s welfare at the center.

📌 Follow us for insights, education, and resources to help you bring therapy animals into your professional practice.

08/28/2025

08/28/2025

✨ New Blog Post: When Trauma Looks Like Autism (and How Dogs Can Help Us Heal) ✨

Autism and complex trauma often look strikingly similar. Sensory sensitivities, executive dysfunction, anxiety, and social overwhelm can appear in both — making it difficult to tell them apart.

In my latest post, I explore:
🔹 The brain science behind how trauma rewires the nervous system
🔹 Why autism and trauma can look almost identical to professionals
🔹 New research linking autism subtypes with depression & anxiety
🔹 How canine-assisted nervous system training supports regulation for trauma, autism, anxiety, and depression

This isn’t just about labels — it’s about understanding the nervous system and discovering simple daily tools that build resilience and connection.

Trauma can rewire the brain in ways that mirror autism, but canine-assisted nervous system training offers powerful support for both.