15/09/2023
Incredible work by an incredible human (and her pups of course)! 🩷🐾🩵
Thought it was time to introduce myself.
My name is Ashleigh and I am the proud owner of Inspire Therapy & Assistance dogs.
This has been a lifelong dream for me to create a business training dogs & people and helping the community in any way possible with our furry companions.
It all started with Bailea my kelpie, which most people have had the opportunity to be licked by her, or have a cuddle. She was a beautiful 11week old puppy when I picked her up just after I left high school after our family dog has passed the rainbow bridge.
Bailea had shake, hi-5, and drop down pat within about 5 mins of being home.. that’s what started my pure love for training, although I’d done some with our family dog, Bailea made it different. She saw me as her person and she was my dog (I didn’t have to share her😝) and from then on we just kept growing and learning together.
Fast forward a few years, we moved to Hervey Bay where I got a job at a petshop, Bailea was well behaved enough to come to work with me most days which was an incredible opportunity for me to train and work at the same time getting a bit of insight to how a dog can help a person in need with simple tasks (this is where I taught her to push trolleys, pick items up and help clean up the store). I was then asked to become a puppy trainer for the petshop and I still remember going home to my parents that day in tears of happiness that I was given that opportunity.
Fast forward another few years and hurdles along the way, I started my own pet dog training business. Helping hundreds of people and their dogs around the Fraser coast. Not believing I’d get so busy but the families and dogs I’ve met along the way have become friends and part of the training family. There is nothing better than having a family and pup start puppy school with me and continue through the dogs life with training, and even brining second dogs through my training programs. During this time I completed my Cert III in dog training and behaviour, where I met Oaklea’s breeder. He had the same views and goals as I did with breeding/raising and providing therapy and assistance dogs.. and that’s were my long 2 year wait started to have this beautiful little girl.
Then once my beautiful little girl was born, my Dreams started to become a reality and without the support of my family, friends and clients I wouldn’t be in this position.
Now Bailea, Oaklea & I visit multiple schools, helping students and staff have a better day, make people smile, bring people closer and teaching the students about empathy, learning and what benefits come from having a therapy dog in the school.
We also had the amazing opportunity to purchase Ellea, Oaklea’s sister who also comes to schools to help spread happiness and smiles!
Along with helping clients train their dogs for assistance dog roles to enhance their life without human support where possible, and with the love and support from their furry working companions. It is incredible to watch what our dogs can do for us in trained tasks, self taught tasks and just their natural ability to make us smile (even if it is when your white dog turns black from dirt, right before they need to come inside😝)
I look forward to sharing our journey with you in the coming years ❤️🐾
- shoutout to Fraser Coast Anglican College for this beautiful pic of myself and my girls 😍❤️
