LIFE OF AN ASSISTANCE DOG
At two years old, having completed puppy walking and early training, most assistance dogs are ready to graduate as one of the most responsible dogs in the country. Their training is similar to that of a guide dog although there is greater emphasis on social training and working with children. Here we guide you through the life of an Assistance Dog, after they have spent their first year with a puppy walker.
Early Training
When the puppy is a year old, it leaves family life to join other dogs at our training centre to start “Early Training”. This phase of their training lasts for 5 months with a Trainer. The dog is introduced to a variety of situations; shopping centres, coffee shops / restaurants, public transport, lifts, different noises and children.
Our Assistance Dogs in training are taken on several walks each day, where they are taught how to cross roads and stop at kerbs. Emphasis is given to obedience, social training and roads to ensure the safety of the child they will come to work with.
Advance Training
If the dog reaches the high standards needed to be an Assistance Dog, it will go on for another 3 months of “Advanced Training”. Here a specially trained Assistance Dog Instructor perfects the dog’s skills so that it can provide safe mobility for an autistic child with their family. The dog is taught to stop if the child bolts and is also familiarised with walking with two people, since as a qualified assistance dog it will be walked by both the child and the parent walking behind.
The Instructor will look at how the dog behaves considering many of the same criteria as guide dogs such as its personality, whether it walks fast or slow, whether it prefers working in the country or city. However, unlike a guide dog the traits of an assistance dog are matched to a whole family as well as the personality of the child. Getting the dog/owner match right is crucial and a lot of time and effort is put in to ensure the best possible partnership is made.
Out to Work
At 20 months old our Assistance Dogs arrive at the final phase of their training. For one week at our National Headquarters and Training Centre they are trained with one or both parents from their new family. During this time the parents will learn the basics of veterinary care, practiced as a dog handler as well as familiarising themselves with the skills the dog has learned. Considerable attention during the training is given to practicing working the dog in public places.
Once the Assistance Dog has returned home to their new family, an Instructor will follow through with an aftercare programme, visiting them in their home four or five times over three to four weeks. Thereafter the Assistance Dog Instructor will make a follow up visit after six weeks, six months and then every year.
Retirement
An Assistance Dog will begin to tire around the age of 10 and at this stage we will look at retiring the dog. This can be a difficult time for both dog and owner as they have spent many years together. Most often the Assistance Dog family will keep their dog as a pet for the remainder of its life. If they choose not to, we find a suitable home for these hard working dogs.
To read about real life assistance dog Clive and his best friend Murray, click here to visit Clive's Blog and see pictures of them together.
