• Access to small zoom classes covering both general obedience, handling skills and assistive tasks listed below. These are usually Wednesday, Thursday & Friday evenings. With restricted timetables during school holidays. 
• Access to the self guided training zone which contains training instructions.
• Access to either the CEP therapeutic pets theory module & assignment or assistance dog theory modules & assignments. 
• Access to the Pawsitive Squad members community on Facebook 
• Supporting letters for housing, social or medical team.
• Uniform (lead sleeve while in training and lead sleeve & jacket when fully trained) for your dog either identifying your dog as an CEP therapeutic pet, assistance dog or in training. 
• ASDAN Animal care short course (optional & does require substantial self guided learning).

Training your dog as a therapy dog does take time and effort. You'll need to commit to training at least one task to support you at around the home as well as ensure your dog has good general obedience so they're a consistently positive presence for you. 

Assistance dogs

Training your dog to be an assistance dog is not a challenge which should be undertaken lightly. It's takes a lot of time and effort and full commitment because essentially you are providing the training to your dog to become a full time professional carer... and you wouldn't allow an under qualified and poorly trained human carer to support you, would you?

Training an assistance dog isn't just slapping a jacket on, having them with a disabled person and taking them anywhere you please, it's far more complex than that. The dog needs to be impeccably trained - be able to maintain focus on their handler even when there's food on the floor, other dogs in the environment and people trying to distract them and they need to be able to reliably perform the tasks which decrease the impact of the persons disability in all environments, of course the dogs are dogs, living beings capable of making mistakes but their socialisation, training and the handlers education and handling skills should ensure mistakes are rare and the dogs maintain a high quality, reliable level of skills & obedience. Unfortunately, not all dogs are cut out to be assistance dogs, some are unsuitable due to breed suitability for the tasks required, personality, anxiety and desire to work. 

For Pawsitive Squad clients, we have clear expectations of our clients which are laid out in the signed customer agreements. Regrettably, if clients fail to meet and maintain the agreement requirements this could result in removal from the program.

These requirements include:

• Commitment to being open and honest about your disabilities and needs including providing evidence when requested.
• Commitment to keep written records on the templates provided and uploading these 3 monthly by the due dates.
• Commitment to regularly attend classes, at least virtually once a month while assistance dog is in training.
• Commitment to doing structured training exercises with your dog whether at home or in public yourself at least 3 times a week.

Signing up for our care experienced people program is pretty easy! All we need initially is for you to submit a copy of the completed application form which can be found below alongside a copy of your dogs microchip registration. Please submit your application to the drop box link below.

If you state on the application form you wish to apply to train your dog as an assistance dog we will email you to ask for further evidence (of vaccination & disability).  

Please allow 7 days for us to process your application. If you haven't heard from us after a week please contact us to ensure we have received your application.