Dog Aid charity film on their work training pets to be assistance dogs

Dog Aid are an unique charity that train your pet to be a registered assistance dog. In this film is looks at the great work they offer and two case studies on how assistance dogs change peoples lives.

Dog A.I.D. is a registered charity and is accredited to Assistance Dogs UK and Assistance Dogs International and Assistance Dogs Europe. They provide personal dog training for people with physical disabilities to help them train their own dog to Assistance Dog Level where appropriate.

They do not supply either trained dogs or puppies. A qualified dog is on a par with a Guide Dog, a Dog for the Disabled, or a Hearing Dog.

They will consider any breed or cross breed generally up to and including five years old providing that basic obedience has already been established. The important thing is that the dog is capable of doing what is required by the owner, and at least as important is that the dog is social with people of all types, other animals including strange dogs, and confident in different situations such as heavy traffic, loud noises, crowded shopping areas etc. The dog also needs to be reliable off lead.

Once a potential client has completed their application, they will be added to a waiting list for a trainers. When one becomes available in that area, Dog A.I.D. pairs each new client with an approved personal dog trainer.

The client is then coached to train their pet dog using modern, safe, reward-based methods of dog training. The training usually takes place at the client’s home and in their local environment; occasionally it may be appropriate for the client to attend classes held by their trainer.

Using the bond which already exists between the client and their dog, the trainer is able to leave them to practise what they’ve learned until the next appointment. This strengthens the bond and gives the client confidence and a real sense of achievement.

The success of the scheme relies on the commitment of the client to continue and practise on a daily basis. Daily training ensures that the dog is learning at it’s own pace whilst being a constant companion to the client.

The client and dog team will be assessed three times during their work to become a fully qualified team, and this process can take between 1 and 2 years, depending on their prior training experience, and the time and effort they devote to their training.

To support the administration costs of Dog A.I.D. the charity relies on clients, patrons and supporters for fundraising and sponsorship.

Accredited assistance dogs:

• Have been trained to behave well in public
• Have safe and reliable temperaments
• Are healthy and do not constitute a hygiene risk observed over a considerable period of time
• Are fully toilet-trained
• Are regularly checked by experienced veterinarians
• Are accompanied by a disabled handler who has been trained how to work alongside their assistance dog
• Are recognisable by the harness, organisation specific coat, id tag on their collar or lead slip they wear

Watch the Dog Aid video on our blog by clicking here.
For more information please visit the Dog Aid website at http://dogaid.org.uk. The video is sponsored by us at ProTrainings Europe Ltd and our Pet First Aid training at www.propetfirstaid.co.uk phone 01206 805359.

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