One of the most common questions I get asked online is “how can I get an assistance dog?” After doing some autism and ADHD assessments recently and suggesting to people that they may benefit from training their dog as an assistance dog, I thought I’d write about it!
Meeno has been my assistance dog (AD) since 2023. Here’s our story of going through the “owner trained” route (not receiving a dog ready trained from a company but training your pet yourself).
Throughout my life, I haven’t benefitted from having a dog. Dogs have supported my mental health since childhood. I could have coped with university much better if I’d had a dog with me. I think Meeno would have made a HUGE difference to my life then! When I got Meeno, I wanted to take him everywhere. I was obsessed with him and the feeling was totally mutual. Meeno picked up on my emotions so naturally and gave me cuddles constantly. He was the perfect candidate!
Getting started
I’m not sure how I initially learnt about assistance dogs, but it’s fair to say I immediately took a deep dive. There are very few organisations across the UK, which train dogs via an owner trained route. There are a number of charities who provide assistance dogs in the domains of physical disability, autism, psychiatric etc such as Assistance Dogs UK. The only ones I found in the UK were:
– Pawtected
– Wild Spirit – this is the one we chose and they were honestly brilliant. I couldn’t recommend the team enough.
There was a lot of paperwork to get started, such as filling in forms about what I wanted to get from the process, all about Meeno, providing documents of my disability, Meeno’s training and health etc and getting a note from my doctor about the benefit of having an assistance dog. It took a lot of spoons!
We started with desensitisation training, such as taking Meeno to dog friendly shops, pubs, busy places and tested his responses to stimuli over time. This was hard for me from a sensory perspective so I needed patience and only to put us both in that situation when I was regulated. Having to go to all these environments I would usually avoid was pretty tough!
Meeno gets his vest!
Once Meeno could prove he could access dog friendly spaces well and we started the next stage of training, he got his vest. I’ve got to say, it was one of the most exciting days of my life (no I’m not exaggerating). The vest had to say “assistance dog in training” based on where we were in training. Assistance doggos can’t wear an assistance dog vest until they have passed their tests. There was a long way to go for that!
Once we got the vest, we started venturing into public spaces, which weren’t dog friendly. We got going with (the dreaded) supermarkets, shopping centres and public transport (as quiet times) to get him used to more spacious public environments. Apparently I went full steam ahead and could have tackled some easier public spaces first. Ever the overachiever and without a lack of patience, I strived to be the person who could pass the tests as quick as possible…
In these spaces we practiced calm entries and exits, walking in a heel position and ignoring distractions. Honestly, there is no need to create distractions.. the general public will see a dog in a shop and they will try to speak to them and touch them (despite what a vest might say!). We used a clicker for this that we paired with a treat. So every time I clicked the clicker he got a treat. This meant he would ignore a distraction if I clicked the clicker in busy places. Slowly he learnt to turn to me every time he was distracted.
Teaching tasks
Once Meeno got more comfortable in a range of spaces and was able to ignore distractions enough to focus on me, we started to train tasks. There are so many different tasks a dog can do to help you in many different ways. Here’s some of the tasks Meeno learnt for me:
Pressure therapy: Meeno will lie across or sit on my lap when I’m seated. He will lie across my chest when I’m lying down. This gives pressure therapy to help regulation.
Alert/check in: When I’m becoming stressed, Meeno will alert me by giving me a touch on the back of my leg in a specific place where I can tolerate touch. This alerts me to take it easy, as I don’t recognise the build up of stress due to Alexithymia.
Block: In busy spaces, Meeno will stand in front or behind me to block people from getting too close. This is helpful in queues when people stand too close behind me.
Jump up: When I’m distressed, Meeno will jump up at me to alert me and also to put space between me and the cause of distress (usually someone speaking to me who I’m not familiar with, or feel awkward around). This can look like a dog behaving badly but he’s actually tasking. He may also do this when I’m sitting and have been on task for too long and need movement due to my restlessness.
Crowd control: In busy environments, Meeno is trained to circle me to ensure that people give me adequate space. This is especially helpful for public transport.
Focus: Meeno will give me sustained eye contact when I’m overwhelmed as a way to help with grounding and regulating my nervous system.
Exit: On command, Meeno will guide me quickly and effectively out of the nearest exit, weaving through people to get us out of the overwhelming situation.
Some of the others I learnt about include: fetching medication, loading the washing, opening cupboards, and so much more!
Once Meeno learnt all the tasks, we then had to practice and refine them in high stimulation environments where there were lots of distractions. Slowly, we had to fade out rewards of treats and focus only on verbal praise. I would say that was the longest part of the process for us. Not because Meeno constantly needed treats but because I was so forgetful and needed a lot of time to process the change.
Dog wellbeing
Through the process, the trainers are constantly assessing Meeno’s wellbeing. I am supported to recognise his needs as he does mine, such as if he is overwhelmed or he needs a break. This means that Meeno loves his work and has a great work-life-balance. The training stimulates his brain and tires him out just as much as exercising. His little tail is wagging the entire time. So when people think it’s mean for him to be an AD, they really don’t understand. He also has a full health check each year to make sure his health is up to the standard required to carry out his duties. Basically, Meeno is one happy and well looked after pooch.
Public Access Test (PAT)
Each year, we have to complete a PAT to ensure that Meeno is up to the standard required of an AD, as well as checks on our connection, my training techniques and his wellbeing. Meeno is observed accessing a public space and is required to access stairs, a lift, entry and exit to places, ignore distractions in the environment (including other dogs), maintain a down stay (laid down) in a busy environment, recall (return to me immediately when called), be handled by another person, and be greeted by a young child. The PAT checks his ability to cope with busy environments, including smells, food, people and noises. Meeno is also tested on at least three of his tasks in the busy environment to make sure that he can task even when there’s lots going on around him.
At each PAT, I’m so incredibly anxious because it would devastate me if Meeno didn’t pass. This wouldn’t be the end of his journey as an AD, but he would need further training to progress. The organisation we work with (Sit Happens) are amazing at supporting my anxiety around this process and giving lots of reassurance. We have opportunities for lots of practice and to fine-tune his tasks and skills nearer the time of the test. Throughout the year, Meeno has opportunities for further training to advance his skills. We have accessed both one to one and group sessions within the training facility and out in the community. These have been invaluable and I would highly recommend.
Navigating the community
I would say the biggest barrier I have to accessing the community with Meeno is having to advocate. I can’t count the amount of times I’ve walked into somewhere and despite a very clear vest, people say “you can’t have dogs in here.” Then I have to go through the process of explaining he’s an assistance dog when I already have a low capacity for communication. There’s not enough education in society about assistance dogs and so, people see a little cockapoo and think that doesn’t look like an assistance dog.
I would also say the amount of attention Meeno receives is challenging at times. He’s very cute! Unfortunately, people want to talk to me about him, which is the opposite of what I need in the community. Luckily, Meeno knows how to handle this and supports. People mean well, but it’s really overstimulating. There are also times where people will deliberately make noises at him and try to get his attention and I have to very directly tell them to stop, which doesn’t always go down well!
Now that we’re in Australia, we have a card which explains Meeno is an assistance dog and has a right to access public spaces, with all the relevant laws on the back of it. This means I have to do so much less advocating. I also usually have my partner with me, who is the person that explains he is an assistance dog and we need entry to somewhere. There have been a number of times where people have denied us entry to somewhere due to Meeno being with us, especially restaurants and bars. There are also a lot of places who will make it clear that they’re not happy with Meeno entering but know that they “have to” accept him. These people usually try to seat us in the cold outside, or in a separate area where no one else is sitting etc. These occasions are worse than not being accepted in, as I feel so incredibly comfortable the whole time, knowing we’re not welcome!
On the flip side, we’ve had some amazing establishments who have gone out of their way to welcome us and set up little areas for Meeno, or asked if there’s anything they can do to make access easier. There’s been a number of restaurants that have actually set him up a little bed in a corner. On the plane journey we took him on recently, they let us on the plane first to get settled and gave us a row to ourselves so we had additional space. These adjustments make a huge difference to confidence and comfort in the community.
Here’s some things that have helped me access the community:
– Having an ID card or information sheet so I don’t have to explain access rights with spoken communication. It’s important to note that this applies to Australia, the UK do not advise the use of ID cards, instead you can use a card with the required information on without being specific to your dog.
– Usually having an advocate with me, such as my partner, who will explain for me about access rights or intercept communication about him from strangers.
– Phoning or emailing ahead of a dinner reservation or event to let them know Meeno will be coming so explanations aren’t required at the door.
– Keeping a log of places where we’ve had and returning back (I’m currently working on sharing this!)
– Knowing the law and rights around assistance dogs, which should be supplied by the trainers at the organisation you train with.
– Having a vest that clear states not to distract, touch or take photos.
For a short guide suggesting how non-handlers can approach people with ADs, see the following post.
The best parts of having an assistance dog
Meeno is my absolute world, not just as an AD but as a part of our family. He brings so much love, laughter and comfort to me and genuinely he’s my best friend. I’m not sure what I’d do without him because whilst he was in quarantine after we relocated to Australia, my anxiety was huge! I hadn’t been aware of how much he actually supported me day-to-day. Meeno has helped me develop more interoceptive awareness (knowledge of my body sensations), reduce burnout through sustained attention and supported my mental health significantly. He is the only living thing I can be completely myself around because he accepts every part of me without judgment. I’ll never be too much for him. Having Meeno has my AD has been the best decision of my life and changed my life. I really can’t thank him enough.
Policies
– As Meeno is an AD, he is registered as one with the council and so we don’t have to pay for pet registration with our council (only applicable for Australia). We just have to submit his updated ID card each year.
– We don’t have to pay for Meeno to fly with us as he is an AD. This can become more complicated with international flights but domestic flights have a straightforward process, where you have to give at least 2 weeks notice and bring your documents on the day for proof of AD.
– ADs are protected by Disability Discrimination Law (Australia) and Equality Act (UK) and require access by law.
I will be posting more information about ADs and some training videos on my Instagram page, so have a follow along!
