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Assistance Dog Programme

UK's leading Owner Trained Assistance Dog Programme

We proudly support the training of Owner Trained Assistance Dogs in the UK and worldwide through our Online Assistance Dog Programme.

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Why Choose Us?
 

We mirror and exceed the highest standards recognized for assistance dogs around the world, ensuring your dog receives the best training possible.

 

We Support a Wide Range of Disabilities:

✅ Physical
✅ Medical
✅ Psychological

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All breeds are welcome (except banned breeds), and there’s no waiting list! 

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Choose How You Train:

  • Train your dog yourself from home with our comprehensive online programme, OR

  • Let us train your dog for you via our Residential Training Programme​

 

Join today and start building the perfect partnership with your dog! 

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Welcome to the Adolescent Dogs Online Academy for Owner Trained Assistance Dogs in the UK

Who are we?
 

We are a team of qualified, force free dog trainers who have been training family dogs for over 18 years, helping Owner Trained Assistance Dog teams to reach their goals

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Our mission is to make assistance dog training accessible to all. The inclusive nature of our programme allows us to have no waiting lists, no breed restrictions or neuter requirements, allowing more people to fulfil their dream of having a trained assistance dog without the barriers than often exist with traditional routes.

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By providing home-based training options and ongoing support, we're able to empower individuals to take control of their own assistance dog journey, which is a powerful and much needed service in todays world. 

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Watson

Watson

PTSD support

Willow

Willow

PTSD & Autism Support

Pumpkin

Pumpkin

PTSD Support

Sky

Sky

Mobility Support

What disabilities do we support?

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We support a wide range of disabilities including:

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  • Physical disabilities (wheelchair users, PoTS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, ME, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Injuries, Brain injuries, Strokes, Amputees etc)

  • Medical support (Diabetes, Epilepsy, Seizures, Addisons, Allergies, Blood Pressure, Migraines, POTS, Crohns, non epileptic seizures)

  • Guiding & Hearing - we only currently have light guiding & hearing videos available, but our trainers are happy to support your training journey in any way we can

  • Psychiatric & neurological support (Autism, Downs Syndrome, PTSD, C-PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder, FASD, Bipolar Disorder, Major depression, Severe anxiety) Your dog would need to ease your symptoms via specially taught tasks

  • Emotional support dogs: An emotional support dog is a dog who provides emotional support and eases your anxiety/symptoms without any training.  Unfortunately Emotional Support Dogs are not recognised in the UK. 

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To utilise an assistance dog, regardless of the type of disability, a handler must qualify as disabled under the Equality Act of 2010. This means that their disability must have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.  We do not discriminate based upon diagnosis and we are open to recipients with any psychological condition with recommendation from their Psychiatrist

Assistance dog in training

Online Programme

Train your assistance dog from home

We provide comprehensive assistance dog training, supporting you from puppyhood to a fully trained assistance dog, guiding you at each stage of the journey.

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Video Library: Gain instant access to over 450 on-demand video tutorials, covering everything from puppy training and socialisation to basic and advanced obedience, distraction-proofing, public access skills, and behavioural challenges.

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Task Training: Our tutorials also include specific task training, tailored to help your dog support you with tasks that mitigate the effects of your unique disability.

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Trainer Support: Enjoy live trainer support seven days a week, along with the option to join weekly live Zoom sessions for personalised guidance.

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Practical Support: We hold monthly workshops exclusively for our assistance dog members, offering hands-on support for awards, temperament assessments, and task training.

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Awards: Progress through our Award system—from Puppy to Gold level and the Mitigating Task Award—before qualifying for the Access Test, conducted in person once your dog is 18 months or older. Our Public Access Test meets and exceeds international assistance dog standards. Certificates and rosettes are available at each level.​​​

Current list of tasks available to choose from

  • How do I sign up?
    Simply fill in the questionnaire below and email us proof of your diagnosis. You'll be approved within 24 hours and can then choose to setup either monthly, yearly or lifetime membership
  • How does the programme work?
    Our Online Assistance Dog Programme supports you and your dog through each stage of training, all from home. With over 450 on-demand videos, you’ll learn everything from obedience to advanced task work. Enjoy live trainer support seven days a week, weekly Zoom sessions for personalised guidance, and monthly workshops. Progress through our structured Award system, culminating in an in-person Public Access Test when your dog is 18 months or older. This program empowers you to train a confident, skilled assistance dog at your own pace
  • What if I don't live in the UK?
    We accept teams from all over the world. You will need to check your local laws regarding assistance dogs. You can take your awards via video submission and utilise a local trainer for your Access Test (this needs to be recorded) ​
  • Is there a waiting list?
    We have NO waiting list to join our programme. Sign up today and get approved within 24 hours
  • Is my dog suitable?
    As long as your dog is under 6 years of age (depending on breed), in good health and without any concerns over their temperament, you can begin your training journey. If you are concerned about any of the above, please send us a message. We offer free assessments. There is a mandatory temperament assessment before dogs can take their Silver Award. This can be done with a local trainer
  • Does my dog need insurance?
    Yes, your dog must have 3rd party liability insurance (this will need to include cover as an assistance dog before you begin any public access training). Agria, Many Pets and Petplan cover assistance dogs
  • What age can I start my dog?
    We accept puppies from 8 weeks of age. You'll find video tutorials covering all of your puppy's needs throughout their first year, from puppy socialisation tips, confidence building, obedience and the foundations for tasks. As the journey can take 2 years, we don't recommend commencing training with dogs over the age of 6
  • How long does it take to train a dog?
    To train your dog from puppy to fully trained (ready to pass an access test), takes a minimum of 18 months. You should expect the entire process to take roughly 2 years (depending on how much time you put into training and how suitable your dog is) ​
  • Can I train more than one dog?
    We don't recommend training more than one dog at a time. This is due to the amount of time and commitment required to train each dog. As well as the on-going training needed throughout your dog's life to keep the training in place. If you do decide to train more than 1 dog, we offer a discounted rate to add a 2nd or 3rd dog to your membership ​
  • Does my dog need to be neutered?
    We don't recommend neutering your dog unless there is a medical or behavioural need to do so. With girls, you may prefer to neuter after the 2nd season to reduce how often your dog will need to rest from supporting you
  • Will my dog become a registered assistance dog?
    There is no official registration or certification for assistance dogs in the UK. As long as your dog is well trained and mitigates your disability, you are covered by the Equality Act 2010. We have no association with ADUK or ADI, so if you wish to visit places or travel with airlines/trains that require your dog to be ADUK or ADI registered, you will need to join a programme that offers this​. However, we have had a few teams successfully travel via British Airways after passing through our programme and passing our Public Access Test. ​
  • Can your programme help with air travel?
    Air travel rules are changing all the time. We recommend checking with your chosen airlines before signing up if this is a goal for you as many are governed by DEFRA who require dogs to be trained by ADUK or ADI charities. We have had a few teams successfully travel via British Airways flights after passing our Public Access Test
  • Will I be able to buy training vests?
    Yes, once your dog has passed their temperament assessment and Silver Award from 9 months, you can purchase an 'assistance dog in training' vest, settle mat and lead slip with the Adolescent Dogs logo. You can fully customise your gear with your own preferred colours and design. This will help you with access whilst your dog is still training. An 'Assistance Dog' jacket can be purchased once your dog passes the Public Access test (from 18 months). Before 9 months, we can provide you with the details of vest makers who can make a vest without the logo. We also provide membership cards and letters of support.
  • Can you support with access issues?
    Yes, we can provide official letters confirming your membership with our programme and the level of training your dog has achieved, as well as providing membership cards. We are also happy to email any establishments refusing you access such as Universities, Businesses, Colleges and Services.
  • Do you offer In Person support?
    Yes, we offer monthly members only workshops in Guildford, an opportunity to work through awards, get support with medical detection training, task training, temperament assessments and support with behavioural issues. We also offer one to one lessons in Surrey, Stafford and Southampton. In additiona, we offer a £100 per week discount off our residential training stays which are a popular choice for fast-tracking your training, overcoming training struggles, teaching tasks or preparing your dog for public access training
  • Can my dog be an 'at home assistance dog'?
    If your dog doesn't have the right temperament to accompany you in public spaces, you can still train your dog to support you at home. At home support can be valuable for many people, including retrieving medication, responding to alarms, supporting with anxiety etc.
Huxley the Labrador - 3 Weeks Assistance Dog Residential - Gold Award
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Huxley the Labrador - 3 Weeks Assistance Dog Residential - Gold Award

Huxley the Labrador has completed his 3 week assistance dog residential stay with us When Huxley arrived, his owner needed help with his pulling on the lead and excessive hormonal sniffing since he’d managed to pull her out of her wheelchair. She also wanted help with completing his silver assistance dog award and building reliability with some task training During the 3 week stay, we’ve taught Huxley to ‘go sniff’ on cue so that he can sniff and pee when cued rather than dragging his owner over to smells constantly. We’ve also taught him good lead manners so he doesn’t throw himself to the end of the lead around other dogs. Huxley arrived with a good understanding of the silver award, so we’ve spent time ensuring he can respond to all of his cues around distractions and in lots of different environments. We’ve also progressed him through his Gold award as he was struggling to focus around other dogs, children and when off the lead. In addition to this, we’ve taught him ‘food refusal’ and started his medical alert training to detect garlic in food due to his owners food allergy. We’ve also progressed his retrieve from only picking up toys to picking up and retrieving non toy objects. Huxley has been able to practise all of these new behaviours in lots of new and busy environments, getting him ready to pass his awards for his owner and to get ready for public access training www.adolescentdogs.com 08002229007 Info@adolescentdogs.com
Punk the Rottweiler Puppy Assistance Dog - Gifted Residential Training
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Punk the Rottweiler Puppy Assistance Dog - Gifted Residential Training

#assistancedog #servicedog #puppytraining Punk is a 4 month old Rottweiler puppy who is training to become a Dual Trained Assistance Dog for his owner who suffers with CMT (a degenerative muscle wasting neurological condition), which results in poor balance, lack of feeling in limbs and difficulty with mobility which may eventually require a wheelchair. In addition to this, he will be an emotional support dog to support his owner with Autism, helping to relieve anxiety. Punks training is part of our Gifted Residential Stays, funded by our Online Academy memberships. Our Online Academy enables us to provide life changing training to dog owners with disabilities who require an assistance dog to give them freedom and independence. During Punks 4 week training stay, we taught him some essential tasks such as opening doors, turning on lights, retrieving items, giving space and carrying things. We've also built a high level of obedience training in a variety of busy environments, preparing him for his assessments and access tests when he is old enough To support our cause, please join our Online Academy here: https://www.adolescentdogs.com/onlineacademy To get support with training your own Assistance Dog, join our Programme here: https://www.adolescentdogs.com/assistancedogs
Dobbie the Labrador - PTSD Assistance Dog In Training
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Dobbie the Labrador - PTSD Assistance Dog In Training

Dobbie the 6 month old Labrador has completed an 8 week residential stay with us. He came for training in order to prepare him for his future life as an assistance dog for his owner with PTSD. Over the past 8 weeks, we've spent time teaching him all of the skills he will need to pass an public access test when ready, as well as teaching essential tasks that are needed to support the owners PTSD One of the main tasks that Dobbie needed to learn was to interupt PTSD attacks, which Dobbie has learnt how to do by licking the handlers face and hands. This was a challenging one for Dobbie as he liked to use his teeth instead of licking, so it was a huge win for him when he learnt this skill Alongside this, work has been done to improve Dobbies impulse control! This has enabled Dobbie to be able to sit or be under his owners legs for long periods of time without moving meaning his owner doesn't need to worry about what Dobbie is getting up to when at work or when on the train! He can also hold these positions in very busy areas and around both people and dogs! In addition to this, Dobbie now has a great understanding of all of the core obedience cues and can respond reliably in a variety of busy environments. To find out more about our Assistance Dog Training Programme, visit our website: www.adolescentdogs.com/assistancedogs
Ember the Cocker Spaniel - Gifted Assistance Dog Programme
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Ember the Cocker Spaniel - Gifted Assistance Dog Programme

Ember has been donated to our Assistance Dog Programme and is beginning her training journey to become an assistance dog. Her first few months with us is about socialisation, building confidence around people dogs and animals and exploring different environments. We also begin teaching her all of the basic obedience cues and take these out to different environments. Ember has been matched to a family supporting CPTSD and medical support. She has passed her Bronze and Silver assistance dog awards as well as her mitigating tasks. We're not a charity, so we donate 100% of our Online Academy memberships towards our assistance dog programme. So if you'd like to support the work we do, please sign up to the Online Academy or recommend us to a friend! Another big thank you to AG Labs for donating Ember to our programme www.adolescentdogs.com/assistancedogs #assistancedogtraining #residentialdogtraining #positivedogtraining
Oscar the Labrador - Assistance Dog Residential - Silver Award
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Oscar the Labrador - Assistance Dog Residential - Silver Award

Oscar the Labrador has returned home after his 4 week assistance dog residential training stay where he has completed his silver award! We have also worked on some mitigating tasks during his stay and Oscar can now do DPT and pick up items for his owner. Oscar has also learnt how to press buttons to open doors, all skills that will help his owner in day to day life. We also worked on his obedience and ensured it was reliable around distractions in order to pass his silver award. Oscar can now walk on loose lead in a variety of locations around dogs and people too. Oscar is generally a calmer boy around distractions and can follow cues such as sit, down and wait in many different locations such as shops, town and on busy walks. Oscar has done a great job of learning to settle in public and at home meaning we have been able to introduce some more calm into his life. Well done Oscar 🐾 www.adolescentdogs.com 08002229007 Info@adolescentdogs.com

Mission statement

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Helping dog owners with disabilities to train their own assistance dogs.  We will do this by:

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  • Giving them access to qualified, force free trainers

  • We will provide a high standard of training throughout each dog's life

  • We will educate the public about disabled peoples rights under the Equality Act 2010.   

  • We will commit to animal welfare and train and work only fit healthy dogs.  

  • We will educate all our members about their legal responsibilities as a dog owner and an assistance dog handler.

  • We will offer regular assessments every dog that is registered with the Adolescent Dogs Assistance Programme

  • We will create a friendly community for members to support each other every step of the way.

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Our Application Process

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Our program is open to anyone looking to train their own dog to assist with a disability. Puppies as young as 8 weeks old can join to begin their learning journey.

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While we welcome all applicants, please note that not every dog may be suited for assistance work, and not all dog-owner teams will meet the training standards necessary to pass each assessment.

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You can start training with us right away. To begin, please provide:

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  • A letter from your doctor confirming your medical diagnosis

  • Proof of pet insurance with third-party liability coverage (please inform your insurance provider that your dog is working if you’re planning public access training to ensure coverage).

 

To qualify as an Assistance Dog, your dog must:

  • Have a stable temperament without signs of fear or reactivity

  • Receive yearly veterinary checks to confirm good health and suitability

  • Have public liability insurance

  • Achieve an advanced training level (we can support you in this). Dogs can take awards at any age, but Access Tests are available only after 18 months of age.

  • Demonstrate three specialised skills that assist you with your disability (we can provide training for these skills as well).

If you're unsure about your dog’s suitability, please contact us for a free assessment, as dogs with behavioral issues may not be ideal candidates for assistance training.

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Assessments

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Assessments are not required by law. If your dog mitigates your disability in any way then you are covered under the Equality Act 2010. Your dog is an auxiliary aid just like a walking stick or wheelchair and as such cannot be denied access. 

 

However, Owner Trained Teams often struggle with Access issues, so having the assessments to prove training level, along with our training vests can help with access (please note, our programme does not guarantee you won't have problems with Access, especially with air travel)

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Organisations / companies requesting that your dog is trained by a specific organisation or to have an ID book is breaking the law!  There is no 'registration' or 'certification' for assistance dogs in the UK, nor is it a legal requirement. 

 

We recommend that your assistance dog is trained to a high standard, so that your dog does not cause disruption and can cope with supporting you with your disability in public.  We offer online Awards that you can submit videos for you to achieve certificates. 

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A certificate is provided for each level of training, from Puppy to Gold and Access Tests.  Dogs can take their Puppy at any age, Bronze test from 6 months, the Silver from 9 months after a temperament assessment, Gold from 12 months and Access Tests at 18 months.

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Your dog must have passed their Silver Award and Temperament Test before being allowed to purchase our Assistance Dog in Training Vests, which can become a great aid for encouraging the general public to ignore your dog.

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Membership

There is a membership fee which can be paid monthly or annually. You can also purchase lifetime membership for a one off payment.

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Members will be able to access:

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  • The Online Academy of over 450 on-demand video tutorials

  • The Assistance Dog Academy with task tutorials

  • New video tutorials created upon request unique to your needs

  • Expert support teaching mitigating tasks

  • Daily online trainer support & direct message the trainer

  • Feedback on your progress: post videos of training sessions 

  • Help building training plans & finding videos

  • Weekly Live Zoom Q&A with the Head Trainer for individual support

  • £100 per week discount on residential training stays

  • Access one to one lessons in Surrey or Stafford

  • Support with access issues

  • Ongoing support & evaluation

  • The right to wear an Adolescent Dogs 'in training' vest and carry a membership card

  • Purchase organisation vests & gear customised to your own style

  • Free Assistance Dog Award assessment via online video submission

  • Be part of the Facebook Support group and meet other teams

  • Access test is in Guildford or within 50 miles (£120: includes lifetime membership to the Academy, ongoing support with access issues, the right to carry a membership card & the right to wear an Assistance Dog vest with the Adolescent Dogs Logo). Yearly re-testing is required, but can be done for free via video

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Membership will only be granted to those who meet the eligibility criteria. All documents must be sent to info@adolescentdogs.com 

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Once you've completed your application form, please email your documents to info@adolescentdogs.com and then sign up for your membership option below

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MONTHLY

£29.99 per month

Monthly membership plan. Includes full access to the online video tutorials and online trainer support. 

From:

£29.99

Sign up
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LIFETIME PLUS

£998

Lifetime PLUS

  • Full access to the online video tutorials

  • Unlimited access to the monthly assistance dog workshops in Guildford (Worth £480 per year)

  • The Access Test (worth £120)

  • A Dog in Training Vest (after Silver) (worth £60)

  • An 'Assistance Dog' vest after the Access Test (worth £60)

  • Membership card with lanyard

From:

£998

Sign up
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ANNUAL

£240 per year (£20 per month)

Yearly membership plan. Includes full access to the online video tutorials and online trainer support. *most popular*

From:

£240

Sign up
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LIFETIME standard

£600

Lifetime standard includes

  • Full access to the online video tutorials

  • The Access Test (worth £120)

  • A Dog in Training Vest (after Silver) (worth £60)

  • Membership card with lanyard

From:

£600

Sign up

Paying it Forward​

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All of the profits from our Online Academy Memberships are put towards our own Assistance Dog Programme, where we carefully select puppies from reputable breeders, put the necessary training and tasks in place for their first year of life, and then match each puppy to a family. We also offer the occasional gifted or heavily discounted residential stay to members of our Assistance Dog Programme

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We are not a charity, and our practical trainer support is funded 100% from our own income generated from our Online Academy, so the availability of gifted stays and discounted stays is limited.  Please contact us direct to find out more. 

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We also work closely with charities such as PTSDUK, DefineFine and Spectrum, donating 20% of their membership signups back to their charities for fundraising. If you know of any Charities wanting to get involved with our affiliate scheme, please get in touch.

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We are currently raising and training Willow, a Labrador puppy, Ember, a Cocker Spaniel & Enzo a Labrador puppy gifted to us from AG Labradors.  Our online academy memberships help to support their 2 year training journey to becoming an assistance dog

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Puppy raising & training

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We are looking for breeders who would like to donate well bred puppies for us to raise, train and match to a person in need of an assistance dog. It costs us over £30,000 to train each puppy for their first year.  Please get in touch if you have a puppy to donate. We are particularly interested in Labradors, Cocker Spaniels, Cobberdogs and Standard Poodles

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Discounted residential stays

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We offer a limited number of gifted and discounted residential stays and one to one lessons each year to members of our Assistance Dog Programme.  Sadly we don't currently have enough members to offer as many stays as we would like. We have provided over £60,000 worth of gifted stays between 2021 to 2023. In order to help as many teams as possible, we offer a 10% to 20% discount on residential stays, with increased discounts when we are able to offer them. We highly recommend residential stays to fast track your dog's training journey. We can help at different stages of your journey:

  • Early puppy socialisation and training

  • Overcoming new behaviours (barking/lunging/distraction training)

  • Teaching specific tasks

  • Practising public access training

  • Preparing your dog for taking their Awards with you 

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“Brilliant, adaptive, efficient training delivered...” Written on 12072021 by CrystalSanct
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