Has anyone owner trained an assistance dog?

[ADiT]

I’m hoping my 4 year old border terrier will become my assistance dog, I’m starting to train him to be one, we will have to see how it goes. It’s for autism, adhd and mental health.

has anyone got any owner trained training programmes they can recommend?

I have a training session on Wednesday with a trainer.

has anyone owner trained an assistance dog?

thanks

What specific tasks are you looking to train your dog to do, which will help mitigate your health issues?

I’m in Australia. A friend is for her autistic daughter. They have a lab. It takes time, dedication and money to pay the trainer but they are getting there. I think they are about 18 months in and have a target of about 12 months time to be confident. However, recent experience shows that ddoggie has also imprinted on my friend, who has her own health problems.

However, I would wonder about your success with a border terrier. DF’s dog, a labrador, is built to bring things to you and say “look what I have have brought you”. Also retrievers, kelpies, border collies (that’s why they like to herd sheep and cattle etc) and the like. They need you to need them.

Border terriers and beagles and the like are bred to run away, find something and bellow at you from there saying “You need to come here. I have something to show you”. And you have to make the effort. Their need for you is less because they are supposed to be independent thinkers.

However, I miss my bt every day. Will only ever have another border terrier.

deep pressure therapy (he should be the perfect weight)
comfort when crying
theres a couple others that I can’t remember off the top of my head.

Yeah, the fact he is a border is also my concern, I did kind of want another dog to train a breed that would be better suited but I’m not allowed, while an adult I do still live at home. I say kind of cos I’d feel bad for my dog because he fucking adores me. When I have a meltdown he’s right there trying to help and he doesn’t bat an eyelid at my tics. He’s not the most border like border tbh.

I am a member of a group where someone has an assistance dog that is a border. So it is possible, but I think it’s very rare.

and honestly I couldn’t cope with a puppy again, it almost finished me off the puppy stage.

it’s him or not at all, so perseverance and determination I’m hoping will come through for me 😂 fingers crossed.

he’s not the most independent thinker, he usually double checks before he does anything. As I said not the most border, border. He’s dog/cat/child/adult friendly. He’s very in tune with everything, how I do not know but he’s brilliant.

so fingers crossed.

I train gluten dogs and diabetes dogs for clients in their own homes.

It is hard training your own detection dog for emotional support.

It is vital that your emotional state when you need to the dog to assist is not stressful for the dog. As often owners are in a emotional state when they need the dog the most it is really helpful to have another trainer involved.

If the dog is made uncomfortable or stressed by the owners stress they will not work in the situations they are are needed.

Eg a diabetic dog will find the low blood sugar smell really rewarding hence they will alert their owner. If they found it stressful they would possibly ignore the situation or leave the situation.

I would contact aduk and see if they can advise you.

Dogs for good run an online course.