In March 2009 I joined Dogs for the Disabled as their PUPPY SUPPLY TEAM LEADER. This role involves me in the search for suitable puppies for the charity and guiding the trainers in the puppy team section.
The puppy team trainers are called "Puppy Coordinators" and they are responsible for helping and teaching all our volunteer puppy socialisers in the training and care of our puppies up to the age of 14 months.
If you are interested in becoming a volunteer puppy socialiser; please follow this link for more information:
Imagine not being able to do the simplest of tasks like pick up a dropped pen, take off a jacket when you get home from shopping or even pull a duvet over you if it falls off in the night.Tasks that many of us take for granted, but for some disabled people are nearly impossible.
Dogs for the Disabled train assistance dogs to help with all sorts of practical and helpful tasks.
Dogs Dogs for the Disabled was the vision of Frances Hay, disabled herself she realised that dogs could be trained to help disabled people live a more independent life.In 1986, she set about doing just that and since becoming a charity in 1988, the charity has trained over 400 assistance dogs. 2009 sees the charity celebrate its 21st birthday and what a long way it has come since its inception.Today, Dogs for the Disabled provide assistance dogs for adults with disabilities, children with disabilities and more recently, families with a child with autism.
Every dog makes a life-changing difference to each and every one of the disabled people that the charity helps. Assistance Dogs offer practical help to everyday tasks that so many of us take for granted, specialist tasks include opening doors, retrieving out-of-reach objects, removing items of clothing and even emptying the washing machine!Ultimately, the dogs give their owner independence and confidence along with constant companionship and a means of social contact.
Working with Children
In 2004, Dogs for the Disabled became the first UK charity to train dogs for physically disabled children.A revolutionary new service, it offered children the chance of independence in a way that had never been done before in this country.
While the assistance dog was still helping with practical tasks they also now helped the child in other ways.For instance, some of the dogs have been trained to assist with the child’s physiotherapy regime, through daily grooming exercises and play.The effects can be outstanding helping a child to strengthen weakened muscles and even improve dexterity.
Assistance dogs for Children with Autism
The charity’s latest project was officially launched at the beginning of 2008.Four years previously, when Dogs for the Disabled commenced its children’s project in 2004, nearly 40% of enquiries arose from parents of children with autism.Now, Dogs for the Disabled is confident that their new project training autism assistance dogs will be just as successful as their children’s service has become.
Each dog is trained to work with a special harness that will connect it to both the parent and child.The dog is trained to lead from the front, acting on instructions from the parent while the child is encouraged to walk alongside the dog using a lead/handle attached to the dog. This offers greater independence to the child and parent whist ensuring the child is safe and unable to bolt if they become stressed or anxious.Bolting behaviour is also combated by training the assistance dog to automatically sit if the child attempts to run off.The children become more calm and focused as a result of the presence of the dog, and it appears they are more able to develop communication and other social skills, thus helping further integration.
The next piece of the jigsaw has been to develop a service to help reach other families with autistic children who want to have the benefits of a family pet and all the benefits and pleasures that can bring.
Future programmes and services
Towards the end of 2009, Dogs for the Disabled will be launching a new programme whereby the charity will work with ex-service personnel who are able to benefit practically and therapeutically from being involved in training assistance dogs for other ex-service personnel.
To make a donation to support the work of Dogs for the Disabled or to find out more about any of its services visit
