Assistance dog development requires ethical pacing, careful suitability decisions, and a welfare-first approach that prioritises the dog’s long-term wellbeing above outcomes.

At Flying Paws, we support owner-dog teams working toward assistance dog roles through a thoughtful, welfare-first developmental pathway. Our focus is on building calm, capable dogs and confident handlers with decisions guided by suitability, safety, and long-term wellbeing for both dog and human.

Assistance dog training is not a quick process, and it is not suitable for every dog or every situation. Our role is to provide honest guidance, structured training, and realistic expectations at every stage.

Please note: We are not currently accepting new assistance dog teams. This page is provided for information only.

Our role is to guide teams through ethical decision-making, recognising that assistance work is not the right path for every dog and that progress should always reflect the dog’s comfort, resilience, and readiness.

Assistance dog training requires:

• A dog with appropriate temperament, health, and resilience
• A handler able to commit to ongoing training and advocacy
• Flexibility around outcomes, not all dogs are suitable for public access work

Not every dog who provides emotional support is suited to assistance dog roles, and not every team progresses to public access. Ethical training means recognising limits as well as potential.

We prioritise:

• The dog’s welfare above outcomes
• Emotional safety over performance
• Long-term sustainability over speed

• The dog’s welfare above outcomes
• Emotional safety over performance
• Long-term sustainability over speed

Training progresses toward preparation for a Public Access Test. This process is gradual and dependent on the dog’s suitability, comfort, and consistency.

Qualification is never guaranteed and is not the goal for every team. Success is defined by safety, reliability, and wellbeing, not labels.

At this time, we are not taking on new assistance dog clients and do not have a waitlist available.

If you are seeking:

• General training support
• Foundation skills
• Confidence building or behaviour support

Our Private Training or Online Programs may be a more appropriate starting point.