Community Dog Training

Disability support to help you get out with your pet dog.

Community Dog Training is designed to support people with disabilities to get involved in their community with their pet dogs. This service is not for Assistance Dog Training, you can learn about that here. 

You will have access to our expert assistance dog trainers, who specialise in training service dogs, and their handlers. These sessions focus on confidence, safety, and enjoyable participation in everyday, dog-friendly spaces. We build calm leash skills, settle-on-mat, polite greetings, reliable recall, and impulse control so outings feel predictable rather than stressful.

Gentle desensitisation to mobility aids, prams, scooters, and common street noises helps both dog and handler feel secure. Sessions are paced to your energy, with clear plans and rest points. We incorporate enrichment at home to manage arousal and support mental health, so the dog arrives in the right headspace for community time.

Coaching also covers choosing appropriate venues, and knowing when to exit. Over time, small, well-rehearsed successes stack into bigger goals—coffee with friends, a day at the beach, lunch at a cafe - while respecting rules about where pet dogs may go.

Things we might do:
• Loose-lead walking.
• Settle on a mat under a table.
• Greeting for people and dogs.
• “Leave it”, “drop” and impulse games.
• Calm car entry, rides, and exits.

Places we might go:
• At a quiet park or reserve.
• Dog-friendly café.
• Outdoor shopping areas.
• Farmers markets that allow dogs.
• Council off-leash areas.
• The beach.