YoPaws

04/08/2026

Assistance dogs are dogs first. 💜🐾

Today wasn’t about formal training. It was simply a fun day at Mount Rogers, giving Vienna and Yoshi the chance to run, sniff, explore and enjoy being dogs.

They raced around, climbed over rocks and investigated everything. They stayed close, remained within sight and came back whenever they were called.

Assistance dogs work hard alongside their humans. They also deserve time to switch off, have fun and simply be dogs.

Judging by those happy faces, Vienna and Yoshi thoroughly enjoyed themselves! 🐕🌿

03/08/2026

Plot twist: the puppy wasn’t the only one getting carried away. 😂

We met bright little Alfie and his older housemate, Ellie, for a session. Ellie is a beautifully sweet and patient older girl, so it would have been easy to assume that Alfie’s puppy behaviour was causing all the trouble. 😅

But when we watched their interactions more closely, we discovered that they were both enthusiastic participants. Ellie may be patient, but she was still happy to egg Alfie on at times, turning their play into energetic mouthing battles. Unfortunately, Alfie’s sharp puppy teeth were leaving a few little scratches on her along the way.

This is why observing the whole interaction matters. Behaviour rarely happens in isolation. Dogs influence one another, and the younger dog who appears to be the 'problem' may actually be responding to an ongoing game between them both.

Once we understood the pattern, we could guide both dogs towards safer ways to play by redirecting them to toys, introducing short breaks and helping them practise calmer interactions. It wasn’t about blaming either dog. They both simply needed some guidance.

Their human is already doing an amazing job with them. Alfie is a clever, engaged boy from Tapua Labrador Retrievers, and his lovely temperament really stood out.

Thoughtful breeding matters. It cannot guarantee every outcome, but careful selection for temperament, physical health, sound structure, resilience and suitability gives puppies a stronger foundation. Good breeding, thoughtful raising and ongoing training all work together to help a dog thrive.

Alfie and Ellie certainly kept us entertained. One bright young puppy, one sweet and patient older girl with a playful side, and a human doing a wonderful job of guiding them both. 🐾

02/08/2026

✈️ Community training at Majura!

Today, our teams spent some time watching the planes, taking in the noise, movement and busy environment at a pace each dog could manage.

We then headed into Majura Park Shopping Centre for a little more practice. We worked on settling, moving calmly through the space and staying connected with their handlers, even when the environment felt challenging.

These sessions are not about expecting dogs to ignore stress or simply push through it. They are about learning to read each dog’s body language, noticing when they need more space or support, and helping them recover and function without becoming overwhelmed.

Real-world training is about building confidence, communication and trust, one experience at a time. 🐾

01/08/2026

Ball? What ball? 🎾👀

Stella is a very special Kelpie who has been tagging along with us after her human asked for a little help.

Stella absolutely lives for her ball, so today we went cold turkey. No ball. Instead, we focused on showing her that there is more to life than chasing and fetching.

She explored, engaged with the people around her, had fun in other ways and practised simply slowing down and being chill.

For a busy Kelpie brain, doing less can be a big lesson. Stella did so well and showed us that even without her favourite ball, she can still have fun and enjoy the moment.

Look at that chill girl! 💛

30/07/2026

Recall is more than a word. It is your relationship in motion.

Team Hank worked on recall today, but as the video shows, the session became about much more than simply coming when called.

There was movement, play and plenty of excitement. Then Hank brought that energy from 100 back down to 0, settled, waited while his handler moved away and re-engaged when invited. He could have fun with his person without losing the ability to listen and think.

Hank and his handler have a strong bond, and that matters when building recall. When something exciting captures your dog’s attention, returning to you needs to be worth it. That value can come from food, toys and other rewards, but also from a history of play, trust and shared experiences.

Just after we stopped filming, Hank spotted some birds. He went for a quick chase but did not go far. He circled back and returned to his handler when recalled. It was the perfect real-life test of everything they had practised.

I am incredibly proud of Team Hank and their commitment to keep learning, growing and becoming better together.

If you love your dog, do things with them. Play together. Explore together. Be silly together. Become part of the fun, not just the person who ends it.

Give them purpose. Share adventures. See wonders together. 🐾

27/07/2026

Trust challenge: YoPaws edition 😂

Yoshi’s end: safely clipped to her flat collar.

My end: a slip lead… loosely around my neck. 👀😂
It’s a long double-ended lead, so when we’re walking I can pop my end around my neck and go hands-free.

Would I do this with every dog? Absolutely not.

But with Yoshi, I trust the training we’ve put in and the relationship we’ve built. She knows how to move with me without relying on tension through the lead, and I know her well enough to trust what she’s going to do.

Loose-lead walking isn’t just about teaching a dog not to pull. It’s about communication, awareness and learning to move together.

Although I feel like Yoshi definitely has the upper hand in this particular trust exercise. 😂

So… who’s walking who? 🐾

22/07/2026

Watching planes take off and land might not seem like much to us, but for a dog it can be a lot to process. Loud engines. Fast movement. Strange vibrations. Giant metal birds appearing out of nowhere.

One of the biggest misconceptions in dog training is that confidence means a dog is never afraid.

It doesn't.

A confident dog trusts their handler.

During this session, both Vienna and Yoshi found the planes uncomfortable at times. Instead of forcing them to "just get over it", or correcting them for checking in with us, we welcomed those moments. They looked to their handlers for reassurance, took a breath, observed the planes, then chose to keep watching.

That is learning.

We never want to punish a dog for seeking comfort or guidance. If a dog learns that coming to their person results in correction, they may stop asking for help when they need it most.

Real confidence is built through safe exposure, not flooding. It is built by allowing a dog to experience something new, supporting them through the uncomfortable moments, and working through those feelings together.

Yoshi has come an incredibly long way. She was once extremely sensitive to sound, and today she watched planes taking off and landing, working through every moment with her handler by her side.

This was Vienna's very first time watching planes. She trusted her handler. Rather than checking out of the situation, she chose to focus on her handler before calmly returning her attention to the planes.

Being brave doesn't mean never being afraid.

It means trusting someone enough to face it together.

That is the partnership we strive to build.

17/07/2026

🐾 Team Jet is doing such a fantastic job!

Jet is an incredible young pup. He's bright, eager to learn, and picks up new skills so quickly that sometimes his humans are racing to stay one step ahead of him! Thankfully, they're putting in the time, asking questions, and continuing to learn alongside him. That's what makes a great team.

In this short video, I'm walking Jet. Just look at his engagement. He's choosing to check in because we've made ourselves fun, rewarding, and worth paying attention to.

Raising a puppy isn't always easy. It takes patience, consistency, teamwork, and a whole lot of heart. Every family member plays a role, and those small moments of practice every day really do add up.

One of the biggest misconceptions is that walking a dog is simply putting on a lead and heading out. The world is full of exciting sights, smells, sounds, and distractions. If we want our puppies to stay connected with us, we need to be just as fun and engaging as everything around them. Otherwise, it's easy for the environment to win their attention.

The best part is that Jet's family is putting in the work between sessions. That's why his progress continues to grow. Training doesn't happen in an hour a week. It happens through the little moments, every single day.

Keep up the amazing work, Team Jet. You're all building something really special together. 💙🐾

15/07/2026

Application open.

Applications Now Open – ATL Animal-Assisted Mental Health Pathways & Outreach Funding

Thanks to the incredible generosity of our end-of-financial-year donors—and with every donation matched dollar for dollar by Animal Therapies Ltd—we are pleased to announce a new round of funding for our Animal-Assisted Mental Health Pathways & Outreach Program.

This program provides funded access to animal-assisted services for eligible individuals who may otherwise be unable to access the support they need.

Please note:
• Funding is limited and applications will close once all available funding has been allocated.
• Funding is available only to applicants who have not previously received funding through this program.
• Eligibility criteria apply.

If you or someone you know could benefit from animal-assisted services and do not have the financial means to access it, we encourage you to apply as soon as possible.

Apply here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJ8G38S

Thank you to everyone who donated and helped make this funding round possible. Your support is directly improving access to animal-assisted services for Australians who need them most.

14/07/2026

Sometimes training doesn't look like training.
Today, CEO Yoshi and I met up with Team Vienna at the mall.

While the humans caught up and took on a fun photography challenge, the dogs were working too.

Our challenge was to take as many photos as possible, but every photo had to be different. The dog had to be in a different position, doing a different behaviour, or the photo had to be taken from a different angle. It was a fun way to practise multitasking while living life with an assistance dog.

Meanwhile, Yoshi and Vienna practised settling, worked on disability tasks, and simply learnt to be part of everyday life. Vienna also gained valuable public access experience, including change rooms and navigating the busy lunchtime crowds during the school holidays.

Not every training session is about obedience drills. Sometimes the best training happens while you're simply out living life together. 🐾💙