
Assistance Dog Training and Certification
At Doggie Diplomas, we train and certify assistance dogs in partnership with Pat Dogs Australia to provide specialised support. Our mission is to enhance the lives of individuals through expert training and rigorous certification programs. We ensure each assistance dog is equipped with the skills and behavior necessary to offer reliable and effective support.

About Assistance Dog Training
An assistance dog is specially training to give people support in their daily life.
What areas can an assistance dog assist you?
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Sensory Processing
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Behaviour Interruption
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Guiding / Reminding
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Deep Pressure Therapy
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Alert to escalating systems
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Retrieving / Carrying
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Tactile Stimulation
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Buffering
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Sleeping
How Can the Human-Animal Bond Be Beneficial?
The close connection between an Assistance Dog and their handler provides a profound sense of safety and calm. This bond helps reduce stress responses and enhances community engagement, proving especially valuable for individuals with mental illness. The calming influence of the dog supports smoother interpersonal interactions and aids in achieving personal goals.
What Are the Public Access Rights for Assistance Dogs?
Assistance Dogs have Public Access Rights, allowing them to accompany their owners in public places. This ensures that the trained support is always available when needed, providing consistent and reliable assistance in a wide range of settings.
What Can We Offer:
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Assist in training and certifying your own dog as a Mental Health or Autism Assistance Dog through personalised guidance from dedicated trainers and structured online learning.
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Support your access to NDIS funding for our Canine Capacity Building Program, aiding in life skills development and future assistance dog training.
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Deliver specialised assistance dog training courses via our online platform.
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Back your application for an Animal Assistance Permit with Transport NSW.
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Secure your Assistance Dog travel rights for Virgin Australia flights.
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Aid in registering your assistance dog with your local council.
What’s Involved in Training and Accrediting Your Assistance Dog
We specialise in custom training for assistance dogs, tailoring each dog’s skills to your specific health needs. Whether it's providing deep pressure therapy, waking you during night terrors, or recognising panic attack signs, our expert trainers will work closely with you to ensure your dog is equipped to offer the precise support you require.
Our goal is to enhance your quality of life through a rigorous certification process that ensures reliability and effectiveness.
Steps to Accreditation:
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Complete the Pat Dogs Australia application form with supporting documents.
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We’ll review your application and arrange a temperament test for your dog to assess suitability.
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If your dog passes, you’ll receive confirmation, an Assistance Dog ID card, and be connected with an accredited trainer.
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Complete our foundation course, then gain access to the Assistance Dog Academy for further training.
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Finish the Academy program and pass the Canine Good Citizen test.
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After passing, we’ll provide an “In-Training” jacket, and you can train in non-pet-friendly areas.
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Complete the public access test, and if successful, receive your fully accredited Assistance Dog ID card and patches.
What to expect after your dog is fully certified
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There is an expectation that you maintain all the standards of hygiene and behaviour appropriate for an animal in a public place.
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You and your dog will be required to have a Public access test annually by one of our certified assessors.
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You and your dog must have at least one training session every 6 months with one of our accredited trainers to ensure you are supported through your journey with your assistance dog. However, many of our members choose to add additional sessions each year.
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You will be required to maintain annual membership to Pat Dogs Australia.