By Your Side Assistance Dogs

By Your Side Assistance Dogs

(B.Y.S.A.D)

We are an organisation here to help individuals and families who would like to owner train their dog to be an assistance dog. All dogs need to be trained to a high standard, using qualified dog trainers, each successful dog will go on to gain specialist training and experience before their final assessment where they can graduate, and become a fully qualified assistance dog. We offer constant support throughout your journey, both through our Facebook group and website. We also have dog trainers on our Facebook group to help you through your journey.

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An assistance dog can be the difference between being able to live a fulfilled life or having to quietly make do. Sadly, for many trained assistance dogs are not available due to the overwhelming need versus the number of trained assistance dogs available. Many others do not qualify for an assistance dog due to where they live or because their disability is not covered. We have not set age limits and are open to all disabilities.

 

We have personal knowledge of learning difficulties, including Autism and diabetes.

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What does it take to be an assistance dog handler?

Training any dog, especially an assistance dog, requires absolute consistency, determination, patients, hard work and time. This will continue once your dog has qualified. You must complete the kennel club good citizens award or equivalent to fully compete and we will help you decided and train your 3 tasks needed to allow your dog to qualify.

 

Your dog can not be a registered assistance dog until it is 18 months old and completed 120 hours of training including bronze, silver and Gold awards.

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Choosing the right dog.

We have 3 reputable and licensed breeders working together to help you choose the right puppy. We can guide you to a dog just right for your family, one that is capable and confident enough to become an assistance dog.

 

We have many years’ experience and breed our dogs for health and temperament, we have worked with many charities over the years and have already bred many fully trained assistance dogs. Our puppies are brought up in busy family homes with young children and are socialised on programmes preparing them for the world a head.

 

We are happy to help with most breeds if you already have a dog, but you will need to get a full report from a qualified trainer before starting on the programme to check suitability. All dog must be fully insured, and you must have public liability included.

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This is something we are happy to help with. We are on hand to discuss breeds with you should you need advice, the breeds we currently have available are Golden Retrievers and Golden/Ultimate Doodles (we can also recommend a Labrador breeder), we feel these breeds are able to cope with, and enjoy life as an assistance dog they are also smart enough to pass the training and assessments.

 

How will I know my dog is trained to a high enough standard?

Each dog will need to undergo obedience training assessments, the most common being the Kennel Clubs Good Citizens Dog Scheme (KC GCDS), once the dog and owner has achieved all levels they will then need to take a Public Access Assessment, your trainer should be able to inform you when they think your dog will be ready to take the assessment Included in the assessment your dog must be able to reliably perform a minimum of 3 tasks that help to mitigate their handlers’ disabilities.

 

We will be offering the final test that your dog requires to complete, which is the public access test. These tests will be held 4 times a year at shopping centres up and down the county, support will be offered as to what is needed to pass. The information will also be available on our website. We can supply uniforms, harnesses and leads for your dogs at different stages and levels of their training. These will allow you and your dog certain rights and will help people recognise your dog as a in training and/or a registered assistance dog.

 

We will help you to find the best ways in which to socialise your dog and can offer you advice on where to best to achieve this, we advise you on the law and your rights at each stage. We can provide you with access refusal forms should a problem arise and help you to resolve any issue.

 

The dog laws and your rights will be printed in your Identification book. We have identification books, plastic Id cards, and non-verbal cards available for handlers that are unable to communicate.

 

Cards can be provided to both the parents and handler if the dog is being trained for a child.

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Trained and part trained dogs

Every year we hope to be able to provide selectively approved families who would otherwise not be able to afford a puppy the chance to own and train their own dog, gifted by one of our 3 breeders.

 

We also will be able to help begin the training and in the future offer fully trained dogs.