North East Assistance and Therapy Dogs

24/11/2025

Only five days left!! Have you booked yet?

Pet Photoshoot in aid of NEAT Dogs THIS SATURDAY!!!

You get every photograph sent direct to your email at no extra cost so you can turn them into Christmas cards, gifts or whatever else you’d like.

Pets at Home, Alnwick, 29 November 10am-12.30pm

Booking essential - only a few places left

https://www.neatdogs.co.uk/events.html

23/11/2025

‘Tis the season!

That’s people with facial hair, glasses, hats and weird costumes checked off the socialisation checklist!!!

Accessibility: photo shows Santa holding a small 8 week old golden retriever puppy wearing a NEAT Dogs ‘Assistance Dog in Training’ jacket.

23/11/2025

A great example of introducing new things to pups. It’s not just the sight and sound of things that needs habituation, the smell is REALLY important too.

Most dogs who have not been habituated early to the smell of fish counters, deli’s or butchers freak once they need to go into supermarkets when they’re older.

Accessibility: video shows a young puppy being happy when the hair dryer is switched on but backing away when it is off and held towards it as it now smells funny. Handler encourages the dog to make a choice to live forwards and reengage. 

22/11/2025

FREE TODAY … Come down to Pets at Home in Alnwick today 10am - 4pm and ask our senior trainer ANYTHING about pet, therapy or assistance dog training. From how to stop your dog pulling on a lead to how to teach it to empty your washing machine, come down and have a chat.

Accessibility: picture shows a cartoon of three cute dogs. A golden retriever wears an assistance dog vest, a black Labrador wears a therapy dog vest and a French bull dog wears no vest indicating it is a pet dog.

21/11/2025

Basics made easy.

21/11/2025

First scent detection session - associating exploring the scent tin with a reward.

Accessibility: video shows small eight week old golden retriever puppy being “marked“ with the word yes each time his nose makes contact with a metal tin containing a scent swab. When the marker word has been used, he then given a piece of food to make a positive association with exploring the tin

20/11/2025

New assistance dog prospect alert. What a cutie pie 🥰

Accessibility: video shows a small golden retriever puppy running towards the camera. The puppy is in a covered alley way just off the main toileting area as it is raining and the puppy hasn’t been in the rain before so won’t toilet outside 😂

20/11/2025

20/11/2025

Mobility harnesses can be confusing—between different fits, handle styles, and all the tasks they’re designed to support, it’s hard to know what actually matters.

In this week’s video, I speak with the Katrina Boldry of Bold Lead Designs to break down the most common questions she gets about mobility harnesses and handles: how they should fit, what each handle type is used for, and how to choose the right setup for your dog’s specific needs.

If you’re navigating mobility support, balance work, or leading tasks, this guide will help you understand what’s safe, what’s functional, and what to avoid. Dive in to get a clear, practical roadmap to choosing the right gear for your team and disability needs!

Watch Now! 👀 https://youtu.be/O_aqCc9qW2g



Accessibility: Golden retriever wearing a tan mobility harness with two handles and a white dog mannequin with a black mobility harness are set against a teal background. White on purple text states "Mobility Harnesses Explained!"

20/11/2025

Some great info about what to expect

Ever wondered what goes into breeding and assessing puppies so they can become future ? Our latest Blog post tells you all you need to know and is full of fascinating information. Thanks to ADI member Dogs Inc for the post!
https://assistancedogsinternational.org/blog/2025/11/20/general/dogs-inc-genetics-reproduction-building-better-futures/

20/11/2025

Today is about fixing a problem that I caused.

We all make mistakes and a few days ago I made a huge one. Haf has been really excited about approaching escalators. He has walked on wobbly surfaces at home and even been up escalators when they were off with no hesitation.

Last week after several positive approaches I stepped onto the escalator expecting him to follow … but he didn’t … and then I couldn’t get back in time … and I didn’t have anyone with me so I couldn’t let go of the lead … and he got scared and came up the escalator but now (completely understandably) doesn’t want to go up them again ….

And so we reset.

We go back MANY stages until we reach a point where he feels comfortable again and then we take our sweet sweet time in asking him again. He went on them as a puppy but then I’ve had a few months off and he’s forgotten he’s ok with them.

I messed up. I’m fixing it. It will be ok … or it won’t and then we will deal with whatever that means.

Haf is a glorious boy, so we adjust our timelines and remove ANY expectations or pressure and just see where the journey takes us.

I’ll keep you posted.

Accessibility: picture shows trainer standing with a black Labrador at the base of an escalator where he is being rewarded merely for approaching. The dog is looking up to the handler and being given jackpot rewards like chicken, ham and cheese to create a positive association with approaching the escalator again. The handler will then simply turn them away and ask if he wants to reapproach.