Dogs-in-water program helps train four-legged friends as assistance animals

THIS tiny labrador puppy is the latest in a line of more than 200 dogs to join adopted families and be trained to become four-legged helpers for people with disabilities.

Assistance dog trainee Ceejay during training in Cromer, NSW, today. Assistance Dogs Australia turns 20 years old in 2016, to celebrate 20 years they are expecting up to 20 brand new Labrador and Golden Retriever puppies to start their journey. Picture: Justin Lloyd

THINGS are going just swimmingly for paddling pooch Ceejay.

The tiny labrador puppy is the latest in a line of more than 200 dogs to join adopted families and be trained to become four-legged helpers for people with disabilities.

Rather than being trained to simply “sit,” “stay” and “roll over”, Ceejay takes doggie-paddle lessons as part of her training.

Assistance dog trainer Fran Diogo hits the pool with Ceejay and Indie in a pool at Cromer today. Picture: Justin Lloyd

Assistance dog trainer Fran Diogo says families are needed to raise puppies such as Ceejay. Picture: Justin Lloyd

“Labradors love swimming but we have to make sure their first introduction to water is positive,” Assistance Dog trainer Fran Diogo said.

“It is the same for every environment such as the shopping centre or the beach.”

The Assistance Dogs charity was founded 20 years ago by Hannie and Robert Biggs after they saw how a specially trained dog changed the life of a little girl in a wheelchair in America.

“The little girl was so excited, she was whizzing around in her wheelchair and playing with the dog, and her mother called out for her to slow down. The girl shouted back, for all to hear, ‘Mum, I can do anything with this dog by my side’,” Ms Biggs said.

“I get goose bumps whenever I think about that moment. On the plane home to Australia, I turned to my husband and said, ‘This is something we have to do’.”

Since then the charity has trained more than 200 dogs at a cost of more than $5.6 million. Each dog takes two years and $27,000 to train.

Ceejay’s trainer Ms Diogo said: “We desperately need families to raise puppies like Ceejay in Sydney and sponsors to help pay for that training.”