From Zero to Hero
Wolfie and Arrow.
Wolfie Allen, 40, originally rehomed Arrow as a pet but soon realised he had the potential to become a real help around the home. She explains: “I use a wheelchair and used to find some things difficult to do, such as picking something up that I had dropped. One day when I dropped an orange, Arrow picked it up and handed it back to me very gently, without any prompting or nibbling at it! I was absolutely astonished and decided we should try developing his skills and make him my official assistance dog.”
Wolfie then discovered a major obstacle: most UK assistance dog training schools will not train dogs of the owner’s choosing. Research revealed, however, that American assistance dog schools allow owners to train dogs themselves and the qualification would be equally valid in the UK. So Wolfie started training her beloved canine companion herself, beginning with basic obedience training and then progressing to more specialised skills. She used local resources to help her train Arrow. They went along to Scruffs, a local dog training club, to get him used to encountering lots of different situations, people and other dogs. She also had sessions with a specialist dog behaviourist to learn how to understand his doggy language and communicate with him.
The assistance dog training itself began in the form of a game. Wolfie would line up a toy, a bone and a ball, and by using his name would ask him to give a particular one to her. Once he had differentiated between the different objects, Wolfie introduced the general command “give it to me” to mean anything she pointed to.
Arrow is now officially recognised as a fully qualified assistance dog, gaining his Service Dog certificate and proud Wolfie is always keen to sing his praises.
For each successfully completed task Arrow is awarded a specific number of treats so he can tell the difference between a ‘job’ and a new command learned.
Service Dogs America in Hawaii saw video proof of him at work and had no qualms in declaring him suitably trained. The Essex pair are currently their only UK-based members. Arrow is now officially recognised as a fully qualified assistance dog, gaining his Service Dog certificate and proud Wolfie is keen to sing his praises: “He has made a real difference to my day-to-day life and gives me an independence and confidence I wouldn’t have had before. He’s my little hairy hero!”
Chris Slight, Dogs Trust Evesham centre manager, adds: “We’re really pleased Arrow has achieved so much in the last two years and it’s a real credit to Wolfie that she has channelled his energies so well. I think it’s quite unusual for an English bull terrier cross to train as an assistance dog so he really is one of a kind!”
RCVS' Mind Matters Initiative (MMI) has launched round two of its veterinary mental health research grants.
