About Us

Helping Paws dogs are rescued from local shelters and breed rescue associations

Diana Miller, the owner of Helping Paws, is a Licensed Practical Nurse, Trained Herbalist, Professional Dog Trainer and current member of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers (CAPPDT).  She is a trainer of service and therapy dogs, teaches obedience classes and acts as a consultant for health and behavioural issues in dogs, cats and horses.

How can a Service or Assistant Dog help?

Service or Assistant dogs allow a person with a disability, whether it is a physical or an invisible one, to lead a life of greater independence. These dogs can do an extensive list of tasks such as turning on/off switches, picking up dropped objects, getting undressed, answering the door or bringing you the telephone – in some cases decreasing the time and cost of having a caregiver. Most important of all is the gift of companionship and unconditional love that these dogs offer to help dispel loneliness, depression and/or anxieties that so often accompany disabilities. There is a strong bond and a building of higher confidence that comes from this type of a working relationship.

Where do the dogs come from?

Helping Paws dogs are rescued from local shelters and breed rescue associations. The dogs are tested extensively for temperament, health and soundness so that they may provide many years of service. When a candidate is found, the dog is brought home to start training, beginning with a solid foundation of socialization, conditioning and basic obedience. This allows the dog to experience various everyday living situations at home, in the city, and at the office with exposure to a variety of transportation methods. A dog is not usually started on the intense service training before 12 months of age because they can be too young. This will depend on the individual dog. I am someone who has compassion for both people and animals and believe that the two have much to offer each other in many aspects of living. Having lived and worked with people with disabilities, sick and terminally ill people over the years and having owned a variety of dogs throughout my life, I have seen the relationship of the two work with and for each other. For many years it has been in the back of my mind to see many more of these relationships be allowed to happen for both dogs and people so that they can benefit from each other.

Training the Service or Assistant Dog

As a Licensed Practical Nurse, I’ve worked in Doctor’s offices, a palliative care hospice, residential home care and in an acute care hospital. I have always had dogs in my life and have trained them on my own. I have always had a certain rapport and understanding of animals and because of this, I went on to complete a Certified Professional Dog Training course. I am also a current member of the Canadian Association of Professional Pet Dog Trainers (CAPPDT). I have the strongest desire to train Service, Therapy or Companion dogs. Now I am in a position to realize my dream. When I worked at the hospice, I often brought my 7 year old Golden Retriever with me where his duties were to greet visitors and offer comfort to residents, their families and most especially to the caregivers. When all the criteria are met and a suitable match is found, the dog begins its intense training. Once the dog has learned enough on its home ground, it is time to meet its new owner. The dog is taken to its new home and is introduced to the new surroundings where it will spend a couple of hours getting to know the home with the trainer. The next 24 hours are spent bonding with his new master without the trainer. No demands or commands are asked of the dog during this time as this is a fun and relaxing time only. The following week is spent transferring commands to the client in both the home and place of work (if required). The trainer usually stays until both client and trainer are comfortable that the transition is complete but the client may call for advice or concerns at any time. The total transition period can take up to a year. There will be follow-up visits and calls to help make this period as smooth and comfortable as possible.

Helping Paws dogs are “certified” in the province of British Columbia

Owning a Service or Assistant Dog

A client must be able to meet all the criteria of the service dog - financial, emotional and physical while living in a stable home. These will be such things as veterinary expenses, food, and equipment. The candidate should have good cognitive skills required to participate in the final training and learning process of the service dog. He/she should always be finding ways to improve their quality of life and independence with the aid of a service dog. The client will be contacted to arrange for an extensive personal interview which may include a demonstration. If it is felt that the client can benefit from a service dog, an application form will be filled out. There is an application fee payable at the time of application completion. It will also be necessary to thoroughly review the client’s needs in every aspect of everyday living. This can take a couple of days. When the application along with a thorough interview are completed, a fee will be discussed. The client will be contacted as soon as a suitable dog is found. At this point a payment schedule can be discussed. There is usually room for flexibility when working with a client. The application form and fee must be completed and received before the client/dog training can begin. Placement fee is due after the client has successfully completed training with the service dog and signs the contract for the dog. Most disabled people must wait an average of 3 to 5 years for a suitable dog, in some cases having to commit time and themselves to raise funds for the dog and the training facility. My hope is to allow people to purchase their dog from me, where all training is guaranteed, with follow-up teaching if the client so desires, plus, the dog is theirs.

Certification

My dogs are “certified” in the province of British Columbia and they all carry an identification card stating that the dog is owned by you and is professionally trained by me to perform as a Service dog and is not a pet. In reality, it is up to the business owner whether to allow a service dog on their premises. The dog owner should not assume but ask for permission. If it is allowed, certain rules of etiquette must be followed. These dogs will be trained to wait confidently unattended outside if need be but remember, this is a valuable animal.