From Presence to Partnership: Helping Train an Assistance Dog

Carol Lincoln, May 2025

I strongly believe that as the human partner in an owner-trained assistance dog team, your first priority is to keep your dog safe, happy, and comfortable.

This responsibility becomes even more important when you're outside the home. A dog who feels stressed or threatened may feel the need to defend themselves if we’re not attuned to what they’re trying to tell us. If your dog resorts to growling, barking, scratching, or even biting in order to escape a situation, the consequences could be serious—or even dangerous—for you, your family member or someone in the public.

That’s why building a strong, communicative partnership with your dog is key. Ideally, this starts as soon as you begin caring for your dog, and the best way to do that is through training. Seek out high-quality, positive, reward-based training—whether online or through in-person classes with a qualified professional trainer, such as someone certified with IMDT or APDT.

Beyond structured training, have fun with your dog in ways that build connection and confidence—activities like man trailing, scent work, or heel-work to music can be brilliant. These not only help your dog feel more comfortable in different environments, but they also strengthen your two-way communication in a playful, pressure-free way.

It’s also important to observe your dog closely and regularly to learn their preferences, stress triggers, and comfort zones. discomfort, stress, and anxiety in dogs often come from things like:

• Being touched, petted, or groomed without their consent

• Invasions of personal space by people or other animals

• Environments that feel overwhelming or unsafe

• Loud noises, storms, or unexpected distractions

• Resource guarding around food or toys

• Fear or trauma from past experiences

Some dogs can go their entire lives communicating distress through body language—yet their owners remain unaware. Don’t be one of those people! By taking the time to learn how your dog communicates, you’ll be better equipped not only to train your assistance dog effectively, but to give them a rich, fulfilling everyday life.

Becoming Present to Your Dog

If you’ve had young children, you probably remember how you could instinctively understand their needs before they could speak. Over time, you learned their unique preferences—whether they loved football or playing the piano—and which situations to avoid like visiting relatives with precariously displayed antique china! You picked up on this just by being present and thinking ahead!

With our kids, we’re naturally tuned in to their signals, and those signals are usually loud and clear. As they grow, words begin to reinforce their likes and dislikes.

With dogs, their signals are often much subtler—yet just as important. Most dogs are more tolerant of discomfort than humans are, but that doesn’t mean we should ignore the signs. 

If you can start to observe your dog’s body language and notice what makes them uneasy, and if you respond to that discomfort with care or know to remove both of you from the situation, your dog will begin to trust that you’ve "got their back." That trust means they won’t feel the need to resort to defensive behavior when something unusual happens.

Of course, tuning into your dog can be a challenge in a busy life. But small changes—like putting your phone on silent during walks, having some fun time every day or spending one-on-one time with your dog when the rest of the family is watching tv or distracted elsewhere—can make a huge difference.

By becoming truly present to your dog, you’re not just building a more effective working partnership. You’re giving your dog the best possible life—and in return, you’ll enjoy a deep, meaningful bond that makes your life together really special.

Carol Lincoln TDT UK

TDT UK offers the Family Dog – Foundation Training for Assistance Dogs. This online foundation course is designed for individuals eager to owner train their dog as an assistance dog for themselves or a loved one who may not require the services of a Charity trained Assistance Dog.

The comprehensive foundation programme features bite-sized training videos, guiding you through every step of coaching your puppy or adult dog. From basic social skills to more advanced interventions helping you with tasks that are valuable both in the home and in public. Our network of qualified professional trainers across the UK are ready to help with live training as well. The course lays a solid foundation for progressing toward your eligibility for a TDT UK Public Access Assessment or signposting you to specialist ADUK organisations for assistance depending on your unique circumstances.

Take the first step towards training your family dog to support you.

www.tdtuk.co.uk