The journey begins with finding the right dog to become an autism assistance companion, which doesn’t mean waiting years on a support dog list or relying solely on puppies. We help families and individuals assess and select dogs based on personality, temperament, and compatibility, considering both puppies and older or rescue dogs. While breeds like Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are commonly chosen for their trainability and calm nature, we focus on the individual dog and how well they align with the specific needs of the person they’ll be supporting. Dogmetrix guides every step of the selection process to ensure the best possible match.

Once the right dog has been selected, we focus on building a strong foundation through basic skills training. We create a personalised training plan tailored to both the dog’s learning style and the specific needs of the individual they’ll support. Our 1:1 sessions are designed to be clear, consistent and paced appropriately, ensuring the dog develops essential life skills such as settling in public, calm greetings and focus around distractions. These fundamentals are key to creating a reliable, confident assistance dog and we’re here to guide and support every step of the way.

Socialisation is crucial for dogs working with individuals on the autism spectrum. If sourcing a puppy from a breeder, we help assess the litter and provide guidance on early socialisation before the dog even comes home. This includes recommendations for the breeder to expose the puppy to different sights, sounds, handling experiences, and gentle interactions to build a confident, well-rounded foundation.

This phase involves training the dog to behave appropriately in public settings. The dog learns to remain calm in the presence of distractions and to follow commands even in chaotic environments. This training is essential for ensuring the dog can effectively accompany their handler throughout daily activities.

This period is crucial for establishing a bond between the dog and the handler, as well as ensuring the dog responds appropriately to the handler's cues and needs.

This is a vital stage, where autism assistance dogs undergo specialised training to mitigate the challenges faced by individuals with autism. This includes tasks like interrupting self-harming behaviours, providing deep pressure therapy, creating a safe space and emotional regulation. Each of those is tailored to the client’s specific needs.

After the initial training process, ongoing training and support are important. This may include regular refreshers on commands and tasks, as well as support with any behavioural concerns that may arise. Continued training helps maintain the skills learned and adapt to any changing needs of the handler.