Changing Lives One Dog At A Time
Assistance Dog Programme
SA’s leading Owner Trained Assistance Dog Programme
We proudly support the training of Owner Trained Assistance Dogs in the SA through our Online Assistance Dog Programme.
Why Choose Us?
We mirror and exceed the highest standards recognized for assistance dogs around the world, ensuring your dog receives the best training possible.
We Support a Wide Range of Disabilities:
✅ Physical
✅ Medical
✅ Psychological
All breeds are welcome (except banned breeds), and there’s no waiting list!
Choose How You Train:
- Train your dog yourself from home with our comprehensive online programme, with optional monthly in person workshops OR
- Train with us intensively via our Residential Training Programme or one to one lessons
- Assistance Dog Workshops
- Public Access Tests throughout Southern Africa including Namibia
Join today and start building the perfect partnership with your dog!
Welcome to the Smart Service Dog Online Academy for Owner Trained Assistance Dogs in the SA
Who are we?
We are a team of qualified, force free dog trainers who have been training family dogs for over 30 years, helping Owner Trained Assistance Dog teams to reach their goals. We the only Service Dog school to offer an accredited Service Dog Trainer programme.
Our mission is to make assistance dog training accessible to all. The inclusive nature of our programme allows us to have no waiting lists, no breed restrictions or neuter requirements, allowing more people to fulfil their dream of having a trained assistance dog without the barriers than often exist with traditional routes.
By providing home-based training options and ongoing support, we’re able to empower individuals to take control of their own assistance dog journey, which is a powerful and much needed service in todays world.
What disabilities do we support?
We support a wide range of disabilities including:
Physical disabilities (wheelchair users, PoTS, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Multiple Sclerosis, ME, Spina Bifida, Cerebral Palsy, Spinal Injuries, Brain injuries, Strokes, Amputees etc)
- Medical support (Diabetes, Epilepsy, Seizures, Addisons, Allergies, Blood Pressure, Migraines, POTS, Crohns, non epileptic seizures)
- Guiding & Hearing – we only currently have light guiding & hearing videos available, but our trainers are happy to support your training journey in any way we can
- Psychiatric & neurological support (Autism, Downs Syndrome, PTSD, C-PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder, FASD, Bipolar Disorder, Major depression, Severe anxiety) Your dog would need to ease your symptoms via specially taught tasks
- Emotional support dogs: An emotional support dog is a dog who provides emotional support and eases your anxiety/symptoms without any training. Unfortunately Emotional Support Dogs are not recognised in the UK.
To utilise an assistance dog, regardless of the type of disability, a handler must qualify as disabled under the Equality Act of 2010. This means that their disability must have a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities. We do not discriminate based upon diagnosis and we are open to recipients with any psychological condition with recommendation from their Medical Health Professional.
Online Programme
Train your assistance dog from home
We provide comprehensive assistance dog training, supporting you from puppyhood to a fully trained assistance dog, guiding you at each stage of the journey.
Video Library: Gain instant access to over 650 on-demand video tutorials, covering everything from dog first aid, puppy training and socialisation to basic and advanced obedience, recall, lead walking, household manners, distraction-proofing, public access skills, and behavioural challenges.
Task Training: Our tutorials also include specific task training, tailored to help your dog support you with tasks that mitigate the effects of your unique disability. You can choose which tasks you need and select them from the extensive list of videos.
Trainer Support: Enjoy live trainer support seven days a week, along with the option to join weekly live Zoom sessions for personalised guidance. You’ll also have a private Whatsapp number for the head trainer for private support when needed.
Practical Support: We hold optional monthly workshops in Kloof, Durban exclusively for our assistance dog members, offering hands-on support for awards, temperament assessments, and task training. Residential training One to One lesson options in Kloof in Durban are also available to utilise alongside the online programme to give your dog’s training a boost
Awards: Progress through our Award system—from Puppy to Gold level and the Mitigating Task Award—before qualifying for the Access Test, conducted in person in Durban SA unless otherwise agreed, once your dog is 18 months or older. Our Public Access Test meets and exceeds international assistance dog standards. Certificates and rosettes are available at each level.
| Physical Tasks | Medical Tasks | Psychological |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieve items (phone, medicine, shoes) | Alert to seizures | Deep pressure therapy |
| Open / close doors/drawers | Alert to blood pressure | Make space in crowds |
| Press buttons (traffic lights/lifts) | Alert to heart rate | Interrupt repetitive behaviours |
| Turn on/off light | Alert to allergens | Interrupt self harm |
| Empty/load washing machine/dryer | Alert to asthma | Alert to anxiety |
| Carry items | Alert to medical events | Guide to seating |
| Give card to cashier | Fetch medicine | Find named person |
| Guide to seating | Medicine reminder | Watch my back |
| Remove clothing (socks/jumpers) | Raise legs after fainting | Comfort when crying |
| Remove blankets/sheets | Find named person | Interrupt anxiety attacks |
| Wheelchair training | Chin rest on handler | Settle under legs |
| Nudge arm/foot onto rest | Protect head during seizure | Retrieve medical kit |
| Put rubbish in the bin | Coming soon: lay with handler after seizure | Medicine alarm reminder |
| Backup out of doorways | HEARING | Wake from nightmare |
| Pickup dropped items | Alert to doorbell | Guide to exit |
| Brace | Alert to ringing phone | |
| Forward momentum | Wake to alarm | |
| Fetch item from fridge/cupboard | Fetch medicine on alarm | |
| Pickup dropped lead | Hand signals | |
