Applying for the mindDog Program

Applying for an assistance dog is a significant commitment and requires a great deal of time, effort, and support from both you and your future mindDog. While our trainers and assessors are here to guide you, especially during your dog’s “trainee” year, it is essential to understand that the primary responsibility lies with you. You must work with a mindDog-approved force free trust based trainer ONLY. We strictly do not accept any aversive training, methods or equipment. 

Please consider…. 

Financial Commitment
The cost of training your dog is not covered by mindDog and is paid directly to your chosen mindDog-approved trainer. Training fees vary, as each trainer sets their own rates. Over the course of a 12-month training and development period, you may require approximately 10–12 sessions, though this may vary depending on your dog’s progress and individual needs.

Progress Reporting
To progress through the program, you must provide 3-month, 6-month, and 9-month training reports signed by your mindDog-approved trainer. These reports are essential to tracking your dog’s development and ensuring readiness for the Public Access Test (PAT).

Time and Effort
The investment you make—both financially and in dedicating time to training—is crucial to fostering a strong bond between you and your dog. This bond is the cornerstone of your dog’s journey to becoming a certified psychiatric assistance dog and forms the foundation of the mindDog program.

We strongly encourage you to carefully consider these commitments, both financial and personal, before applying. Taking this step is a life-changing journey, and we are here to support you every step of the way.

Breeds Not Accepted

mindDog does not accept dogs which have been declared dangerous by your local council or any of the following breeds or types:

• Japanese Tosa
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Brasileiro
• Presa Canario
• American Pit Bull

or any other breed prohibited from import to Australia.

mindDog Policy on the Acceptance of Disabled Dogs

mindDog recognises the importance of maintaining the physical and emotional well-being of our assistance dogs. Therefore, we have decided not to accept disabled dogs into our program. A disabled dog is defined as one that has a physical or mental disability that could compromise its ability to perform assistance dog duties or lead to undue stress in carrying out these responsibilities. 

Important: If your dog’s disability is not disclosed on the application form nor on the veterinary certificate and it is found that the dog has a disability, as defined by our policy, at the first visit your dog will not be accepted into the program and the application fee will not be refunded.

If you require further clarification, please contact info@minddog.org.au. 

Before you apply, please ensure:

• Your dog is over 6 months of age and desexed.
• You have read all the information on what an assistance dog is, how to care for your mindDog, the application process and training.
• You are prepared for the commitment of training an assistance dog.
• For compliance with our program guidelines, all assistance dogs must be registered under the handler’s name. This includes cases where the handler is a child. If the dog is not currently registered under the handler’s name, the registration must be transferred before submitting the application.

To submit your application, please use the form below.

Alternatively, you can email your application directly to applications@minddog.org.au