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Celebrating one year of Puppy Kindergarten!

This January, Assistance Dogs Australia is proud to celebrate the one-year anniversary of our innovative Puppy Kindergarten – a milestone that marks growth, learning, and a whole lot of wagging tails. 

Q: If the program were a puppy, how would you describe its personality?
“Confident beyond its weeks, adaptable to change, and surprisingly calm in new environments – with the occasional burst of zoomies.” — Ken Innes, Program Development Manager and chief puppy wrangler.

Over the past 12 months, more than 60 puppies have graduated through Puppy Kindergarten, laying strong foundations for their future roles as life-changing Assistance Dogs. What began as a bold idea quickly became a vital part of our training pathway, delivering impressive results for puppies, volunteers, and the people we serve. 

Based on leading research from Duke University, Puppy Kindergarten focuses on the critical early weeks of puppyhood – from eight to 18 weeks – when confidence, resilience, and behaviour are shaped for life. Through structured sessions, positive reinforcement, and expert guidance, puppies learn essential skills like basic obedience, toileting, socialisation, and navigating real-world environments. Since its commencement, the program has gone from strength to strength.

The C litter were the first pups to attend Puppy Kindy

The results speak for themselves. Puppies coming out of Puppy Kindergarten are more confident, adaptable, and ready to learn, making the transition into Advanced Training smoother and more successful. Importantly, this program has also eased the burden on our incredible volunteer puppy carers, who play such a crucial role in raising our future Assistance Dogs.  

By providing early structure and professional support, Puppy Kindergarten reduces common challenges such as mouthing, anxiety, and overexcitement – giving volunteers the tools and confidence they need during what can otherwise be an overwhelming stage of puppy raising. Many carers have shared how reassuring it is to know they’re supported from the very beginning, and how rewarding it’s been to watch their puppies thrive. 

ADA Field Trainer, Andrea, says:  

“Our volunteers lead busy lives, and we want to make volunteering as rewarding as possible. Introducing a four or five-month-old pup is a far less daunting proposition as all the ‘firsts’ have been introduced and practised. Our volunteers have been impressed and inspired by the pups’ behaviours and skills and feel comfortable in the knowledge that their job to continue the journey will be well supported.” 
Field Trainer Andrea in the middle of a cuddle puddle

When asked what he’s most proud of one year into the program, Ken says, “The standard we’ve set. The puppies are thriving, the team is committed, and the program has proven its value in a very short amount of time.”

This milestone wouldn’t be possible without the dedication of our trainers, volunteers, supporters, and donors. Because of them, we can place more expertly-trained Assistance Dogs with long-term impact in mind, investing in the future independence of people with disability – and in every confident puppy taking their first steps toward changing a life. 

As we celebrate one year of Puppy Kindergarten, we’re excited about what lies ahead. With each confident puppy and each empowered volunteer, we move closer to our mission of empowering connection, inclusion and independence for people with disability.  

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