Happy Wattle Day! Meet pup-in-training Wattle

Every year on 1 September, Australians celebrate Wattle Day and the beginning of spring.

Here at Assistance Dogs Australia, we have another reason to celebrate. She has four paws, a wagging tail and, according to her volunteer carers, is “one BIG bundle of craziness”.

Meet Wattle!

At nine months old, this energetic yellow Lab is still near the beginning of her training journey. She recently joined her new volunteer home in Victoria, where she’s been busy learning, exploring and settling into family life. 

Learning the skills for a life-changing future

From the moment she arrived, Wattle was keen to show off the skills she had already learned at Assistance Dogs Australia’s Puppy Kindy.

She’s mastered sitting patiently for food and is walking (mostly!) beautifully on the lead. Outings with her volunteer family give her opportunities to practise skills including ‘under’, ‘sit’ and ‘wait’, while becoming comfortable in the different environments she’ll encounter as she grows.

And Wattle certainly gets around! Trips to the supermarket, local cafes, the pool and even the yacht club are all helping this young pup learn how to stay cool, calm and focused while the world carries on around her.

Of course, being nine months old comes with a few distractions.

Wattle is still discovering what is and isn’t appropriate to chew and learning the considerable art of walking calmly past other dogs – particularly fellow retrievers.

But these everyday lessons have an important purpose.

As Wattle progresses through her training to become an Assistance Dog, the foundations she’s building now will one day help her support a person with disability in their everyday life. Assistance Dogs can provide practical support, greater independence and connection, with their training tailored to the needs of the person they are matched with.

Every successful outing, new experience and moment of self-control brings Wattle a step closer to becoming a life-changing Assistance Dog.

It takes a village to raise an Assistance Dog

Behind Wattle’s progress is a family of dedicated volunteers helping her learn about the world.

Volunteer carers play an important role in preparing future Assistance Dogs. By welcoming pups into their homes, teaching basic skills and house manners, and introducing them to different everyday environments, they help build the foundations dogs need before progressing further in their training. 

For Wattle’s volunteer carer Amanda, though, sharing their home with this very lively pup has brought something special to the family too.

“It’s the unconditional love and affection she gives us. We know it will be incredibly hard when the time eventually comes for her to leave us and continue her journey. But for now, we are incredibly grateful to be part of her growing, learning and becoming the wonderful dog she is destined to be.”

Wattle still has plenty to learn and plenty more adventures with her volunteer family ahead before she’s ready to enter Advanced Training.

And Amanda knows that eventually saying goodbye will be part of helping Wattle move towards the future they’ve been preparing her for.

“We know that Wattle is one very lovable dog, and that one day, someone else will cherish her just as much as we do. Though she will eventually leave our household, until then, every day is Wattle Day to us!”

Could you help raise a future Assistance Dog?

Volunteers are a vital part of raising and training future Assistance Dogs like Wattle. Opportunities include welcoming a puppy into your home full time, providing short-term puppy care, or giving a dog in Advanced Training a home away from training on weekends. 

By giving your time, care and guidance, you could help another young pup build the skills they need for a future supporting someone with disability.

Find out more about volunteering with Assistance Dogs Australia.