Life With Superdogs
Awards Programme
What is the purpose of the Life With Superdogs Awards Programme?
Our awards programme aims to strengthen the dog-human partnership by promoting force free training, providing a clear goal for you to work towards with your dog, and celebrating your success! By working towards your Level 1, 2 and 3 Awards you will learn new skills and unlock your dogs full potential.
Our awards programme aims to strengthen the dog-human partnership by promoting force free training, providing a clear goal for you to work towards with your dog, and celebrating your success! By working towards your Level 1, 2 and 3 Awards you will learn new skills and unlock your dogs full potential.
About me:
My name is Megan and I'm the founder of the Life With Superdogs Awards Programme. I live in Surrey, UK, with my two dogs, Ruby (Border Collie x Kelpie) & Rowley (Labrador), who were the inspiration for this award programme!
I have multiple disabilities including deafblindness (partial deafness & low vision), dysautonomia, FND, crohn's disease, autism, balance impairment, seizures, fainting and more. I am an ambulatory (part-time) wheelchair user and proud Guide/Assistance Dog handler.
It was through teaching Ruby to assist me with my disabilities, that I first developed a passion for dog training. With help from Dog A.I.D (Assistance In Disability), I was able to teach her how to help me with tasks such as undressing, picking up dropped items, emptying the washing machine, and phoning for help using a special K9 phone whenever I fainted.
Training Ruby gave me back my independence and I wanted to help others do the same, so after completing my science degree in Animal Behaviour & Welfare I signed up to volunteer as trainer with Dog A.I.D too. Working with clients and seeing them gain confidence and freedom through their dogs has been incredibly rewarding, and I am delighted to have been able to give something back to the charity who helped me so much.
When Ruby retired in 2018, I joined the waiting list for a dog from The Guide Dogs for The Blind Association, as I was finding it challenging to cope with my sight loss. I was matched with Rowley, a gorgeous black Labrador, who was trained to guide me around obstacles, locate objectives and help me to safely cross the road. I then worked with Dog A.I.D again to teach him additional tasks to support my physical disabilities, just like Ruby had done. As Rowley qualified with both Guide Dogs and Dog A.I.D, he is known as a 'Dual Purpose Assistance Dog'. He also supports me with my fainting episodes by providing an advance warning so that I can lie down safely. I taught him how to do this myself using saliva samples for scent detection, and it has been life-changing!
Ruby and Rowley are affectionally known as my Superdogs, and without them, my life would be incredibly different! I blog about our journey together on our Facebook and Instagram pages, Life With Superdogs, and created this award programme in honour of them and Superdogs everywhere.
*Disclaimer* The Life With Superdogs Awards Programme is not an Assistance Dog training programme, and taking part does not qualify your pet as an Assistance Dog. The programme is for pet dog (or working dog) owners who want to learn how to teach their dog life-skills and develop their bond through fun trick training.
My name is Megan and I'm the founder of the Life With Superdogs Awards Programme. I live in Surrey, UK, with my two dogs, Ruby (Border Collie x Kelpie) & Rowley (Labrador), who were the inspiration for this award programme!
I have multiple disabilities including deafblindness (partial deafness & low vision), dysautonomia, FND, crohn's disease, autism, balance impairment, seizures, fainting and more. I am an ambulatory (part-time) wheelchair user and proud Guide/Assistance Dog handler.
It was through teaching Ruby to assist me with my disabilities, that I first developed a passion for dog training. With help from Dog A.I.D (Assistance In Disability), I was able to teach her how to help me with tasks such as undressing, picking up dropped items, emptying the washing machine, and phoning for help using a special K9 phone whenever I fainted.
Training Ruby gave me back my independence and I wanted to help others do the same, so after completing my science degree in Animal Behaviour & Welfare I signed up to volunteer as trainer with Dog A.I.D too. Working with clients and seeing them gain confidence and freedom through their dogs has been incredibly rewarding, and I am delighted to have been able to give something back to the charity who helped me so much.
When Ruby retired in 2018, I joined the waiting list for a dog from The Guide Dogs for The Blind Association, as I was finding it challenging to cope with my sight loss. I was matched with Rowley, a gorgeous black Labrador, who was trained to guide me around obstacles, locate objectives and help me to safely cross the road. I then worked with Dog A.I.D again to teach him additional tasks to support my physical disabilities, just like Ruby had done. As Rowley qualified with both Guide Dogs and Dog A.I.D, he is known as a 'Dual Purpose Assistance Dog'. He also supports me with my fainting episodes by providing an advance warning so that I can lie down safely. I taught him how to do this myself using saliva samples for scent detection, and it has been life-changing!
Ruby and Rowley are affectionally known as my Superdogs, and without them, my life would be incredibly different! I blog about our journey together on our Facebook and Instagram pages, Life With Superdogs, and created this award programme in honour of them and Superdogs everywhere.
*Disclaimer* The Life With Superdogs Awards Programme is not an Assistance Dog training programme, and taking part does not qualify your pet as an Assistance Dog. The programme is for pet dog (or working dog) owners who want to learn how to teach their dog life-skills and develop their bond through fun trick training.