Assistance dogs require serious planning, warns trainer
Yevette Ho cautions that assistance dogs need time, money, and planning, not relief.
Yevette Ho spent years with undiagnosed chronic pain and PTSD before founding YoPaws, training assistance dogs. Ho knows firsthand how much help a trained dog can bring.
Ho warns people: they're not easy fixes. Ho expected a toy groodle but received a full-size golden retriever instead.
Living in an apartment, caring for Yoshi means six toilet trips a night when the dog has stomach issues. The benefits are real: people with disability often feel more independent and less anxious with an assistance dog.
But caring for the dog can add challenges to an already difficult life. Ho tells potential owners to make plans for sick days, to understand costs, and to honestly ask whether a dog is right for them now.
- Yevette Ho
- Founder
- Six times when dog has stomach issues
- Toilet trips at night
- Apartment
- Living situation
Why it mattersDemand for assistance dogs has surged since COVID, but people need realistic expectations about the commitment and cost involved before deciding one is right for them.
AustraliaAustralians considering assistance dogs should understand they require serious planning and ongoing commitment, not just benefits, especially those with limited space or complex health needs.
