PTSD Dogs Australia × Petstock
Train Your Own Assistance Dog — fully funded.
This is your dog, your progress, your life — with a professional training team beside you the whole way. Twelve months of structured training, real standards, and a Pack that has your back. Every step is assessed, so what you build together is the real thing: a certified PTSD Assistance Dog team.
Applications open now · Sunshine Coast & surrounds · Limited places
A Real Shot at the Life You Want
PTSD Dogs Australia and Petstock have come together to remove the biggest barrier standing between people and an Assistance Dog: cost. The Petstock Foundation Scholarship funds a full place in our Train Your Own Assistance Dog pathway — the same program, the same trainers, the same standards, the same GHAD certification goal.
What you bring is the effort. What we bring is everything else: structure, tools, oversight, and a training team who have walked this road many times before. Over twelve months you will watch your dog grow — and you will watch yourself grow right alongside them.
What the Scholarship Covers
Piecing this together yourself — a trainer here, a course there, tools, assessments — runs well over $17,000. The Petstock Foundation Scholarship covers your place in the full pathway, start to finish.
Plus twice-weekly in-person group training on the Sunshine Coast, every week of the program.
Step One — Entry Assessment
Value $1,000 — covered
Foundation Phase — Modules 1–3
Value $10,482 — covered
Advanced Phase — Modules 4–7
Value $6,850 — covered
What Stays With You
We want you walking in with your eyes open. The training is covered — these are the upfront/ongoing costs and responsibilities that come with being an Assistance Dog handler.
Annual Membership — $997
Due when joining the program. It includes your annual GHAD Public Access Test, unlimited group training, and membership of our private online training platform and Facebook community. (The annual PAT is conducted at Headquarters at your own expense, or our travel paid upfront.)
Caring For Your Dog — approx. $2,000 a year
Travel to and from Sunshine Coast training sessions and assessments is also your own.
Your Side of the Deal
This scholarship is a two-way street. In return for your commitment, we commit to giving you real access to the training program, a supportive and experienced training team, and a Pack that genuinely has your back.
- Attend group training on the Sunshine Coast — Tuesdays and Fridays, 8.45am for a 9am start, one hour per session
- Maintain a minimum of 60% attendance across the program — life happens, but consistency is what gets results
- Work through the 7-module online training program, complete all assessments and finalise the GHAD PAT
- Own a mobile phone and use the training app to log your training sessions
- Join the private Facebook group where training videos are shared, so the training team can support you
- Own where you’re at — no complaining, no ‘poor me’. We work as one Pack, with compassion for each other
- Give back by helping at events, sharing information and being a great ambassador for PTSD Dogs
- Share your journey for publicity and attend Petstock events with your dog as part of the PTSD Dogs pack
Running late, need to miss a session, or feel like you’re falling behind? Tell the training team as early as you can. Communication beats silence, every time — we’re here to help you get back on track, not to catch you out.
Is This You?
The scholarship is built for people who are ready to put the work in, and who have — or can find — the right dog beside them.
You
- Living with PTSD, anxiety, depression or a physical disability
- Living within a 150km radius of Noosa, Sunshine Coast
- Able to commit to 12 months of twice-weekly in-person group training
- Able to meet the ongoing annual costs of an Assistance Dog
- Willing to provide a police check on request
- Household members on board — an Assistance Dog is not a family pet
- Happy to share your story with PTSD Dogs and Petstock
Your Dog
- Cool, calm and collected around people, children and other dogs
- A born pacifist — zero aggressive tendencies, with quiet confidence
- Roughly 500–650mm at the shoulder and 15–45kg (ideal 600mm, 20–30kg)
- Healthy and vaccinated, with a clear bill of health from a vet
- Desexed before the GHAD PAT assessment
- Responsive to basic obedience and able to hold position until released
- No dog yet? Tell us on your application — we can help you source one
The Seven Modules
Twelve months, seven modules, one steady climb. You start with an Introduction Module that sets you up as a handler, then build week by week from foundations to full public access. Nothing is assumed — you are assessed at the end of every module, and you move forward when you and your dog are genuinely ready.
Foundation Phase — Modules 1–3
The essential behaviours and the working relationship that everything else is built on.
Module 1 · Weeks 1–9
Respect
Foundational behaviours, engagement and appropriate responses. This is where your dog learns to look to you first.
Module 2 · Weeks 10–18
Compassion
Developing calmness, regulation and healthy interaction between handler and dog — for both of you.
Module 3 · Weeks 19–27
Teamwork
Strengthening consistency and the working partnership. A one-hour live assessment closes this phase, plus a training jacket when the standard is met.
Advanced Phase — Modules 4–7
Your hard work and commitment have brought you both this far. Now it is time to establish the personalised assistance tasks that mitigate your disability, and become a GHAD Certified team.
Module 4 · Weeks 28–36
Resilience
Stability and reliability in more complex, real-world environments.
Module 5 · Weeks 37–42
Collaboration Part 1
Advanced cooperative behaviours and the beginnings of your personalised tasks.
Module 6 · Weeks 43–52
Collaboration Part 2
Refinement of real-world application, tailored to your medical goals.
Module 7 · GHAD PAT
Public Access Test
Final refinement and your Public Access Test — the formal step to GHAD certification.
And it doesn’t stop at certification. You keep ongoing access to the module content and game cards, we run six-monthly welfare checks, and when retirement eventually comes around we help you navigate bringing a new dog alongside your retiring Assistance Dog.
Our Awesome Trainers
Meet our esteemed Senior Trainers, Angie Weeks and Jan Honeyman. Every piece of content and every instructional video in the program is created and demonstrated by these two. Their role is not to rush outcomes or force progress, but to give you guidance, oversight and honest feedback as you move through the pathway — so decisions are always made in the best interests of both the handler and the dog.
Together, Angie and Jan form a dynamic duo, dedicated to making a difference in the lives of dogs and their handlers. You are not relying on a single opinion or approach — you are supported by a team committed to doing this work properly.
Angie Weeks
Senior Trainer · Qualified Dog Behaviourist, NDTF certified since 2019
Angie’s work with PTSD Assistance Dogs is not just about training dogs to perform tasks. It’s about recognising the inherent abilities and drives in each dog and channelling those into skills that can help people with PTSD.
This process involves a deep understanding of dog behaviour and a strong ability to communicate with dogs, especially those that have been displaced or are living in shelters. Angie’s passion for this work is evident in her desire to see each dog thrive and find their perfect match in a Handler.
Jan Honeyman
Senior Trainer · Qualified Delta Trainer & Dog Behaviourist since 2020
Jan brings a unique approach to training. Her innovative teaching through games has led to the creation of an engaging training program, designed to transform novice dogs into exceptional Assistance Dogs.
Jan specialises in helping dogs (and their humans!) be the best they can be, working with the dog in front of her to shape their behaviour for the better. An Assistance Dog really is special, and with the team of Angie and Jan working together, your dog will get their chance to shine.
Learn More
The Train Your Own program is designed for people living with PTSD, anxiety, depression and physical ailments. There are guidelines we follow to make sure your dog can safely and easily traverse public transport and public places according to your needs or specific disability. Health and fitness levels are also considered in the selection process.
The Positive Experience Checklist
- A warm and caring relationship with your dog
- A desire to learn — for both you and your dog
- Patience — for both yourself and your dog
- Treats are a must have for the training
- Appropriate collar and leash (no choker chains, pinch collars etc)
- An appropriately sized dog — see the guide beside
Our Recommended Dog Sizing
| Height minimum | 500mm (knee height) |
| Height maximum | 650mm |
| Ideal height | 600mm |
| Length maximum | 1290mm |
| Preferred length | 560mm |
| Weight minimum | 15kg |
| Weight maximum | 45kg |
| Ideal weight | 20–30kg |
What an Assistance Dog can support. For the right person, with the right dog, an Assistance Dog can provide practical, day-to-day support that helps create greater stability and predictability in life — help with grounding during moments of distress, assistance navigating public environments, or increased confidence in routines that currently feel overwhelming. These outcomes are developed over time through consistent training, ongoing assessment, and the relationship between you and your dog.
An Assistance Dog is not a treatment and is not a replacement for clinical or therapeutic support. For some people it forms part of a broader support framework alongside existing care, routines and strategies. Decisions about treatment and care should always be made with qualified professionals.
Ready to Start?
Places in the Petstock Foundation Scholarship are limited, and every application is read properly. Tell us your story, tell us about your dog, and tell us what this would change for you.
Apply
Complete the Scholarship Application Form. Take your time with it — the more we understand, the better we can help.
Chat
If your application moves forward we’ll be in touch for a conversation about you, your dog and your goals.
Assess
A two-hour face-to-face assessment on the Sunshine Coast with our trainers, with honest feedback either way.
Begin
Sign your Handler Agreement, meet the Pack, and start Module One with your dog.
Questions about eligibility? Email admin@ptsddogs.org.au
Apply Here
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, your dog in the later modules of modules 4-7 will be taught specific tasks to mitigate your personal disability to meet your medical goals.
No providing you can train your own dog or have suitable people who can support and potentially be a secondary handler. In modules 4-7, your dog will be taught specific tasks to mitigate your physical challenges.
Height for the lower end is for physical tasks and is generally at 50cm. The upper end of height is for public transport and is generally 60cm. Due to your specific needs this will be assessed. Eg Balance weight bearing assistance work.
Yes your dog could potentially be trained, however an Assistance Dog is trained to mitigate an individual’s disability and as such is trained for one person and is not a family pet.
Assistance dogs are to be desexed once they are ready to complete a PAT assessment under GHAD Legislation, which is how your dog will be certified.
No, as the dog must have a clear bill of health passed by a veterinarian.
Yes, providing the dog meets the behavioural standards set by the organisation.
A dog’s health and physical ability to perform specific tasks may impact its suitability to become an assistance dog. For example, a dog with certain medical conditions or physical limitations may not be able to fulfil the necessary duties.
The age and developmental stage of a dog can also be a factor. Younger dogs may need to demonstrate a certain level of maturity and training before they can be considered for assistance work. Depending on the size / breed of dog, the upper age can vary.
Insufficient socialisation or training may also preclude a dog from becoming an assistance dog. Dogs must be well-socialised and have the ability to remain calm and focused in various environments and situations.
Dogs must exhibit the right temperament and behaviour to work as assistance animals. Aggression, excessive fearfulness, or inability to focus on tasks may disqualify a dog from becoming an assistance dog.
They need to be cool, calm and collected around people, children and other dogs. They need to be born pacifists, with zero aggressive tendencies, and display a quiet confidence.
You need to live within a 150km radius of Noosa on the Sunshine Coast so you can attend the twice-weekly in-person group training sessions.
The scholarship covers all seven modules of the Train Your Own pathway. To begin you need to pay the $997 annual membership, which includes your annual GHAD Public Access Test, unlimited group training, and access to our private online training platform and Facebook group. You are also responsible for the everyday costs of caring for your dog, around $2,000 per year.