4 new puppies join the team

The newest recruits have joined the team at Assistance Dogs Australia, and are gaining a lot of attention wherever they go.

The four golden retrievers are ten weeks old, and are ready to start their L-plate training to become Assistance Dogs. The puppies will begin training this week, learning basic skills such as 'sit', 'wait' and 'heel'. Raised by volunteers in the community, the puppies will be kept busy meeting new peope and getting used to the sights, smells and sounds in the family home.

The three female puppies are yet to be named, but the male of the group has been called Oska, selected by his puppy sponsor. 

Oska's sponsor donated to Assistance Dogs Australia, covering the cost of his two-year training process, after seeing the impact an Assistance Dog can have on someone's life. 

With no government funding, Assistance Dogs Australia are looking for sponsors for the remaining three puppies. 

Sponsoring a puppy can be a great way for a workplace to increase staff engagement and corporate social responsibility, with puppy visits, naming competitions and puppy merchandise.

To find out more,please visit http://www.assistancedogs.org.au/pages/puppy-sponsorship.html.

Assistance Dogs Australia: Founded in 1996, Assistance Dogs Australia is a national charity which trains Labradors and Golden Retrievers to help people with disabilities, providing them with greater freedom and independence. Dogs are placed free of charge, to a wide range of clients, including families with autism, people living with post-traumatic stress disorder and people with physical disabilities.It costs in excess of $27,000 to train and place a dog, and Assistance Dogs Australia receives no government funding.