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DISCLAIMER: All advice we give is based on our personal experiences. Not all the advice we give for resources will work for all individuals, and we do not take responsibility for this.

Shadia is sitting and leaning down towards Arwen, a brown standard poodle wearing a light blue assistance dog vest. Arwen is licking Shadia on their face.

Celebrating International Assistance Dog Week 2026

An appreciation post for my assistance dog, Arwen. In celebration of International Assistance Dog Week 2026 (Aug 2-8), I reflected on the positive impact my own assistance dog, Arwen, has had on my life over the last four years, and how she supports me daily. I welcomed Arwen home when she was a puppy and started assistance dog-specific training once she turned one. Last year, I was proud to have passed our Public Access Test (PAT) together, which is an assessment that evalua

Animal assisted services

Shadia Hancock

1 day ago6 min read