'The wrong dog': why this Canberra trainer is warning prospective owners

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Yevette's golden retriever is everything to her. But she has a word of warning for others.

Yevette Ho battled post-traumatic stress, chronic pain and symptoms like losing control of her limbs for years, and couldn't get any answers.

Doctors would say they didn't know what was happening to Ms Ho's body, and the best she could do was "just manage it".

Efforts to live a full life in the face of health challenges have led Ms Ho to an unlikely career training assistance dogs as the founder of YoPaws.

But she has a word of warning for anyone who thinks a four-pawed helper, like her golden retriever Yoshi, will make life easier.

"Yoshi was meant to be a toy groodle, but in the breeder matching process I ended up getting a 100 per cent golden retriever.

"So if she needs to go to the toilet six times a night because she has an upset stomach, I'm going to take her.

Demand for assistance dogs has surged since COVID, amid growing social isolation and awareness of their benefits.

People with disability often feel more independent, less anxious and less distressed with an assistance dog, survey evidence suggests.

But looking after a dog can add to the challenges of living with disability, Ms Ho said, even with the right breed for a person's lifestyle and needs.

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