Hi, I’m Amanda…

I was born and raised in the town of Grafton, in Northern NSW, and my dream from when I was just a little girl, was to work with animals.

After finishing year 12, I moved to Brisbane to start working towards a career as a Veterinary Nurse. In 1997 I obtained a certificate in Veterinary Nursing and since then have gained 29 years’ experience in clinic. Along the journey of my working career, I have also run a dog and cat boarding facility for RSPCA NSW, a small retail pet shop, worked at a Zoo and also as an Animal Control Officer for council. I have been fortunate enough to gain a wealth of experience working with dogs in many different and sometimes challenging environments.

Having run puppy preschools in clinics, I developed a keen interest in behaviour and training. I started to obtain more experience in the field of dog training back in 2014 when a local trainer, specialising in Detection, Guard, Personal Protection and Medical alert (to name a few), took me under her wing and gave me a start in the training world. In 2019 I obtained a Certificate IV in Companion Animal Services through Delta Institute. Then went on to gain my Service Dog Coaching Certificate through Cooperative Paws in 2022. In 2024 the first Assistance Dog specialty course was released in Australia and was incorporated into the certificate IV. Therefore, I went on to complete the Certificate IV in Animal Training & Behaviour – Assistance Dog Specialisation, through The Animal Academy where I graduated in 2025 with a nationally recognised qualification in assistance dog training.

My latest accomplishment has been to receive accreditation as an approved trainer under the Guide, Hearing and Assistance Dogs Act 2009 (the Act). This is the statutory certification system in QLD and at the time of my accreditation (April 2026) there were only 26 organisations/business listed Australia wide. This is a testament to the level at which trainers and businesses must perform in order to obtain the accreditation. It is also a reflection of the standards that they must uphold in order to continue to maintain this approval. Due to their level of training and operation, GHAD approved trainers are highly regarded in the assistance dog industry.

I have two beautiful sons, one of which was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (level II), including panic disorder and anxiety disorder, and ADHD when he was four years old. Raising this beautiful individual has given me a new perspective on life and an insight into what it is like to navigate the world when you have a disability. I decided that I would love to dedicate my work to helping people in the mental and physical disability health sector. My goal is to use their own canine companions to help support and enrich their lives. I am able to do this through my program which helps owners train their dogs for Assistance Dog work.

My business was first established in 2018 under the name “Paws on Board” and in 2020 when I changed my training focus to owner trained Assistance Dogs, we had a rebrand to “Pets Education Training Support” (PETS).

I am lucky enough to live on 5 beautiful acres in Swan Bay in the Northern Rivers of NSW, with my wonderful husband and our beloved pets. Included are my 4 dogs Finnegan Beginagain (English cocker spaniel), Jeremiah Bullfrog (pug), Ramona (labradoodle) who is my current assistance dog, and my youngest dog Neo (greyhound) who is currently in training to take over the role as my assistance dog from Rommy.

After years of struggling with anxiety and depression I decided to undergo formal assessments at the Bond University Psychology Clinic. It would be through the process of diagnosis that I would find an understanding of who I am, why I am the way I am and how to be more compassionate towards myself and my own internal struggles. I have autism spectrum disorder (ASD) Level II, ADHD, Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD), PTSD and C-PTSD (Complex). Through ongoing therapy with my wonderful, allied health care teams I have learnt even more about living with disabilities and the challenges it holds for many. Since my diagnoses I have trained my own assistance dog, Ramona (Rommy) who has made such a difference to my life.