INTRODUCING LUCKY

 

In partnership with Carlton & United Breweries, we are pleased to share we are now sponsoring Smart Pup Lucky! 

Lucky was born at the Smart Pup kennel and training facility at Verrierdale. He and his 8 siblings are GRABS, from Golden Retriever/Labradors. Both of Lucky's parents have had all their health checks for hips/elbows/heart and full DNA testing to ensure the ongoing health of the pups. We put our new pups through stimulation exercises which are called 'Early Neurological Stimulation' (ENS). We do this to help aid their future development, resilience, and coping mechanisms.  


We have a small puppy playground where we take the puppies outside and introduce them to different textures and surfaces. Once the puppies are around 8 weeks, the puppies start learning very basic skills - Eye contact, Recall, and Sit for greeting. They are also introduced to life skill lessons-getting out and about in a human world. 
It is imperative to do this at an early start as puppies are in the most impressionable stage of their socialisation development (3 weeks- 16 weeks of age) where puppies are most accepting of new and novel things/experiences. This is the time to ensure as much positive exposure is done in order to get a well-rounded, confident pup to take on their role successfully  

It is imperative to do this at an early start as puppies are in the most impressionable stage of their socialisation development (3 weeks - 16 weeks of age), to where puppies are most accepting of new and novel things/experiences. This is the time to ensure as much positive exposure is done in order to get a well-rounded, confident pup to take on his role successfully. 

More on our Smart Pups.

See below for the latest in Lucky's journey:

APRIL 2025

CHARACTER OF PUP: 
Lucky is a curious little fellow, he enjoys exploring new environments and having the opportunity to get out and about with his siblings. Lucky is easy to lure with a food treat, which will make training him a blast.

SKILLSET LEARNED:  Lucky has been learning:

  • WAIT for mealtimes
  • SIT 
  • TRICKS high five/shake and spin
  • FETCH 
  • WATCH ME (working on engagement with handler)
  • LOOSE LEAD WALKING ( LLW)

Although this may seem a lot, the sessions are always kept short and most of all, FUN!
Whilst he is in the very early stages of these skill sets, he still has no idea on the words that come out of my mouth. Everything listed above requires the assistance of a lure at such a young age. It takes many, many repetitions of using a lure and gesturing a hand signal before cures can come into play. Once the verbal cue is being used, this again takes many repetitions before it becomes solid.

MAY 2025


This month Lucky was fortunate enough to meet your lovely team at Greenbank Services Club and say a BIG thank you for sponsoring him.

SKILLSET LEARNT: During our monthly adventures Lucky walked beautifully in heel, and when he occasionally crept ahead, he responded well to gentle redirection. He absolutely nailed the tall open staircase at Bunnings with no fear at all! That's impressive, especially since many pups find open staircases intimidating. Treats remain his ultimate motivator (and occasional distraction), as he does have a bit of a scavenger side that we're continuing to work on.

Mid-month, Lucky really hit his stride. He was calm, focused, and walked like a pro. He picked up "down" with ease and showed off his reliable "sit," "hi five," and "spin" with style. Even when working near his buddy Dozer, Lucky kept his cool, provided they had a bit of space between them. He even struck a pose for some gorgeous photos by the water fountain, total model behaviour!

NOTABLE ACHIEVEMENTS AND OBSERVATIONS: By our final outing this month, Lucky had truly found his rhythm. He walked beautifully on leash, and although he got momentarily excited at the sight of another dog, he responded well to a firm correction and returned to heel like a champ. We rounded things off with another stunning photo, this time among the flowers (a perfect end to a strong month).

Lucky continues to grow in confidence and skill, and we're seeing real potential shine through. He's a smart, sweet boy who's proving himself to be a fast learner with a heart full of charm!

JULY 2025


Lucky is now just over 6 months old and growing into himself more each day. He's a quirky little guy with a big personality, full of goofy charm and a gentle heart. There's something wonderfully endearing about him, whether it's the way he wiggles his whole body when he's excited, or how proudly he carries around a toy like he's just won the lottery.

Over the past month, Lucky's training has really started to take shape. One area we've been focusing on in particular is dog distraction. When he first joined the program, Lucky found other dogs just a little too exciting and who could blame him? But with consistent work and calm exposure, he's made some really positive progress. These days, he's beginning to walk past dogs with far more composure. While he still gives a curious glance or two, he's learning to reorient back to his handler and stay engaged. It's a big step for a young pup, and I'm so proud of how far he's come in such a short time.

Lucky has now been introduced to all of his foundational cues such as sit, down, wait, come, and touch and he's starting to show a reliable response to verbal and hand signals. As always, we're continuing to layer in duration, distraction, and distance as part of his progress plan.

Outings and Social Activities
This month, Lucky has been out and about in all sorts of environments, many of the same locations visited by his training buddies. These familiar settings are helping him generalise his training and build up confidence.

Some of the places we've visited include:

  • Noosa River, where we work on calm behaviour around dogs, birds, water play, and the occasional flying sandwich from a nearby picnic!
  • Peregian Beach, perfect for leash walking, stair practice, and a bit of sand between the toes.
  • Noosa Junction and Civic, to continue building focus and public access skills in busier indoor settings.
  • Peregian Skatepark and Cooroy township, for exposure to wheels, noise, and high-energy environments.
  • Eumundi Street, where we practiced calm walking through a bustling community setting. It's a great location for unpredictable foot traffic, loud noises, and the kind of everyday distractions Lucky will one day need to handle with confidence. He showed promising focus and was happy to take it all in at his own pace.

These outings have given Lucky so many opportunities to develop environmental confidence, practice his loose leash walking, and refine his obedience under distraction. It's always a balancing act between training and giving him space to take in his environment, and Lucky's doing a lovely job settling into that rhythm.

Additional Comments

Lucky is a happy-go-lucky pup (the name suits him perfectly!) who brings a playful spark to every session. He's curious, affectionate, and has a cheeky sense of humour that always makes me smile. He's learning quickly that the best rewards don't just come from treats but from connection, praise, and those little "yes!" moments of success.

There's still plenty of learning ahead, and while it's early days, Lucky is showing some really promising signs. He's got heart, curiosity, and a personality that draws people in wherever he goes. With continued guidance and consistency, he's tracking along nicely and I feel lucky myself to have him on my team. I'm really looking forward to watching him grow and seeing where his journey takes him.

AUGUST 2025


ACHIEVEMENTS & DEVELOPMENTS

Lucky has had a steady month of learning and growing – and at seven months old, he seems to be stretching taller by the day! This month, his training focus has been on building confidence in public environments and improving his responses to verbal signals for his basic commands. He's starting to show more consistency with sit, down, and recall when asked verbally, rather than relying on large hand signals or lures. It's still very much a work in progress, but these small steps are adding up to stronger foundations for the future.

With Lucky's size and the expectation that he'll keep on growing, he has also been introduced to working in a halti. The halti helps him stay focused and makes it easier for his future family to safely and comfortably manage him. He has adjusted well to this, and conditioning him early means it will be second nature by the time he graduates.

Of course, training isn't all serious business. Lucky has a softer, quirkier side too – sneaking in the occasional cuddle or kiss when he thinks no one's watching, and never turning down the chance for a tasty food reward. Those little moments of affection (and his big love for treats) keep him motivated, and remind us that while he's learning to be a hardworking Assistance Dog, he's still very much a cheeky young pup at heart.

OUTINGS AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES

Lucky's outings this month have been both fun and valuable for his development. He has visited:

  • Peregian Beach: A chance to experience the sights, sounds, and smells of the ocean while practicing calm walking in a busy, open environment.
  • Noosa River: With dogs, children, bikes, and plenty of movement, this is an excellent space for Lucky to practice staying focused while everything else is buzzing around him.
  • Eumundi Pools: Exposure to new surfaces, water play noises, and family environments.
  • Cooroy Playground: A great opportunity for Lucky to practice settling calmly near children, playground equipment, and sudden movements.
  • Cooroy Main Street & Noosa Junction: Busy town centres with cars, people, and shop fronts, perfect for practicing walking on a loose lead and ignoring distractions.
  • Noosa Civic & Bunnings: Both provide indoor training environments with trolleys, automatic doors, and lots of foot traffic. These visits are fantastic for confidence and for practicing calm behaviour in public access settings.
  • Eumundi Markets: A highlight of the month. The markets are one of the most challenging and rewarding places for training: loud music, strong food smells, crowds of people, other dogs, and constant movement. It's a true test of focus, and Lucky showed improvement in managing the distractions here.

Each of these outings helps Lucky become more confident, more adaptable, and more prepared for the variety of environments he'll encounter with his future child.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS

Lucky is a quirky little character with plenty of personality. He continues to surprise us with how quickly he's growing – both in size and in his training. While he's still got lots of learning ahead, his small wins each week are helping to build him into a calm, capable, and reliable assistance dog.

Thank you, as always, for your sponsorship of Lucky. He's a special boy with a big future, and your support makes his journey possible.