Words June Murray Dagnall
Photo Sarah Hartley Photography
With a strong understanding of the working relationship between humans and animals, Allison Gray founded Gray’s Canine Academy on principles of compassion, precision and purpose. Every dog trained at the Academy meets national and internationally-recognized standards, ensuring high skill, reliability and consistency – always with care at the core.
Allison’s journey began in 2001 while providing foster care for individuals with complex needs. It was during this time that she witnessed the practical and emotional value a well-trained dog can bring to a household by supporting stability, personal development and a more manageable daily routine. She approaches the path to training service dogs with clear direction, consistency and collaboration. For many months or even years, these dogs are part of Allison’s family. She works closely with them to build essential skills and prepare them to be confident, capable service dogs. Matching each dog to the right home is critical with an intake process designed to assess a family’s needs, lifestyle and readiness for the responsibility of a service dog. If another program is a better fit, Allison is committed to helping families find the right support.
Advanced training is personalized for each dog, focused on routine, structure and exposure to real-world scenarios. By the time they are 12 months old, the dogs’ strengths and aptitudes are well understood, allowing for thoughtful handler matches. Early pairing allows task training to continue with the handler in mind, reinforcing the skills required to support their needs. Allison works exclusively with responsibly bred CKC-registered standard poodles due to their intelligence, sensitivity, athleticism and variation in size. These qualities make them especially well suited for service roles. They are also easy to bond with and are well tolerated by those with allergies.
Support doesn’t end with placement, as this is for life. Each team undergoes a three-day certification process four to six months after placement, with regular recertification every three years, or more frequently for specialized tasks such as allergen detection, seizure response and anchoring of a young handler. Training a service dog goes far beyond commands. The service is an advanced task for which the dog is trained to meet a medical need. These dogs offer real, everyday support, and help people live with more confidence, stability and independence.
Gray’s Canine Academy has placed dogs from coast to coast with clients in Victoria, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montreal and Fredericton. The Academy is also proud to support international efforts.
While most clients are adults, the Academy also works with children. Each dog’s training is customized to meet a wide range of support needs.
Families often share how deeply these dogs impact their lives – a child sleeps independently through the night with their dog at their side; another family finds a trip to the park significantly smoother as their child stays close by with the help of her service dog.
At Gray’s Canine Academy, the focus remains on what truly matters by creating strong, lasting partnerships, one well-trained service dog at a time.
hello@graysdogs.ca
