A trainer who coaches dogs to support children with autism has shared how she trains pooches to help people lead “safer, more independent lives”.

Ellie Keen, from Brighton has always loved animals of “all shapes and sizes”.

She has worked in a pet shop and even helped out at a rescue centre for mustangs, a type of wild horse, in Florida.

After studying animal behaviour and training at university, the 27-year-old went back to working at Pets Corner in Brighton.

The Argus: Ellie Keen trains dogs like Bon Bon to become support petsEllie Keen trains dogs like Bon Bon to become support pets (Image: Support Dogs)

But it was lockdown and she was struggling with working in retail. She wanted a job which was more tailored to her passion for animals.  

Fast forward to 2023 and Ellie has been working as a trainer for two years with Support Dogs, a national charity, which provides and trains dogs to help autistic children, adults with epilepsy and adults with a physical disability to lead “safer, more independent lives”.

“When I was young, I helped with horses at a yard nearby. Then my degree focused on dogs – there was a lot of theory around training them,” said Ellie.

When Ellie got the job with Support Dogs, which is based in Sheffield, she upped sticks and moved more than 230 miles north. She even brought her 13-year-old Maine Coon cat called Huggy with her.

Ellie is usually responsible for the care and training of three older dogs at a time.

The Argus: 'I absolutely love it,' says Ellie'I absolutely love it,' says Ellie (Image: Support Dogs)

She said: “I absolutely love it. It really suits me.

“It’s really focused on the dogs, building a bond with them and tailoring the training based on their personalities.”

“I love just spending time with them and getting to know their individual personalities, creating bonds with them and working on the specific areas that they need help with to train them in a way that best suits the dog,” she said.

She said when it comes to the time for a dog to leave her and move to the next stage of training, she has to remain professional.

“It’s hard to see them leave, especially the ones I’ve worked with for a long time,” Ellie added.

“But seeing them with their client makes it all worthwhile.”