ACE Freework (Animal Centred Education Freework) is a choice-based approach that supports a dog’s nervous system, body, and emotional wellbeing. Dogs are invited to explore a carefully prepared environment at their own pace, using all of their senses.

This allows them to feel safer, calmer, and more regulated — which is the foundation for learning and behaviour change.

Traditional training often focuses on teaching behaviours or stopping unwanted ones.

ACE Freework focuses on how the dog feels first.

By supporting the nervous system and observing the dog’s movement and choices, we can:

• Identify stress, pain, or physical discomfort

• Help dogs self-regulate

• Create the conditions where learning can happen naturally

Many behavioural issues resolve or significantly reduce once a dog feels safe in their body.

ACE Freework can support dogs with:

• Anxiety and fear

• Reactivity to dogs, people, or environments

• Resource guarding

• Difficulty settling or switching off

• Behaviour changes following trauma or stress

• Puppies needing confident foundations

• Senior dogs or dogs with mobility changes

It is suitable for all dogs, including those who have been labelled “difficult” or “untrainable”.

No.

ACE Freework is voluntary and choice-led. Dogs are never forced, corrected, or physically manipulated. The dog decides how and when they engage.

A session involves:

• Setting up a Freework environment (“stations”) tailored to the dog

• Allowing the dog to explore freely

• Observing posture, movement, breathing, and behaviour

• Video analysis after the session to identify patterns or concerns

Each session is unique because every dog is unique.

Video allows for slow-motion and detailed analysis that isn’t always visible in real time. It helps identify:

• Muscular or skeletal imbalances

• Asymmetry or movement restrictions

• Signs of discomfort or pain

• Nervous system responses

This information guides next steps and referrals if needed.

ACE Freework is not a diagnostic tool, but it is an excellent observational tool.

Up to 90% of behavioural issues have pain or discomfort as a contributing factor. Calm, free movement often reveals things that structured training or vet exams may miss.

If concerns arise, I may recommend a veterinarian, physiotherapist, or chiropractor.

No referral is needed. However, I work collaboratively with veterinarians and allied professionals when appropriate.

Yes — often especially for these dogs.

Because ACE Freework removes pressure, demands, and social expectations, it is ideal for dogs who feel overwhelmed, defensive, or unsafe.

Yes. ACE Freework is an excellent foundation for puppies, supporting:

• Confidence

• Body awareness

• Emotional regulation

• Healthy curiosity

Absolutely. ACE Freework is particularly beneficial for senior dogs as it supports mobility, comfort, and dignity while respecting their changing needs.

If you are open to understanding why your dog behaves the way they do — rather than simply stopping behaviours — then yes, this approach is for you.

Yes. ACE Freework is a powerful framework that complements any ethical, force-free training approach. Many trainers use it to:

• Improve outcomes in complex cases

• Reduce burnout

• Gain clarity when “nothing else seems to work”

• Support dogs before, during, or after behaviour modification plans

No.

ACE Freework does not replace your existing skills — it adds the missing piece.

It gives you a deeper understanding of:

• Nervous system state

• Physical comfort and movement

• Why a dog may be unable to learn in certain contexts

Many trainers find that once they integrate ACE Freework, their existing training becomes more efficient and less effortful.

Some professionals like myself have found that all learning for dogs and their guardians can happen in Free Work.

When we do any ‘training it is essential for dogs to have choices.

Free Work offers a rewarding education Positive Reinforcement Training is limited as the dog can only receive reward from the trainer or handler.

ACE Freework is particularly valuable for:

• Reactivity and aggression

• Resource guarding

• Shutdown or “learned helplessness”

• Trauma histories

• Dogs that fail to progress with standard protocols

• Cases involving suspected pain or physical restriction

No.

While it can look similar on the surface, ACE Freework is a structured, observational, and analytical practice. It is not random enrichment or “busy work”.

Every element of the setup, environment, and observation serves a purpose.

ACE Freework is not diagnostic, but it is highly effective at revealing indicators of:

• Musculoskeletal imbalance

• Asymmetry

• Compensation patterns

• Discomfort affecting behaviour

This allows trainers to make informed referrals and avoid pushing dogs beyond their capacity.

Yes.

ACE Freework is highly adaptable and can be used:

• In client homes

• In training facilities

• Outdoors (when appropriate)

• In shelters or rescue environments

ACE Freework is best applied individually or in controlled demonstrations. However, the principles can inform:

• Class structure

• Breaks and recovery

• Environmental setup

• Expectations of learning speed

To offer ACE Freework professionally, trainers must be educated and authorised through Animal Centred Education.

I (Joanne Burton) am currently the only Certified ACE Freework Practitioner and Associate Tutor in

Australia, trained and approved by Sarah Fisher herself.

This means:

• I can teach ACE Freework correctly and ethically

• I can mentor trainers through real cases

• I can ensure the integrity of the ACE ethos is upheld

Anyone offering ACE Freework without this education is not authorised to do so.

Yes.

I offer:

• The ACE Freework Trainers Toolkit

• A 6-month mentorship, supporting you through real client cases

• Ongoing guidance for complex or high-risk situations

This mentorship is particularly valuable for trainers working with:

• Aggression

• Trauma

• Chronic stress

• Dogs labelled “difficult”

Yes.

I work with trainers interstate and overseas, and ACE Freework translates across cultures, breeds, and environments because it is grounded in biology, nervous system science, and observation.

Most trainers tell me:

“I can’t believe I ever worked without this.”

ACE Freework often brings:

• Greater confidence in decision-making

• Less pressure on both trainer and dog

• Clearer insight into why things are happening