Scenic World enjoyed a visit from some very cute, four-legged tourists on Thursday, May 19.
Three Labrador puppies from Assistance Dogs Australia undertook training at the popular Katoomba tourist attraction.
Puppy educator supervisor Andrea Blackford said the purpose of the excursion was to provide pups with exposure to different types of public transport.
"Riding the Skyway and cable car was novel and confronting both in movement and vision, and for the pups to show confidence and self-settling skills during the trip was our aim."
Ms Blackford said the pups had previously experienced buses and trains so they "were looking for the next option".
"Here in Sydney we train on ferries, but in the Blue Mountains we decided to glide in the air instead," she said.
"All public access and transport training is socialisation, opening the wider world to our pups with the aim to allow them the feeling of familiarity and ability to stay calm and focused."
Scenic World's Head of Marketing, Axel Moline, said Scenic World prides itself on creating an accessible, fun and inclusive experience for all people.
"We loved having the Assistance Dogs Australia visit and check out how their young pups can one day help people living with a physical disability or additional needs explore Scenic World safely and happily. The assistance puppies have experienced buses, trains and ferries in Sydney and it was great to offer this unique transport experience only the Blue Mountains can offer."
Ms Blackford said "on any given day, an Assistance Dog could encounter different environments, curious people, and unusual creatures because they go almost everywhere with their human".
"It could be overwhelming, and even scary, for a dog who hasn't seen something like a train or escalator before. A frightened dog may be dangerous for their human when they are out in public.
"Assistance Dogs must be reliable, resilient and trustworthy, because their human is literally depending on them for help not just inside the home, but outside it. That's why it's important to get our pups used to the big, wide world. The most important skill of an Assistance Dog is to stay focused on the handler regardless of the surrounding environment."
