This Therapy Dog & Handler training course is designed to equip you and your dog with the skills required to work together in an animal-assisted activities setting. This includes offering less-formal therapeutic interactions with therapy animals (e.g. youth work, disability support, school reading groups) and visitation animals (e.g. nursing homes, hospitals).
This is the course that is suitable for people who are wishing to:
- Volunteer with their dog at a hospital or school.
- Working in the health industry in an admin role.
- Support worker role / youth workers / community workers.
- Health worker who is not registered with a regulatory body.
- Health workers who are Certificate or Diploma trained.
- Clinicians who finds these course dates more convenient
If you are unsure if you meet these criteria – please ask!
This course has slightly less clinical content than the clinical dog course, as such, there is more time to focus on activities that are relevant and interesting to community workers and volunteers. However, if you do wish to ‘upskill’ in the more clinical aspects of the training, we can do this via Professional Development Workshop opportunities!
It is our primary goal that your dog and your client/s are both safe and enjoys their experiences together. Therefore, this four-week (plus assessment) short course covers a wide range of topics from dog training skills, manners and canine body language specific to animal-assisted services.
This course is for people who have their own dog and are looking to become involved in the field of AAT. While we do not require your dog to have had prior training, it is important they are of suitable temperament (friendly, confident, interested in interacting with new people). If you are not sure if your dog is suitable, we can arrange a pre-course consult ($250) to discuss this with you. Alternatively, attend our Introductory Workshop and you will gain a better understanding of what is required in a Therapy Dog role.
This course is designed to provide you with a range of dog-training skills and techniques to assist you and your dog to meet the criteria for graduation as a human-canine therapy team. Throughout the four-week course, we provide you with a huge amount of practical and theoretical information to get you started on your journey as an animal assisted therapist. Following your four week(/four day) course commitment, there are a number of assessments for you to complete, including written, video obedience and face to face temperament assessment of your dog (can be done by a dog trainer in your area).
Dogs and handlers are able to sit their final assessment at a time that they feel they are ready (up to 3 months post course finishing). Your Therapy Dog bandana will be provided upon graduation. Graduates will also receive a certificate, all certificates have an expiry date upon which time you and your dog will need to be assessed as a team again (typically 12-months time). Graduation certificates may also contain information about the recommended work settings suitable for your team at the time of graduation.
Cost
$1320 (incl. GST) Assessment fee is separate from the course cost. Assessment through Therapy Dogs Australia is $300 (incl. GST)
Four-week short course (online), typical course classes are one day per week over four weeks (Monday’s). There are intensive delivery options which may run for four days in one week, or four days across two weeks (see dates below for options). Courses consist of live presented lectures, recordings, group activities and discussions, and there are worksheets and training activities to do as homework. This fee also includes a Therapy Dog bandana & certificate for course graduates. Additional bandanas and therapy dog coats can also be purchased at the time of graduation.
Payment Plans are allowed, with final payments received prior to the course start date.
Location
This course takes place virtually on ZOOM. Face to face assessments can be carried out by our team at our facility, which is in Redcliffe, approximately 25 minutes north of Brisbane, Queensland. Interstate participants can have their face assessments conducted by one of our locum dog trainers. Please check these details with us prior to registering.
Upcoming Training Dates
These courses are delivered online with face to face assessments throughout 2022 (face to face assessments can be done by a dog trainer in your local area), and video submission.
Courses will be offered one day per week over four consecutive Mondays unless they are an INTENSIVE offering, that is on a different timetable (see dates below). Assessment can be attended whenever the team is ready (within three months of completing the course classes).
- Community TYPICAL
– Monday 6th June
– Monday 13th June
– Monday 20th June
– Monday 27th June - Community INTENSIVE
– Monday 4th July
– Tuesday 5th July
NO CLASSES ON WED
– Thursday 7th July
– Friday 8th July - Community INTENSIVE
– Monday 19th Sept
– Tuesday 20th Sept
NO CLASSES ON WED
– Thursday 22nd Sept
– Friday 23rd Sept - Community INTENSIVE
– Monday 12th Dec
– Tuesday 13th Dec
NO CLASSES ON WED
– Thursday 15th Dec
– Friday 16th Dec
Disclaimer
Registration, Transfers & Refunds
Please use our contact form to register your interest in these courses. Full payment is required upon registration. You will start the course via our virtual dog training videos once full payment is received. Once you have started the course, no refunds are available. Course transfers are available only in extreme circumstances.
All course sales are final, as the course is commenced at the time of enrolment as the student is given access to our online learning material and as such is considered to have started the course.
