Pre Course Consults

Cost: $165  (incl. GST)

Time: up to 60mins

Location: TDA headquarters (Redcliffe, QLD or Upper Caboolture, QLD ) or Online (Zoom)

When: Assessments are primarily held on Monday's or Friday's.

These assessments are designed to help the handler decide if their existing dog is likely to be appropriate for Therapy work, as well as the appropriateness of their work role. 

These consults include:

- Comprehensive conversation around your dogs' personality and temperament to assist with determining suitability for therapy dog work.

- Comprehensive conversation around your work role or intentions to work with your dog, and the appropriateness of these.

- Discussion around what is involved in the dog & handler training short courses.

- Time to ask questions around the training, what to expect.

- Problem solving and recommendations around getting dogs ready before enrolling in the course.

** Note: these are pre-course consults are to be used as a guide only and do not guarantee that the dog will pass their course

** Note: Pre-course assessments are NOT essential for booking in to the dog & handler training courses.

** Note: late cancellation fees apply to these bookings, payment required to secure booking time.

The assessment is broken in to two parts, the obedience & manners, and the temperament assessment. The obedience and manners is submit via video and will be marked by Therapy Dogs Australia trainers. The temperament assessment is undergone face-to-face with either a Therapy Dogs Australia trainer (in our Redcliffe office location) or with a ‘locum’ trainer – this is the best option for interstate and regional teams. If you are choosing the ‘locum’ trainer option, please get in touch with us to begin the process of identifying a suitable trainer (they will need to be formally accredited, and hold current professional indemnity and public liability insurances). 

We have put together a folder of information (on Google Drive) to help you to prepare for your assessment/re-assessment. Please send us an email (courses@therapydog.com.au)  for access to this content. 

Obedience Assessment – Video Submission

This is necessary for everyone to submit. We ask that you follow the video submission sheet, and please also submit your self-evaluation/reflections on this form.  We want you to submit this video via Google Drive. Once you are ready to submit, email courses@therapydog.com.au and you will be issued an invoice and given additional instructions on finalising your video submission. Please keep in mind that invoices are required to be paid before we will accept your video submission, prompt payment of invoices will reduce your waiting time for results. 

The cost of having your video assessment marked is $150 (incl. GST).

Temperament assessment – Therapy Dogs Australia

These are conducted at our Redcliffe location, starting at Bee Gees Way. 

Throughout this assessment we will be handling your dog, they will be touched all over and we will ask you to comment on how your dog copes throughout this handling (identifying stress signals etc.). 

Throughout the temperament assessment the trainer is looking at how well you and your dog work together, and how your dog copes in a busy environment. 

If you want to book a face-to-face temperament assessment with Therapy Dogs Australia please email courses@therapydog.com.au

The cost of your temperament assessment is $150 (incl. GST).

Temperament assessment – Locum trainers

As mentioned, this is the best option for teams that are not in SE QLD, or even teams that are in SE QLD but can’t (or don't want to) attend an assessment in Redcliffe, QLD. 

To organise a locum assessment, you will need to use one of the trainers on our Locum Trainers List. A copy of the list can be obtained from emailing courses@therapydog.com.au. If there is no one in your area, please get in touch and we will help you try to find one. 

The cost of your temperament assessment with a locum trainer will be determined by the trainer, please make sure you ask them about this before you book the assessment. We recommend they charge you for one hour of their time - however assessments do technically take us longer than one hour (paperwork etc.). 

The dog trainers will email your temperament assessment paperwork to us directly, they are not permitted to give you an 'outcome' at the time of your assessment. 

Final Notes

We need to book in the time to score your obedience video, availability of bookings will determine how long you will have to wait for an outcome. The maximum wait time is 4 weeks, so please allow for this. 

These re-assessments are designed to be less stressful on the handlers and the dogs, and allows for handlers to develop their skills and put their best foot forward (in the obedience video). The self-evaluation component is designed to help you to improve your handling insights and skills, help us to identify gaps in learning, and allow handlers to only submit their videos when they are confident that they are of an acceptable standard (saving re-submissions which saves time and cost of paying for additional video markings). 

For more info email courses@therapydog.com.au for the full assessment & reassessment booking procedure.