Therapy Dog Training
The Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) program is focussed on combining evidence based practice with relational awareness to develop ethical, effective Therapy Dog (TD) working teams. We pride ourselves on being different to traditional ‘cookie cutter’ models of training. We consider your specific working environment, any particular needs you, your clients or your animal may have and incorporate them into your tailored training program. We also offer unique follow up with both professional development courses and TD clinical supervision available.
Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog pathway
We have tried to make the Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog training pathway logical and easy to follow. The pathway has seven distinct steps. If you are a professional wanting to include your dog in a therapy setting or an individual who wants to provide therapeutic support with their animal, please fill out an enquiry form and we will send you out some documentation and information about what’s involved in training and working with a Therapy Dog through Dogz 4 Life.
Step 1 – Assess Eligibility
The Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog training pathway begins with a Therapy Dog Suitability Assessment. This assessment is a one-and-a-half-hour appointment that involves some basic temperament and skills tests for you and your dog as well as some general questions around suitability for both the training requirements and the role. If you don’t yet have a dog we can still assist with our Bonded Beginnings – puppy selection support program. A specialist Dogz 4 Life trainer can assist you in the selection of the appropriate puppy for your family or the specific role you have in mind for your furry friend. We will perform a comprehensive 1 ½ hour assessment of you and your proposed puppy to ensure they have the appropriate temperament, motivations and resilience to set them up for success in their chosen pathway. This service is available for D4LAP, D4LAD clients and pet dog handlers wanting to ensure a good match for their family.
Step 2 – Relational Awareness and Wisdom for Clinicians
Once you have completed your suitability assessment you can start the Relational Awareness and Wisdom for Clinicians program. This is a short, 4-week program designed to set you and your dog up for success and give you a taste of the training program so you can decide if you want to continue in the formal D4LAP Therapy Dog training pathway.
Steps 3 and 4 – Basic and Advanced Training
If you decide to go ahead with the formal Dogz 4 Life D4LAP Therapy Dog Team training you will enter the formal pathway which has two training components SIT and PET:
- D4LAP Basic training – Situational Awareness, interactions and Teamwork for therapy dog teams (SIT)
- D4LAP Advanced training – Professional practice, Environment and Therapeutic task training (PET)
Once you complete the training your trainer will decide when you are ready for Team Assessment.
Step 5 - Team Assessment
Team assessment involves a one-and-a-half-hour assessment of you and your dog in a clinical or simulated therapeutic setting. Once you complete your training and finalise your assessment you will be an official Dogz 4 Life ‘D4LAP’ Therapy Dog Team! You will receive your working jacket and ID and will have access to support from the organisation.
Step 6 – Annual Reassessment
There are ongoing support and annual reassessment requirements. All D4LAP teams will have to undergo annual reassessment and at Dogz 4 Life we believe that all Therapy Dog teams should have access to ongoing professional support similar to clinical supervision.
Step 7 - Professional Supervision
Dogz 4 Life offers a unique D4LAP therapy dog team professional supervision support program that provides clinical dog training support, case discussion and complex task training advice. This is available to any working team weather they are certified D4LAP teams or through another organisation. We believe that anyone including an animal in their therapeutic practice should have access to clinical supervision and ongoing training support. This service is by arrangement only and charged at an hourly rate as is the case for other forms of supervision. Delivery can be over zoom or in person and if you have other colleagues that would also benefit from this supervision, we can facilitate group classes by special arrangement only for four to six participants at a group supervision rate reducing the cost for each participant.
Duration (average) 6-8 months
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Assistance Dog Training
Specialist dog training for assistance dogs, therapy dogs and emotional support animals.
Pet Dog Training
Professional Development Courses
Enrol in one of our professional development courses
Make an Enquiry
Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog pathway
We have tried to make the Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog training pathway logical and easy to follow. The pathway has seven distinct steps. If you are a professional wanting to include your dog in a therapy setting or an individual who wants to provide therapeutic support with their animal, please fill out an enquiry form and we will send you out some documentation and information about what’s involved in training and working with a Therapy Dog through Dogz 4 Life.
Step 1 – Assess Eligibility
The Dogz 4 Life Animal Partnership (D4LAP) Therapy Dog training pathway begins with a Therapy Dog Suitability Assessment. This assessment is a one-and-a-half-hour appointment that involves some basic temperament and skills tests for you and your dog as well as some general questions around suitability for both the training requirements and the role. If you don’t yet have a dog we can still assist with our Bonded Beginnings – puppy selection support program. A specialist Dogz 4 Life trainer can assist you in the selection of the appropriate puppy for your family or the specific role you have in mind for your furry friend. We will perform a comprehensive 1 ½ hour assessment of you and your proposed puppy to ensure they have the appropriate temperament, motivations and resilience to set them up for success in their chosen pathway. This service is available for D4LAP, D4LAD clients and pet dog handlers wanting to ensure a good match for their family.
Step 2 – Relational Awareness and Wisdom for Clinicians
Once you have completed your suitability assessment you can start the Relational Awareness and Wisdom for Clinicians program. This is a short, 4-week program designed to set you and your dog up for success and give you a taste of the training program so you can decide if you want to continue in the formal D4LAP Therapy Dog training pathway.
Steps 3 and 4 – Basic and Advanced Training
If you decide to go ahead with the formal Dogz 4 Life D4LAP Therapy Dog Team training you will enter the formal pathway which has two training components SIT and PET:
- D4LAP Basic training – Situational Awareness, interactions and Teamwork for therapy dog teams (SIT)
- D4LAP Advanced training – Professional practice, Environment and Therapeutic task training (PET)
Once you complete the training your trainer will decide when you are ready for Team Assessment.
Step 5 - Team Assessment
Team assessment involves a one-and-a-half-hour assessment of you and your dog in a clinical or simulated therapeutic setting. Once you complete your training and finalise your assessment you will be an official Dogz 4 Life ‘D4LAP’ Therapy Dog Team! You will receive your working jacket and ID and will have access to support from the organisation.
Step 6 – Annual Reassessment
There are ongoing support and annual reassessment requirements. All D4LAP teams will have to undergo annual reassessment and at Dogz 4 Life we believe that all Therapy Dog teams should have access to ongoing professional support similar to clinical supervision.
Step 7 - Professional Supervision
Dogz 4 Life offers a unique D4LAP therapy dog team professional supervision support program that provides clinical dog training support, case discussion and complex task training advice. This is available to any working team weather they are certified D4LAP teams or through another organisation. We believe that anyone including an animal in their therapeutic practice should have access to clinical supervision and ongoing training support. This service is by arrangement only and charged at an hourly rate as is the case for other forms of supervision. Delivery can be over zoom or in person and if you have other colleagues that would also benefit from this supervision, we can facilitate group classes by special arrangement only for four to six participants at a group supervision rate reducing the cost for each participant.
Duration (average) 6-8 months