Owner Trained Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs split into two categories.  There are dogs who bring a therapeutic effect simply by being present, then there are dogs used in canine-assisted therapy.

The first type of therapy dog, those who bring a therapeutic effect, are often pet dogs with a calm and responsive temperament who have been trained to interact with the public in a specific way.  These dogs do not have public access rights but instead are invited into premises such as schools, aged care facilities, hospitals or community groups to increase morale and bring joy to participants.

NEAT Dogs provide all of the training and assessments you may need to help you and your dog achieve the high standard of behaviour required for this vital role.
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Canine-assisted therapy is where dogs are specifically trained to assist a trained therapist to undertake their role.  For example a physical therapist may have a dog who is trained in balance work or a psychologist may have a dog who is trained to interact with clients with a head-lean, body lean, paw on the knee or even deep tissue pressure in times of upset to help the person self-regulate and calm.

Owner-training your own therapy dog, whether for therapeutic effect or canine-assisted therapy, has never been easier.

Our regular three day workshops provide  practical training and advice underpinned by vital theory around dog learning, group dynamics, understanding your dog's stress signals, safety in the workplace and how to not overwhelm your dog and cause burnout.  This course is beneficial for both types of therapy dogs and is our recommended foundation for all the therapy dog training.

Our trainers will also provide one-to-one training should you wish a more direct learning approach, or even run a group training workshop tailored specifically to your organisation and held on your premises.

NEAT Dogs will also assess potential therapy dogs and provide certificates at the completion of workshops, which then aid in the verification of your dog as a therapy dog and ultimately in being considered for work in a wide-range of organisations and environments.