This Course is Accredited by CPD Certification Service

The inclusion of therapy dogs in your sessions can help improve your client's physical, emotional, social and cognitive wellbeing. Just by providing comfort and affection your dog can become part of your Animal Assisted Intervention Programs for client support.


The Problem is:

How do you Know that you're going to get the support you need throughtout your journey?

I ask myself that question when I work with anyone in our industry and that's why I created this incredible pathway for you to begin this journey with your dog. The Therapy Dog Formula Blueprint™ is designed with you in mind, following a framework of easy steps to help you educate and obtain the best from your furry companion.
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Dog Carer walking a group of dogs on a path with beautiful trees and greenery

When you understand the formula to having a well behaved dog;

The training will begin to flow - the science of learning is the same for all mammals!

Dog handler connected to her dog performing a sit stay and her dog is attentive and listening.

Why you need this course!

  • Designed for professional therapists, teachers, support workers or volunteers.
  • Access this course anywhere at anytime
  • Available on all devices
  • Learn the formula for an amazing, well-trained dog
  • Obtain positive, force-free training techniques that work FAST!
  • Understand how your body language can aid your dog's understanding of behaviour
  • Access to exclusive Therapy Dog Formula Blueprint™ community, worth $500
  • Access to your instructor via the community and email, worth $500
  • Lifetime access to the course
  • Training plan templates worth $300
  • Measuring behaviour sheets
  • Individual feedback on your videos worth $600
  • The cost of this course is $1,499.95 but its full value is $3,399.95

Course curriculum

You will also become a member of our community

    1. A message from the instructor

    2. The Therapy Dog Formula Blueprint™

    3. Responsibilities of a Therapy Dog

    4. Where Connections Break

    5. Test Your Knowledge

    1. 🐾 Choosing a Dog: Puppy vs. Adult Dogs

    2. 🐾 Rescue vs. Purpose-Bred

    3. 🐾 Understanding Dog Breeds: Choosing the Right Partner for Therapy Work

    4. 🧬 Health & Genetic Considerations for Therapy Dogs 🐾

    1. 🧠 Understanding Ethology

    2. 🐾 The Origin of Dogs: Why It Matters to You and Your Pet

    3. Where did the dog come from?

    4. Insight quiz

    5. 🐾 How Did Dogs Adapt to Environments Around the World?

    6. 🧬 Why Understanding Domestication Is Key to Better Dog Training

    7. 🐶 The Seven Dog Breed Groups

    8. Characteristics

    9. Providing Education According to Breed

    10. Test your knowledge

    1. Learning to speak dog

    2. Body Language

    3. 🐕 Tails Tell a Story

    4. Weight Distribution

    5. Facial Expressions part 1

    6. Facial Expressions part 2

    7. Olfactory Communication

    8. 🔊 Understanding Canine Vocalisations: What Are Dogs Really Saying?

    9. 🐕 Breed-Specific Vocalisations

    10. Defensive Barking

    11. 😕 Displacement Behaviours: A Clue to Inner Conflict

    12. Quiz

    13. 🤲 The Power of Touch: Tactile Communication in Dogs

    14. ⚡ Understanding Arousal in Dogs: Finding the Balance

    15. Mastering Arousal Control in Dogs: A Comprehensive Training Guide

    16. Test your knowledge.

    1. Socialisation

    2. Socialisation Check List

    3. 🏠 Crate Training

    4. 🦴 Teaching Your Puppy NOT to Chew

    5. Why Enrichment is Important for Your Assistance Dog

    6. 🐕 Using Scent for Training and Enrichment

    7. 🐾 Mat Training for Puppies: Teaching Essential Life Skills

    8. 🐾 Troubleshooting Common Mat Training Challenges

    9. 🐾 Using High-Value Treats to Boost Puppy Training Success

    10. 🔄 The Power of Repetition: The Rule of 10

    11. 🐶 Puppy Biting & Mouthing: How to Prevent & Manage It Effectively

    12. 🐾 Printable Puppy Biting Prevention & Management Checklist

    13. 🐾 Managing Over-Excitability in Puppies: How to Keep Play Under Control

    14. 🐾 Printable Checklist: Managing & Reducing Puppy Over-Excitability

    15. Test your knowledge

    1. 🧠 How Your Dog Learns

    2. 🧠 What Is Behaviour—and How Does It Occur?

    3. 🧭 The Role of Management in Kind, Effective Dog Training

    4. Habituation

    5. Sensitisation

    6. Operant Conditioning

    7. Quiz

    8. Understanding the Law of Effect in Dog Training

    9. Four Quadrants to Behaviour

    10. Respondent Conditioning

    11. Understanding Extinction in Dog Training: The “Fifth Quadrant”

    12. Test your knowledge

About this course

  • $1,499.95
  • For Professionals or Volunteers
  • Homework
  • Certification

FAQ

  • Why should I take your course?

    I pride myself on the success of my clients. I have trained dogs now for over 30 years and I love learning new things about animals and animal training. I continue my professional development to maintain my memberships so I can assure you that you will be obtaining up to date information and a lot of training experience from this course.

  • Will taking the course guarantee that my dog will become certified?

    Unfortunately, not. What I can assure you is that the training process will be guided to set your dog up to succeed, however, after you have completed the training, you will require an assessment of both yours as well as your dog’s skills in order to become certified.

  • How old should my dog be before we can take the assessment?

    Your dog must be at least 1 year prior to commencing work as a therapy animal.

  • If I do not live in W.A or are in a remote area, how will you conduct my assessment?

    Your assessment can be conducted via zoom and videos.

  • Is the assessment a one off?

    No, you will require to be assessed annually.

  • Will there be homework?

    Yes, there are a few quizzes within the course, but you will be expected to train your dog, this will be the bulk of your homework.

  • Will my dog training be assessed during the course?

    You have a choice as to whether you would like your training to be assessed whilst you are working through the training modules. I have set up a community where you can post your videos for critiquing. If you would prefer that other people didn't view them, then you can send them to me privately.

A Note From the Founder

Assistance Dog Trainer Charlotte Smithson

As an extremely shy child, I fell behind tremendously at school and was written 'off' by many teachers as a failure. Well, after every knock down, I got back up and ended up going to university and carved a magnificent career for myself working with the things I love most in life, 'animals' and 'people'. I am now renowned for my wealth of knowledge and experience and receive 15-20% more referrals than the industry standard - which is a dismal 3%.

Social proof: testimonials

What some of our students say!

How PAT's help my dog Angus

by Karen Hollings

I came to Charlotte to have Angus assessed as a potential Assistance Dog. She picked up on some anxiety issues with him and recommended that I conducted The Therapy Dog Formula™ training. I have never looked back. Both he an I are celebrating our role for Dog's for First Responders and have loved the entire journey.

Why Charlotte's Program Helped me!

by Tegan Benfell

Charlotte is such a supportive and genuinely caring trainer. My teenager and I look forward to every session and are both forever amazed at how masterfully she makes dog training fun for us and our assistance dog in training.

The way forward

by Puti Lee

I've known Charlotte for several years now and this course has made all the difference to my dog's development, in many ways. Mostly, I have learnt a lot about how go about training in a more positive way.