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. Ethology

    2. Exploring the History of Dogs

    3. Where did the dog come from?

    4. Insight quiz

    5. Adaptation

    6. Behaviour in dogs and why we need to know about it.

    7. Dog Breeds

    8. Characteristics

    9. Providing Education According to Breed

    10. Test your knowledge

    1. Learning to speak dog

    2. Body Language

    3. Check out the tail!

    4. Weight Distribution

    5. Facial Expressions part 1

    6. Facial Expressions part 2

    7. Olfactory Communication

    8. Vocal Communication

    9. Defensive Barking

    10. Displacement Activities

    11. Quiz

    12. Touch or Tactile Communication

    13. Arousal

    14. Test your knowledge.

    1. How Dogs Learn

    2. Behaviour

    3. Management

    4. Socialisation

    5. Habituation

    6. Sensitisation

    7. Operant Conditioning

    8. Respondent Conditioning

    9. Quiz

    10. Test your knowledge

    1. The Teaching Process

    2. Contingencies in the prinicples of behaviour

    3. Law and Effect

    4. The Four Quadrants to Behaviour

    5. Extinction

    6. What Reinforcer should you use?

    7. Quiz

    8. Differential Reinforcement

    9. Putting it all together

    10. Test your knowledge

    1. Clicker Training

    2. Introducing your dog to the clicker

    3. Easy Exercise to practice your clicker skills

    4. Adding another dimension to the behaviour

    5. Test your learning

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.