S4:E13 When Things Go Wrong (Part 1)

In Part 1 of this special two-part episode of the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Sam and Max explore real, anonymously submitted stories from the field — all centred around moments when things didn’t go to plan while working with a therapy dog.

From unexpected behaviours to tricky client interactions and medical concerns, they unpack common themes and share practical tips for staying calm and professional. They also highlight the value of strong training skills, hygiene protocols, and clear communication.

Whether you're new to the industry or a seasoned pro, this episode offers relatable insights and real-world strategies to help you feel prepared and supported. 💜

👉 Tune in, reflect, and don’t miss Part 2 coming up next for even more community-sourced stories and solutions!

Mentions:

- Pet First Aid Course With Dr. Olga Lynn: vhttps://drolgalynn.com.au/

Use Code: TDA10 for 10% off the course.

- Canine Ceuticals with Narelle Cooke: https://canineceuticals.com.au/?ref=uplpldwf&utm_af=

Use Code: TDA5 for 5% off the products range.

- Urine Free: https://urinefree.com.au/therapydogau

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Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E12 Why Scent Work Might Be The Training Tool You’ve Been Missing (Guests: Tanya Lawless & Leigh Russell)

This week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Max and Sam chat with Tanya Lawless and Leigh Russell from Unpacked Dog Education and Training. With a strong background in dog behaviour and scent detection, they share how scent work can support the overall well being of our dogs.

From managing prey drive, to using sniffing games in behavioural consults, this episode is packed with tips for building focus, reducing stress, and enriching your dog’s life. Whether you have a working therapy dog, or you just want to try something new with your pet dog at home, this episode is for you.

*If you're wanting to try some scent activities at home with your dog, Tanya and Leigh recommend adding the scent to a cotton ball and then ideally placing it in something like a container so your dog can't actually touch the cotton ball when they find them.

Website: https://unpackeddogtraining.com.au/

Follow Unpacked Dog Training On:

-Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unpackeddogtraining/

-Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/unpackeddogeducation

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E11 Inside the Data: A Teacher’s Take on the Power of Therapy Dogs (Guests: Bree Rooney & Scott Gale)

Sam and Max were joined this week by Bree Rooney and Scott Gale for a feel-good episode all about the success of Toormina High School’s therapy dog program. Bree and Scott shared how therapy dog Delilah and therapy dog in training Ellie have become an integral part of the school community—boosting student well-being, building confidence, reducing negative behaviours, and even helping one student overcome her fear of dogs. We unpacked the challenges of implementation, how the program is funded, and the impact data that’s helping make the case for therapy dogs in schools. If you're curious about how therapy dogs can create real change in educational settings, you’ll love this conversation. If you find this podcast valuable, please take a quick moment to leave us a review, and remember to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel so this information can reach more like-minded people.

Follow Bree On Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/delilah_the_therapydog/

Reach Scott at Toormina High School: https://toormina-h.schools.nsw.gov.au/

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E10 Assistance Vs Therapy Dogs - Can You Have Both?

Can an assistance dog also be a therapy dog? In this episode of the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Sam and Amy discuss the differences between assistance dogs and therapy dogs, highlighting their distinct roles, training requirements, and behavioural characteristics. They explore the challenges and ethical considerations in managing these dogs' workloads, emphasising the importance of clear boundaries between different roles and responsible handling. If you find this podcast valuable, please take a quick moment to leave us a review, and remember to like and subscribe to our YouTube channel so this information can reach more like-minded people.

Visit Amy's Website: https://therapydogsineducation.com.au/

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E9 Building Your Dog’s Confidence With The Box Training Method

PAT HAS NOW GOT A DIRECT LINK TO THE BOX VIDEO https://www.seriousdogbusiness.com/thebox

This week on the podcast Sam discusses a training technique called the Box Training Method that helps build a dog's confidence and can address some behavioral and handling issues. Therapy dogs need to be confident to safely to do their job and this method will be really useful for all of our current and past participants. Pat Stuart offers a FREE online course for this method via his website Serious Dog Business. You can access his website via the link in the description below. This is a very visual podcast, there's a lot of screen sharing and a practical demonstration going on so it's best to watch this on the Therapy Dogs Australia YouTube Channel. Enjoy!

- Pat Stuart's Website: https://www.seriousdogbusiness.com/

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E8 Foundation Dog Training Advice For Every Owner - The Nooch's Pooches Method (Guest: Panos Anagnostou)

Sam and I were joined by Panos Anagnostou this week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast. We are very excited because Panos has published a book called The Nooch's Pooches Method, that everyone in our community is going to greatly benefit from. We are strong advocates for continuous learning and having a range of material available that can be re-visited time and again. Sometimes, that means getting back to the dog training foundations. If you're interested in Panos's book, you can find the link in the description below. Let's get into it!

- Nooch's Pooches Dog Training Wesbite: https://www.npdogtraining.com/

- Nooch's Pooches Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/np_dog_training/

- Life With Your Dog Podcast: https://linktr.ee/lifewithyourdogpodcast

- The Nooch's Pooches Method (A Comprehensive Guide To Training & Living With Your Dog): https://www.amazon.com.au/Noochs-Pooches-Method-Comprehensive-Training/dp/1763778002/ref=sr_1_4?crid=1YAAKOBJHMD8W&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.dyxlR3VgtXTySKOWP_5xVZxYe_L8aqJdmgkfRBtIwhcGfkO_h44Jrl_9OG26FHGnQ0vIe2m7-VHNgUpBhvORYaD3oB8VONvZ-ogoukYqS95aPrgqIVvzgXsQbIINswKZ3_I6ifMvH8zZ6BJpyg66hYv-wrFhEuxTZnyJy6ptM9B_hqXSe97otPMh7_lCf8k09-aaEFmhJ0P_K36oIvTMaA.q4GFozFHx11H2DI6Dd_8aAlI9iALAdmbMPydyaPQkwQ&dib_tag=se&keywords=nooches+pooches+dog+training+book&qid=1747108122&sprefix=nooch%2Caps%2C332&sr=8-4

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E7 How Hard Is It To Train A Therapy Dog?

This week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Sam dives into a really important question that maybe isn't asked enough- how hard is it to train a therapy dog? The answer may not be what you expect. Please remember to subscribe, follow and like this podcast if you enjoy it, a good review will help us a lot too. Enjoy!

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E6 Retiring & Navigating The Passing Of A Therapy Dog (Guest: Sharlet Jensen)

This week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Sam and I got to sit down with Sharlet Jensen, a Speech Pathologist based in Seattle, who's experienced the emotional process of retiring not one, but two therapy dogs, coping with the passing of her retired therapy dog, Johnny Utah and breaking the news to her clients. Please remember to subscribe, follow and like this podcast if you enjoy it, a good review will help us a lot too. Enjoy!

Links:

Sharlet Jensen's Website & Resources: https://www.speechdogs.com/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Speech_Dogs---

Sharlet's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/speech_dogs/

Mentions:

The Telepathy Tapes: https://thetelepathytapes.com/

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4:E5 Co-Regulation Between Handlers & Their Dogs, Impact On Relationship & Reactivity (Guest: Tim Pratt)

This week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast, Sam and I had an opportunity to sit down with Tim Pratt, founder of Diverse Dogs, who shared his background in working with dogs and discussed the importance of understanding and managing emotions for both handlers and their dogs. This episode covers various aspects of dog training, including handling reactive dogs, the benefits of breathwork in managing stress levels, proper communication techniques, and the significance of play in building trust and confidence. Tim also introduced his online course "Reactivity Success Path" and has kindly provided a special 20% off discount code for our community. Use the code word 'therapy' when checking out! Be quick, because the course starts on the 8th of April 2025. Let's get into it!

Please remember to subscribe, follow and like this podcast if you enjoy it, a good review will help us a lot too. Enjoy!

Diverse Dogs Reactivity Success Path Online: https://events.humanitix.com/diverse-dogs-reactivity-success-path-online

Use discount code 'therapy' for 20% off the course!

https://diversedogs.com.au/

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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S4: E4 Puppy Temperament Testing For Choosing A Future Therapy Dog (Guest: Serena Lynch)

This week on the Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast we had the opportunity to sit down with Serena Lynch, the breeder & founder of M&M Companion Retrievers. This episode is best watched on our youtube channel as Serena shares some videos of temperament assessments from her previous litters and discusses what traits are especially important for puppies that may grow up to become therapy dogs one day. There is a lot of fantastic information in here and we will be doing a part 2 for this interview with Serena. Please remember to subscribe, follow and like this podcast if you enjoy it, a good review will help us a lot too. Enjoy!

- Visit M&M Companion Retrievers Website: https://www.mm-companion-retrievers.com/

- Learn more about temperament testing on the M&M Companion Retrievers YouTube Channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxOX8_QiEas

SUBSCRIBE!

Interested in Animal-Assisted Therapy / Animal-Assisted Services and studying with Therapy Dogs Australia? Visit our website www.therapydog.com.au for more information or get in touch with us today by emailing [email protected] and one of the Therapy Dogs Australia team will be there to help!

Raise your future therapy dog with us! Join our Juniors Mentoring program (puppy & adolescent programs available) and set you and your dog up for success by training the right foundations early, more info here: https://therapydog.com.au/juniors-mentoring-program

Follow Us!

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therapy_dogs_australia/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therapydogsaus/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@TherapyDogsAustralia/featured

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/therapy-dogs-australia/

#therapydog #therapydogsaustralia #animalassistedtherapy #animalassistedservices

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