info@gooddogaai.com | 0404151153

 

Therapy Dog Roxy is a yellow Labrador and certified Therapy Dog. With her human, Hannah - Therapy Dog Handler, researcher and social worker; Roxy and Hannah aim to promote social and mental well-being in the Darwin area. From young children to seniors, and in workplaces, schools and clinical settings.

 
 
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Quinton

Date of birth: 25/05/2017

Breed: Labrador Retriever, Yellow

Likes: Squeaky toys, cuddles, giving you kisses, shaking your hand!

Sugar

Date of birth: 11/01/2021

Breed: Labrador Retriever, Yellow

Likes: Kisses, treats, learning tricks, being the boss!

Julius

Date of birth: 22/10/2022

Breed: Labrador Retriever, Black

Likes: Cuddles, being held like a baby, treats, being with the pack!

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Roxy

Date of birth: 16/06/2012 - 05/11/2022

Breed: Labrador Retriever, Yellow

Likes: Treats, bum scratches, game of tug-o-war, wagging my tail no matter what!

Our Services & Who We Are

We provide Therapy Dog visits and animal-assisted interventions in Darwin, Palmerston and surrounds.

We happily provide consulting and input into animal-assisted therapies and visits, should you need expert advice or require appropriate planning and design for a desired animal-assisted program.

Our visiting and intervention service comes with professional indemnity insurance, public liability insurance, Therapy Dog certification*, Working With Children Check (NT Ochre Card), and National Police Check.

Hannah is a current PhD candidate and Lecturer in Social Work at Charles Darwin University. She has a Bachelors degree majoring in Management, and postgraduate degrees in Mental Health Practice, International and Community Development and Social Work.

Hannah is a current and eligible member of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW), professional member of Animal Therapies Ltd., and the current Co-Chairperson for the NT Animal Therapies Ltd. Committee.

Good Dog is a proudly owned and operated veteran owned practice.

*Therapy Dog Quinton is certified; Julius is still undergoing training.

 

Benefits of Therapy Animals

Therapy Animals serve as non-judgemental companions in the processes of learning, development, socialisation and positive wellbeing. Therapy Dogs are particularly helpful in the community as they already perform in fields of disability assistance, emotional regulation, and assisting those living with a chronic illness. Dogs are the single most commonly used animals in Animal Assisted Interventions (Nimer & Lundahl, 2007).

Therapy Dogs are particularly useful in having positive impacts on a range of human issues and medical conditions. Studies have shown that there are four main areas of the human condition that have demonstrated consistent improvements: those on the Autism Spectrum, people living with chronic medical conditions, children or adults with behavioural issues, and humans in need of immediate emotional wellbeing (Fontana & Jones, 2017).

Trained Therapy Dogs are well suited to assisting humans as they are socially motivated, and will often seek human attention or human interaction. Increasing research on canine cognition show the dog's ability to understand human social cues, like body language, and even emotion. 

 

 
 

Our work

Delivering animal-assisted services is incredibly rich and diverse, Roxy and Quinton’s certification, Sugar’s on the job training, and Hannah’s social work skills combine for a well-rounded, evidence-informed service that can be applied in many areas of everyday life, areas such as: education, classrooms, universities; health, in clinical settings and therapeutic settings; community settings, nursing homes, libraries, health promotion; and even corporate settings. Many environments in which Roxy, Quinton, Sugar and Hannah have worked in the past:

  • school visits promoting personal wellbeing and safety, and even dog safety;

  • pre and post exam stress;

  • loss and grief (particularly after the Darwin shooting and at the NT Government COVID-19 Ops Centre);

  • literacy programs;

  • psychosocial programs;

  • promotion of wellbeing events such as R U OK Day, World Suicide Prevention Day, Mental Health Week;

  • promoting and supporting our military and veteran community like at DMFS’ (Defence Member and Family Support) Welcome to the Top End event, Veterans NT fundraising events, and being invited to take part in Decompression Training for returning ADF personnel at Darwin’s Robertson Barracks.

Hannah has also been invited to speak professionally and present about animal-assisted services as a mode of social work practice with professional organisations such as:

  • Animal Therapies Ltd. 2019 & 2022 Conference

  • NT Primary Health Network

  • North Australia Research Network (NARN) Breakfast presentations

  • Guest Speaker, University of Adelaide’s Bachelor Science (Animal Behaviour), video clip below.

Work in the corporate setting?

We offer visits to businesses and corporate workplaces. Whether your workplace is high tempo, undergoing a stressful period, or significant transition; Good Dog’s therapy dogs can come and assist with your workplace, as an interactive presentation on the benefits of animal assisted therapies, or as brief positive, tactile disruptors to the working day, routine or program.

Workplace Training Packages

Training packages for the workplace and organisation are also available through Good Dog:

  • Cultural Competence in ‘Working Dogs/Animals’ in the Workplace

  • Cultural Competence in Delivering Customer Service to Patrons or Clients with a Working Animal (Assistance Animal, Therapy Animal, Emotional Support Animal)

  • Train the Trainer Packages are also available.

If you would like to know more, please get in contact through our messaging service, below.

 

Rates

We currently offer Therapy Dog visits to workplaces, facilities, schools, clinics and centres in Darwin, Palmerston and surrounds.

Therapy Dog visits can be tailored to you and the needs of your environment, students, clients or employees - either in the workplace, classroom, workshop or seminar, function or event.

Good Dog currently offers rates for for-profit organisations and not-for-profits. Starting from $125/hr (NFP) and $165/hr (FP).

Similarly, we are able to deliver services to participants on the NDIS and are guided by the latest NDIS Pricing Guide.

If you are interested in our services, but aren't ready to commit, Good Dog is happy to visit you for a one-off, no-fee Meet & Greet.

If you would like to know more, please don't hesitate in contacting us through our messaging service, below.

Interested in an animal-assisted service, intervention program for your setting?

We can assist with the design of an animal-assisted service or intervention for your workplace, clinic or facility suited specifically to your needs.

If you would like to know more, please get in contact through our messaging service, below.

 

 

'Having Roxy and Quinton visit our miPlace drop in centre has been excellent. To watch the big smiles on participants faces as Roxy and Quinton approach them for a pat or cuddle has been both heartwarming and great to see. It certainly seems as though the therapy dogs know when someone is feeling down or stressed and they work with us to create happiness in the centre, and reduce stress and anxiety.'

— Casey, miPlace Coordinator, Mental Illness Fellowship of Australia (NT)

 

'I had just submitted a big assessment and saw the dogs outside the library. I am missing my own dogs like crazy because I am living far from home to study. These two have just restored my balance and made me feel myself again. Thank you so very much!'

— Student at Charles Darwin University

 

'Students were supported to engage with rich literacy experiences, including reading to and with Roxy and Quinton. Each week their confidence grew, starting with preferring to have an adult read the picture books aloud or choosing a single text with minimal print to read aloud to the dogs. Student’s started to explore other sections of the library including levelled readers and setting new weekly targets to increase the quantity of both print and books read. In the final stages of the program students were aiming for three books per week in their time with either Roxy or Quinton individually. They began reading out loud to the teacher in the group activity and leading the story telling.'

-Assistant Principal, Driver Primary School

 

Want to know more?

Please get in touch

 
 
 
 

Youth & Diversity Finalists - 2021

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