Enhance Your Professional Practice Through the Human–Animal Bond
Specialist canine-assisted intervention training for qualified educational professionals, therapists, counsellors and other practitioners looking to enhance their existing practice or establish their own school dog intervention business. Your expertise. Your passion. Your professional journey. Our support.
School Dogs UK Practitioner Development Programme
Build on Your Professional Expertise. Create New Opportunities.
Are you a teacher, therapist, counsellor, occupational therapist or another qualified professional who is passionate about supporting children and young people?
Our Practitioner Development Programme is designed to help you bring together your existing professional skills and your love of dogs, opening up exciting opportunities to enhance your practice through the human–animal bond.
With over 15 years at the forefront of animal-assisted interventions in the UK, School Dogs UK provides specialist, personalised training to help you develop the knowledge, practical skills and confidence to incorporate purposeful canine-assisted interventions into your work.
Training Designed Around You
We recognise that you already bring valuable qualifications, experience and professional knowledge. Our role is to help you build on those foundations.
Through three full days of individual, face-to-face training, we'll explore how canine-assisted interventions can complement your existing expertise, while prioritising safeguarding, ethical practice and canine welfare.
Whether you want to introduce interventions into your current role, expand an existing professional service or establish your own independent school dog intervention business, we'll tailor your training to your experience and ambitions.
More Than Just a Training Course
Your programme brings together:
Specialist practitioner training — understanding safe, ethical and purposeful canine-assisted interventions.
Practical skills and activities — learning to plan and practise structured interventions for children and young people.
Individual professional guidance — personalised support that builds on your existing qualifications.
Business development support — helping you explore how to establish or expand your own services.
Professional resources — practical tools and materials to support your development.
Ongoing support — opportunities for mentoring, supervision and continued professional growth.
You don't need to have a dog already to begin your training. We can help you understand what to look for in a suitable dog and plan for future dog-specific training and assessment.
Your professional expertise is the foundation. We'll help you take it further.
Specialist Training. Practical Experience. Individual Support.
We believe that learning to incorporate dogs into professional interventions requires more than completing an online course.
That's why our Practitioner Development Programme includes three full days of face-to-face, one-to-one training, tailored to your professional background, experience and ambitions.
Working directly with us, you'll develop the specialist knowledge, practical skills and confidence to plan and deliver purposeful canine-assisted interventions that complement your existing professional expertise.
Day 1 — Building Your Professional Foundations
Understanding the principles of safe, ethical and effective canine-assisted interventions.
Your first day focuses on the essential knowledge needed to incorporate canine-assisted interventions into your professional practice.
We'll explore:
The human–animal bond and its potential to support children and young people.
Safeguarding, professional responsibilities and ethical practice.
Canine behaviour, communication, consent and welfare.
Risk assessments, policies and safe working environments.
Planning purposeful interventions with clear aims.
Working within your existing professional qualifications and scope of practice.
Day 2 — Developing Your Dog & Handler Skills
Building a safe, positive and confident working partnership.
Our second day focuses on the practical skills needed to work alongside a suitable dog in educational and intervention settings.
We'll explore:
Understanding your dog's suitability, strengths and individual needs.
Positive handling and communication.
Recognising signs of stress and supporting canine wellbeing.
Creating calm, safe and supportive environments.
Developing appropriate routines and boundaries.
Supporting safe, respectful interactions between children and dogs.
Day 3 — Bringing Your Interventions to Life
Turning your knowledge into purposeful activities that support children and young people.
Your final day focuses on designing, adapting and practising structured canine-assisted interventions.
We'll explore activities that may support:
Literacy, communication and engagement with learning.
Emotional awareness and wellbeing.
Confidence and self-esteem.
Social skills and positive relationships.
Inclusion and individual learning needs.
You'll have opportunities to develop your own intervention ideas, practise delivery through supported activities and simulations, and receive personalised feedback.
We'll also explore how to incorporate these services into your existing practice or develop your own independent business.
Training That Works Around Your Journey
Already have a dog? Where appropriate, your suitable dog can join you for the practical elements of Days 2 and 3.
Don't have a dog yet? You can still begin your professional training. We'll help you understand what to consider when choosing a potential working partner and plan for future dog-specific training and assessment.
Throughout the programme, your learning is personalised to your professional skills, goals and experience.
Three days of individual training. Specialist knowledge. Practical skills. A foundation for new professional opportunities.
[Enquire About Practitioner Training]
More Than Training. We're Here for Your Journey.
Your Business. Your Journey. Our Support.
Starting something new can feel exciting, but it can also feel overwhelming. That's why our Practitioner Development Programme is about so much more than three days of training.
We're here to help you turn your ideas into reality.
From your first conversation with us to developing your services and taking those exciting first steps into practice, we'll help you build on your existing professional expertise and move forward with confidence.
Helping You Get Started
Alongside your personalised practical training, we'll support you with the foundations of developing your own canine-assisted intervention service, including:
Finding your direction — identifying how canine-assisted interventions can complement your qualifications, experience and professional interests.
Developing your services — creating purposeful interventions and deciding what you want to offer schools and families.
Getting business-ready — guidance on pricing, approaching schools, safeguarding, insurance and professional responsibilities.
Resources to get you started — access to specialist materials and practical tools to support your work.
Personalised guidance — three individual follow-up support sessions to help you put your plans into action.
Support as you grow — opportunities for ongoing mentoring, professional supervision and further development.
Whether you're enhancing your existing role or building an independent business, you won't be expected to figure everything out on your own.
The three days are just the beginning. We're here to support the journey that follows.
An Investment in Your Professional Future
Flexible Payment Options to Help You Get Started
We understand that investing in your professional development or starting a new business is a big decision.
That's why we want to make our Practitioner Development Programme as accessible as possible, with flexible payment options to help you spread the cost.
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£3,495
Your investment includes:
Three full days of personalised, face-to-face practitioner training.
Practical intervention development and individual guidance.
Business start-up support.
Specialist practitioner resources.
Three follow-up professional support sessions.
Payment Options
We can discuss:
Payment in full — settle your programme fee before training begins.
Staged payments — spread the investment across agreed instalments.
A personalised payment plan — talk to us about an arrangement that works for your circumstances.
Payment arrangements are agreed before enrolment and subject to our programme terms.
Let's Explore What's Possible
You already have the professional skills, knowledge and experience. We can help you explore how to bring them together with the extraordinary power of the human–animal bond.
You don't have to have everything figured out before you begin. That's what we're here to help you with.
[Let's Talk About Your Practitioner Journey]
Thinking about a therapy dog?
Tell us about your school and we will talk through honestly what would work for your pupils, your staff and the dog.
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