Fees & Services Information

This consultation is specifically for Assistance Dog Candidates.

This fee includes a face to face dog assessment with the owner. Consider it like you would an interview for a job. It’s a chance to get to know a bit more about you and to see if your dog is suitable for the program. It is important to note that payment for this assessment does not guarantee ongoing training with PETS.

For this initial assessment, we will meet you either at your home or at a suitable local park/café where we will observe the dog and how both the handler and their dog interact and walk together.

The main goal is to assess your dog to establish what best suits your training requirements moving forward. The session will often include some basic training advice as well.

The trainer and client will meet at a designated location (home or public space) and the trainer will work with you on the different skills needed for assistance dog work.

Each team will have their own tailor made training program, depending on their experience and skills. No two teams are the same and so we are flexible with our approach so we can best meet the individual’s needs.

P.E.T.S does not perform public access tests (PAT) for teams they have not done prior training with.

The purpose of this Public Access Test is to ensure that dogs that have public access are stable, well-behaved, and unobtrusive to the public. It is to ensure that the client has control over the dog, and the team is not a public hazard.

Training towards reaching these standards can take anywhere between 6-24 months.

Your trainer will conduct the test at a local shopping centre in the Northern Rivers NSW. The PAT will demonstrate that you and your dog have met the minimum standards to access public spaces and public transport, that you have a solid understanding of training and behaviour, well developed training skills, a solid working relationship with your dog as well as understanding hygiene standards and animal welfare. You will need to show an understanding of your access rights according to Australian Law and the ability to demonstrate specifically trained tasks to mitigate your disability.

We allow a couple of hours to perform the PAT.

These online sessions are aimed to help support clients in between face to face sessions. We would initially have an in person session prior to setting these up. I primarily work with clients in the Northern Rivers NSW but am happy to work with teams from other areas permitting they are prepared to travel to me for the initial assessment and set up.

These are private sessions run at your own home. This is set as an alternative to puppy classes and is aimed at puppies 8-16 weeks of age.

The initial session runs usually runs for around 1 1/2 hours, followed by three 1 hour sessions set over 4 consecutive weeks.

During these sessions we cover correct socialisation, dog body language and how dogs learn, feeding, grooming and handling, common puppy problems (biting, jumping up, chewing), basic manners, the beginnings of lead work, enrichment and more!

These sessions are designed for pet dog owners wanting to teach their dogs basic manners, learn more about dogs and how they learn, and establish ways to work through simple problem behaviours that may arise. NOTE: these are not designed for complex behavioural issues. For anyone needing intensive behavioural training consultations I am happy to refer on to suitable trainers or veterinary behaviouralists.

These session are set as a group package; the first session usually runs for around 1 ½ hours and follow up sessions are set at 1 hour.

Travel fees are calculated from P.E.T.S home base at Swan Bay.

Relevant fee below will be additional to any other service fees:

Woodburn, Coraki, Evans Head & Broadwater areas = $30 return trip

Within a 50km radius = $80 return trip

Outside of 50km radius area = $80 plus 75c per km