Workplace Wellness Support Dog Program
A regulated, ethical partnership for professional wellbeing
Our Wellness Support Dog Program is a carefully designed pathway for dogs and handlers seeking to work together in approved professional environments, supporting human wellbeing through calm presence, predictability, and co-regulation.
This program is shaped around wellbeing and calm presence, with emotional safety, consent, and sustainability guiding every part of the partnership.
What Is a Wellness Support Dog?
A Wellness Support Dog supports wellbeing simply by being; offering grounding proximity, calm companionship, and a steady presence within clearly defined boundaries.
Their role is grounded in:
nervous system regulation
emotional safety
consent based interaction
ethical workload management
ongoing welfare monitoring
Not every dog is suited to a support role, and not every environment is fair or safe for a dog to work in. That’s why this program begins with a mandatory Pre Entry Assessment process. Before any coaching or visits take place, we take time to gently and thoughtfully assess whether this program is the right fit for everyone involved; the dog, the handler, and the workplace.
We look at the dog’s ability to feel safe and settled in new environments, including emotional regulation, recovery after excitement, neutrality around people, and clear, comfortable communication. We support and assess the handler’s skills around advocacy, setting kind and clear boundaries, reading canine body language, and recognising when their dog may need extra support or rest. Then we consider the workplace itself; things like sensory load, access to quiet rest spaces, predictability of routines, and overall alignment with ethical, welfare first practices.
This assessment process isn’t about passing or failing. It’s about protecting dog welfare, setting realistic and supportive expectations, and making sure the role truly benefits both the people being supported and the dog providing that support.
The Guided Pathway
Following assessment, suitable partnerships enter a 12 week guided coaching pathway focused on:
regulation and calm presence
consent and choice
settle and rest skills
handler advocacy and scripting
ethical role shaping (without task pressure)
workplace integration and recovery planning
There is no forcing, no emotional labour placed on the dog, and no expectation of constant availability. This is quiet, meaningful work; shaped slowly and thoughtfully.
Ongoing Support & Accountability
Wellness Support Dog roles are never permanent by default. Ongoing required follow ups, bi-annual reassessments, and ethical exit or modification plans are a core part of this program.
Who This Program Is For
This program may be suitable for professionals working in environments such as:
education and learning spaces
allied health or wellbeing settings
clinics or community services
quiet professional workplaces
This program represents a new standard in how support roles are approached, one that places dog welfare before outcomes, and ethics before expectation. If you’re seeking a role that honours your dog as a sentient individual, protects their wellbeing, and builds a sustainable partnership rooted in trust and calm, this pathway offers a deeply considered way forward.
Ready to Explore Suitability?
The Wellness Support Dog Program begins with our intensive Pre-Entry Assessment. This is a compassionate, welfare-led conversation about what’s fair, safe, and sustainable.