Lead Therapy & Assistance Dog & Puppy Trainer / Handler Therapy & Support Animals Australia – Samford QLD

Therapy & Support Animals Australia (TASAA) is seeking an experienced Lead Therapy & Assistance Dog Trainer & Handler to join our established team in Samford Valley, Queensland. This is a highly specialised, hands‑on position requiring considerably more than general dog‑training experience. The successful applicant will be responsible for the development and training of puppies and adult dogs, delivery of TASAA training programmes, supervision and education of clients and handlers, management of dogs within our training facility, and maintaining exceptionally high standards of canine welfare, hygiene and biosecurity. The role requires an experienced trainer who is confident working independently with multiple dogs of varying ages, breeds and temperaments while also working closely with clients, families, carers, veterinary professionals and the TASAA training team.

Key responsibilities

Training and developing puppies and adult dogs using balanced dog‑training methodologies

Training dogs in basic and advanced obedience, loose‑lead handling, environmental neutrality, public‑access behaviours and task‑specific behaviours

Developing puppies from approximately eight weeks of age through critical developmental and socialisation periods

Assessing individual dogs for suitability for Therapy and Assistance Dog roles and identifying behavioural strengths and areas requiring further development

Preparing dogs for Therapy and Assistance work in a wide variety of environments

Conducting controlled environmental exposure and socialisation in public and qualified environments

Developing individual training plans and maintaining accurate training and behavioural records





Monitoring the physical and behavioural wellbeing of puppies and adult dogs and identifying signs of illness, injury, stress or deterioration requiring further assessment

Educating clients and handlers in canine behaviour, handling techniques, training methodology and continuation of established training programmes

Working with clients with disabilities, additional needs and varying levels of dog‑handing experience

About you

Certificate III or IV in a relevant field and/or minimum 3 years professional experience in balanced dog training and handling

Minimum 12 months' qualified experience in the training, handling and development of puppies from approximately 8 weeks of age

Proven experience in puppy development, critical‑period socialisation and environmental exposure

Proven experience working with dogs of different ages, breeds, temperament, behavioural presentations and training needs

Experience assessing individual dogs for suitability for Therapy and Assistance Dog work, including identifying their strengths and areas requiring further development

Experience training dogs for people with disability or additional needs

Demonstrated experience in public‑access training and preparing dogs to work reliably in varied community and professional environments

Tertiary qualification in Animal Osteopathy, Animal Rehabilitation or a closely related discipline

Demonstrated knowledge of canine anatomy, biomechanics and musculoskeletal function

A current driver’ licence and access to a vehicle suitable for safely transporting dogs and puppies

About us TASAA provides specialised puppy development, professional dog training, therapy dog training and certification, assistance dog development, canine rehabilitation and client education.

📌 Lead Therapy (Samford Valley)
🏢 Therapy & Support Animals Australia
📍 Samford Valley