Samantha King
70 episodes listed below
Ethical therapy dog work, talked through plainly.
Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast sits close to the real work of therapy dog teams: training, safety, consent, play, stress, and difficult decisions. It is warm and conversational, but its center is professional responsibility rather than cute dog chat.
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Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast treats therapy dog work as a craft with real consequences. It is warm, conversational, and often happily meandering. The meander matters, because the show keeps circling practical situations until the judgment call becomes clearer. Sam King and Max talk with guests about dogs in schools, handler training, stress, play, consent, image sharing, and what it means for a dog to be suitable for a working role. The show is not just about getting dogs access to more spaces. It is about keeping that access responsible. Episodes spend time on the uncomfortable parts of the field: a dog that may not be safe in a workplace yet, a colleague who may need support rather than blame, a handler who has to pause work and reassess, or a complaint that becomes a hard lesson in professional standards. Those moments give the podcast its shape. It is friendly enough for dog lovers, but its best material is aimed at people who understand that good intentions are not enough. Christine Waters’ school-focused conversations bring out the human side of therapy dog work, including consent, image sharing, and the pressure to speak up when something feels unsafe. Pat Stuart’s appearances bring a sharper training lens, with long reflections on critical thinking, communication, and the difference between liking a dog and knowing whether that dog fits a job. Tim Pratt’s discussion of play turns games into a serious part of relationship building, confidence, and behavior management. Episodes also make space for the small community texture of Therapy Dogs Australia: graduate shout-outs, coats and bandanas, course updates, and handler stories. That makes the show feel close to the people doing the work. It is not slick. It is useful. The strongest through-line is welfare: of the dog, the handler, the client, the school, and the broader therapy dog field. Listeners get concrete scenarios, not tidy slogans. The result is a grounded podcast for people who want to work ethically and expertly with dogs while staying honest about how complicated that can be.
Made for: Best for professional therapy dog handlers, dog trainers, canine enthusiasts, and people working with dogs in schools or other care settings. It also suits pet owners who want more thoughtful language around behavior, play, and dog welfare.
What sets it apart: The show stands apart by staying close to real handler dilemmas instead of offering generic dog-training tips. It blends community updates with frank, practical conversations about safety, standards, consent, and fit-for-purpose dogs.
For anyone working or interested in animal-assisted services, particularly with therapy dogs, this is the podcast for you!Samantha King is a Psychologist, accredited dog trainer and industry expert in the field of Animal Assisted Therapy with over 10 years of experience. Sam and co-host Max (Therapy Dogs Australia head of creativity) chat amongst themselves and to guests to highlight some of the challenges and golden moments experienced by those working in the industry.We regularly have animal assisted therapists and professional dog trainers on to share their knowledge with us, and you. Our goal is to provide a free resource...
Based on 5 episodes we listened to · September 2026
A practical, ethics-minded guide to therapy dog work, from training choices to school safety and consent.
Therapy Dogs Australia Podcast sits in Health & Fitness at the point where care work becomes dog handling. Sam King and Max talk with dog trainers, handlers, and guests such as Tim Pratt and Christine Waters about therapy dog practice without sanding off the harder questions.
Good intentions meet the safety check before you and your dog walk into school together.
Press play if you want
Short reviews from the PlayNext desk, based on the episodes we processed.
A loose, practical conversation about what gets shared online and the judgment calls behind it.
This episode keeps its focus on the everyday choices behind what gets shared online and why those choices matter. Christine Waters returns with Sam and Max, and the conversation works because it treats a sensitive topic like part of routine work, not something to dress up.
A plainspoken look at therapy-dog ethics and why one problem can affect access for everyone.
Therapy Dogs Australia frames an ethical workplace concern as a direct discussion of safety, standards, and the point at which someone must speak up for a dog.
A practical look at what makes a dog workable for one job but not another.
Therapy Dogs Australia opens season five with a clear practical line of inquiry: what makes a good dog, and good for what? Sam and Max let Pat Stewart make the case step by step, moving from how to read an adult dog or a puppy to the slower work of communication and fit for…
Practical dog training talk that trusts judgment over internet certainty.
Pat Stewart talks through dog training as careful observation, not shortcut chasing. He traces a path from the army into professional dog training and keeps returning to critical thinking, behavioral science, and the habit of treating each dog as its own case.
Practical dog-training guidance that treats play as a real part of the toolkit.
Play is treated as more than a pleasant extra here. It comes across as a training tool, a confidence builder, and a way to make the work feel more constructive.
Physician Shoshana Ungerleider pairs TED talks with interviews on aging, drug prices, and menopause.
Practical answers for everyday pet trouble.
Where your pet has a voice.
Blunt veterinary advice for real pet problems.
Real-life dog training, tested on walks.
Christine Waters returns for another grounded chat with Sam and Max.
The episode brings Christine Waters into a talk with Sam King and Max about therapy-dog ethics, safety, and what happens when a handler needs to raise a concern.
This episode features an interview with Melissa Ashford about her journey from puppy school to becoming a professional therapy dog handler, offering insights and advice for those in the field.
This episode explores the power of the human-animal bond and discusses practical interventions with therapy dogs for professional handlers and enthusiasts.
This episode discusses dog growling behavior and celebrates new therapy dog graduates, offering practical advice for professional handlers and enthusiasts.
Sam and Max open season five with Pat back at the table.
Sam King welcomes Pat Stewart to the Therapy Dogs Australia podcast.
Tim Pratt from Diverse Dogs returns to talk about how play can support training, confidence, and behavior.
Sam discusses the box training method for building dog confidence and addressing behavioral issues, particularly for therapy dogs, with a practical demonstration and online course recommendation.
Sam discusses recent NDIS changes, their impact on animal-assisted therapists, and clarifies the distinction between animal-assisted therapy and animal therapy.
This episode features an interview with Dr.
This episode features Brittany Muscat from Kong Australia discussing how decompression and enrichment activities using Kong products can help therapy dogs express natural behaviors safely.
This episode features social worker Josh McLean discussing how he integrates therapy dogs into bush adventure therapy programs for therapeutic work with youth and communities.