Next facilitator intake: Monday 13 July 2026 · Intakes open 4 times per year — limited places

🐾 Award-Winning Program

Where dogs change the way people grow

Paws 4 Change is an evidence-based canine-assisted learning program helping children, teens, and adults build emotional resilience, social confidence, and wellbeing — without a clinical setting.

Become a Facilitator

92%

of participants show improved emotional regulation

500+

lives changed across Australia

12+

years of evidence behind the method

92%

improved emotional regulation

74%

increase in social confidence

76%

report reduced anxiety

NDIS

plan-funded

What is canine-assisted learning?

Not therapy. Something beautifully different.

Canine-assisted learning is a structured, evidence-based approach that uses dogs to support emotional, social, and cognitive growth. It's not clinical, it doesn't require a referral, and it meets people exactly where they are.

Developed from the award-winning WAGS program, Paws 4 Change sessions are warm, accessible, and genuinely transformative — for kids and adults alike.

🧠 Neuroscience-backed

Dogs trigger oxytocin release and lower cortisol — your nervous system calms before a single word is spoken.

🏥 No referral needed

No diagnosis required. No waiting list. Just a safe, welcoming space to grow at your own pace.

📝 NDIS plan-funded

Sessions can be funded through your NDIS plan under Capacity Building and Social Participation supports.

How it works

Your journey with Paws 4 Change

Getting started is simple. No complex intake processes — just a warm conversation and a wagging tail waiting to meet you.

Reach out

Fill in our simple enquiry form and tell us a little about who you're booking for.

Free discovery call

We'll have a warm, no-pressure chat to understand your goals and match you to the right program.

Meet the dog

Come in for your first session. No homework, no tests — just a safe space and a furry friend to guide the way.

Grow & flourish

Watch the changes unfold. Most participants notice a shift within just a few sessions.

Who we help

A program for every stage of life

Whether you're navigating childhood anxiety, supporting a loved one, or looking for something different in your workplace — there's a place for you here.

🧒

Children & Young People

For kids and teens navigating anxiety, school challenges, social confidence, or neurodivergence — in a space that never feels clinical.

Ages 5-18

👱

Adults

For adults managing stress, burnout, grief, or anxiety who want a gentle, non-traditional path to feeling more grounded.

18+

♿

NDIS Participants

Sessions are available under NDIS Capacity Building and Social Participation support categories. No referral needed.

NDIS Covered

🏫

Schools

Bring canine-assisted learning into your school to support student wellbeing, emotional literacy, and classroom connection.

Primary & Secondary

🏢

Workplaces

Wellbeing initiatives that actually work. Reduce team stress and boost connection through our workplace programs.

Corporate & Teams

🤝

Community Groups

We partner with community organisations, aged care facilities, and support groups to bring the program to people who need it most.

All Communities

The evidence

This isn't intuition. It's proof.

Built on the award-winning WAGS The Dog program, Paws 4 Change is backed by real outcome data from hundreds of participants across Australia.

92%

of participants showed measurable improvement in emotional regulation after completing a Paws 4 Change program

74%

reported a significant increase in social confidence and their ability to connect with others

76%

experienced a meaningful reduction in anxiety symptoms — without medication or clinical intervention

Real stories

The moments that matter most

Whether you're navigating childhood anxiety, supporting a loved one, or looking for something different in your workplace — there's a place for you here.

"Before Paws 4 Change, my son would shut down completely in social situations. After just four sessions, he asked if he could invite a friend over for the first time. I cried the whole drive home."

Sarah M
Parent, Brisbane

"I was sceptical at first — I'd tried everything. But something about being with the dogs just made it feel safe to open up. I've made more progress in six weeks than in two years of other programs."

James W
Adult Participant

"We brought Paws 4 Change into our school and the difference in the kids was remarkable. Staff noticed it too — there was a shift in the whole energy of the classroom."

Lisa T
Primary School Teacher

Become a Facilitator

Turn your love of dogs into a career that changes lives

Paws 4 Change is an evidence-based canine-assisted learning program helping children, teens, and adults build emotional resilience, social confidence, and wellbeing — without a clinical setting.

Full certification and licensed program materials
Done-for-you business setup support
Ongoing mentorship from founder Sue
Access to a national facilitator community
NDIS pathways

Apply to Become a Facilitator

Get in touch

Ready to take the first step?

Whether you're booking a session for yourself or someone you love, or you're curious about becoming a facilitator — we'd love to hear from you. No pressure, just a warm conversation.