Year in Review

In  more than 50 Victorian Schools, Canine Comprehension runs programs with therapy dogs that help kids focus on their education. Their programs are designed for students who struggle with motivation, feel disconnected or anxious and need support. “Our program is made specifically for kids who struggle to engage – socially and academically”. chief and founder…

Like many new teaching graduates, Sarah Macdonald started her career full of promise and hope for the potential impact she could have on a child’s life. But she soon realised that a great curriculum and a supportive environment were not enough. Children who weren’t in the right headspace and who were battling mental health issues…

Sarah started her career as a teacher and worked with many young people. Sarah also completed an animal assistance therapy course and spent considerable time as a professional dog trainer. During this period, she recognised how kids, especially at-risk ones, could benefit from dog-assisted therapy, and Canine Comprehension was born. Canine Comprehension is a company…

Join hosts Joe and Mark as they discuss the topic of Animal Assisted Therapy. They interview Sarah Macdonald about her experience in this industry and her background that lead her to become an Animal Assisted Therapist.

Cranbourne’s Oscar the kelpie and his owner Alissa Lever, a provisional psychologist, regularly visit schools around the area in their roles and have seen first-hand the impact of the therapy on students. Oscar is on the payroll for Canine Comprehension, which runs wellbeing programs in schools. Each of Oscar’s classes consists of 10 students chosen…

Doggos make everything better – in fact, this episode is made 2000x better because we have both Sarah Macdonald from Canine Comprehension and her best doggo, Minnie, in the studio with us. Learn how Sarah and her team of good dogs bring the joy of learning back into the classroom through positive doggy interactions.