Therapy dogs are trained to provide comfort to other individuals. Some of the places therapy dogs work include but are not limited to schools, counseling offices, hospitals, and nursing homes.

Any breed of dog can work as a therapy dog as long as they have the required temperament and necessary level of training. Therapy dogs should enjoy interacting with people but should also be able to be calm and focused around groups of people and dogs. Proper socialization is critical, as therapy dogs must be confident in their environment and will come into contact with many strangers. A therapy dog should enjoy their job of assisting others!

Therapy dogs and their handlers work as a team. The handler must be able to ensure control of their dog in many situations. While therapy work is often quite enjoyable, there can be stressful moments associated with certain environments that both the handler and dog must be able to work through.

We offer testing and certification through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Click here to view this organization’s certification requirements.