Get Involved: Intro to Therapy Dogs

You have an amazing dog and they love people. They can tell when you’re sad, and think pets and attention is the best thing in the world. You should consider becoming a therapy dog team! In this post we’ll go over what it takes to turn your dog into a therapy dog, how to title in therapy dog work, and the benefits you get from doing this with your pup.

As discussed in another post, therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs. I like to say that therapy dogs serve all and service dogs serve one. Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs do not have public access rights, and they DO require being certified by a therapy dog organization. Therapy dogs can go wherever they are invited to go, from hospitals and schools to dentists and treatment centers. 

The first step in training a therapy dog is providing a solid foundation in socialization. Therapy dogs should be “bombproof”. This means that they should remain calm despite uncomfortable stimuli, be that a loud noise or a child tugging on their ears. This kind of socialization goes hand in hand with building trust and confidence between you and your dog. A dog that knows you will be their advocate before things go too far will be able to withstand much more discomfort than one that feels like they have to protect themselves.

The next step would be training to pass the AKC Canine Good Citizenship test (CGC). This test (as reviewed in this post) has all the basic behaviors and skills that every dog should have. Beyond the CGC, passing a therapy dog test varies from organization to organization. Some therapy dog groups like Golden Healers, use a modified CGC (for example, instead of walking through a crowd, walking though a group of people with wheelchairs and crutches; or instead of accepting pets from a friendly stranger, accepting pets from someone who doesn’t have a lot of control of their movements). Other groups, like Pet Partners, have much more in-depth tests.

Choosing a therapy dog organization that is right for you depends on what your goals are as a team. If you want to be able to title your dog in therapy dog work with the AKC, you will need to go through one of their approved therapy dog organizations. Some hospitals partner with specific organizations. Some organizations require all visits to be volunteer time, while others allow you to get paid for your own visits. Every organization should offer basic support to you as a team, helping you get started, and maintaining training with you and your dog. 

Becoming a therapy dog team is an incredibly fulfilling and wonderful journey. For me, I have met the most incredible people and built an amazing community. The joy I see others experience when they interact with my dogs is worth all the effort in training them day in and day out. Have you ever seen a therapy dog? What questions do you have about volunteering as a therapy dog team? Put them in the comments below.