How to Certify a Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs are wonderful pups with even temperaments that can be very beneficial for many people. These dogs are loving and calm, and they often bring joy and peace to the people they meet. If you have a therapy dog, or you are wondering about training your dog to be a therapy dog, you might be wondering what kind of certifications your dog needs to get started with this important work. We tell you more about how to certify a therapy dog in our guide below.

What Is a Therapy Dog?

A therapy dog is a type of trained dog that provides comfort, companionship, and stress relief to people in certain situations, such as children in a hospital or seniors in a nursing home. These dogs are not specifically trained to complete tasks, but they are loving with very gentle personalities, and they love to spend time with people. By spending time with those in need, they can help provide relief from stress and negative emotions, in addition to allowing individuals some distraction and comfort.

Therapy dogs must be friendly, and they must be sociable, while also being trained and disciplined enough to listen to their owner when visiting new places and people. In general, golden retrievers and other such breeds make great therapy dogs.

Are Therapy Dogs the Same as Service Dogs?

Therapy dogs are a type of assistance dog, but they are not exactly the same as service dogs. These pups are not specifically trained to complete tasks for their owners, and the owner typically brings the therapy dog to different locations where they can meet people and bring some comfort. Therapy dogs are likely to be trained, however, as they must listen to their owner and have basic manners when out and about in public.

Because therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs, they cannot take advantage of the same public access rights protected by the ADA. Usually, a therapy dog must only go to pet-friendly places or be invited and get special permission to visit certain buildings like hospitals, nursing homes, or schools.

How to Certify a Therapy Dog

Unlike emotional support animals, a therapy dog does not need a letter from a licensed mental healthcare provider. Instead, these dogs must be trained (there is no training requirement or specific program, as long as the therapy dog is well-behaved), and they must have pleasant temperaments. Dogs who are aggressive, scared in public, or unsociable are not good therapy dog candidates.

If you want to give your therapy dog some additional validity, you can certify them online. This certification process will allow you to collect all of your therapy dog’s information in one place; this makes it easier to introduce your dog, and it provides an extra way for individuals to verify your dog’s information and role as a therapy dog as you visit different locations to let your dog work.

Can My Dog Be a Therapy Dog?

Any dog can be a therapy dog, as long as they have the right attitude for it. These pups must be sociable and enjoy meeting new people; people of all ages can benefit from the attention of a therapy dog, so your pup must love going to new places, meeting new people, and getting lots of pets and attention.

We recommend ensuring your dog is trained and starting small before making numerous bookings, to allow them time to warm up to their role as a therapy dog; some dogs take to this work more easily than others.

Benefiting From a Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs are a wonderful addition to your life, and any breed of dog with the right attitude can be a great therapy dog candidate. In general, you will want to make sure your pup is well-mannered and trained, in addition to certifying them, before you start contacting organizations that might need assistance from your therapy dog. Once your dog has experience, they can start visiting more places and sharing all of their love and joy with those in need.