Specialty Dogs

What does a therapy dog do, and how does a dog become one?

Therapy dogs bring comfort to people who are not their owner — patients, students, residents, people in crisis. The job is mostly about temperament.

Talk to a Trainer Book Training

The temperament comes first

A therapy dog must enjoy being touched by strangers, tolerate wheelchairs, walkers, medical equipment and unpredictable movement, and recover instantly from surprises. Training can polish a dog, but it cannot install that disposition.

The training

Preparation covers solid obedience, controlled greetings, settling on cue, handling exercises, and exposure to the sights, sounds and footing of facilities.

Getting evaluated

Facilities generally require a handler-and-dog team to be evaluated and registered through a recognized therapy organization. We prepare teams for that standard and for the realities of visiting work.

Talk it through with us

Every dog is different. If you want a recommendation for your dog specifically, tell us what's going on and we'll point you to the right program — we're at 8618 Ridgefield Rd, Crystal Lake, IL.

Answers

More questions we get asked

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