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Therapy Dog Training

 You probably know intuitively that dogs make everything better, but did you know that the benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy are well researched and documented? Including dogs into therapuetic modalities, behavior interventions, and care settings has been proven to have a wide range of helpful emotional, psychological, physical, and social benefits!

Types of Therapy Dog Teams

There are many ways to partner with dogs to support the well-being of others! Therapy dog teams consist of a trained dog and their handler working together to provide comfort, emotional support, and intervention in various settings. Here are some of the types of therapy dog teams we support:

Professional Therapy Teams

A professional therapy dog team works within a structured therapeutic setting, with the therapy dog assisting a licensed professional such as a therapist, counselor, psychologist, physical therapist, or occupational therapist. The dog helps facilitate treatment by reducing stress, increasing engagement, and providing emotional grounding during sessions.

Hospital Teams

These teams provide comfort and companionship to hospital patients, families, and staff. Some therapy dog teams visit hospitals as volunteers, while others are part of an internal team employed by the hospital, particularly in behavioral health or palliative care departments.

Crisis Response Teams

Crisis response teams provide comfort in high-stress or traumatic situations, such as after natural disasters, violent crimes, or court proceedings. These teams are often affiliated with law enforcement, legal agencies, or emergency response organizations, offering emotional support to victims, witnesses, and first responders.

School-Based, Child, and Youth Focused Teams

These teams work in schools, counseling centers, and youth programs to support children and teens. Therapy dogs can help with emotional regulation, social skill development, reading programs, special education, and behavioral therapy. Handlers may be school counselors, social workers, ABA therapists, or other child-focused professionals.

Other Behavior-Intervention Teams

Therapy dog teams in this category work with (or are) behavior intervention specialists in a variety of fields, including addiction recovery, rehabilitation, and trauma-informed care. These teams may work in private practices, group homes, rehabilitation centers, or social service organizations.

Other Clinic-Based Teams

Beyond mental and behavioral health, therapy dog teams are becoming increasingly popular in other clinical settings, such as dental offices, optometry clinics, and pediatrician offices. The presence of a therapy dog can help reduce anxiety, especially for children or patients with sensory sensitivities.
Not sure how you and your dog can partner together to help others?
We can help you understand and navigate your therapy dog options, and design work thats enjoyable for you, your dog, and the clients you serve!
Contact Us

How We Empower Therapy Dog Teams

We help therapy dog teams with a wide range of training topics, including:

Developing Confidence and Calmness

Metting clients and receiving petting calmly
Reversing reactivity
Reversing fear, suspicion, stress, or anxiety

Learning Obedience Skills and Improving Manners

Polite greetings
Place or Kennel (as a station for the dog)
Leave It (to prevent or interrupt unwanted behavior or interactions)
Leash walking, ignoring distractions, coming when called 

Deep Pressure Therapy and Other Therapeutic Behaviors

Rest chin on client's lap, feet, or shoulder (as a hug)
Lay across client's lap or fully on top of them
Respond to heightened client emotions with snuggling or other comfort behaviors

Tricks, Games, and Enrichment

Retrieve tissues or other helpful items
Mood-boosting fun tricks like spin, sit pretty, shake, wave, bow, roll over, etc.
Hide-and-seek, fetch, treat hunt, etc.

Skills for the Handler

Learn to understand and train your dog
Teach clients how to interact with your dog

Supportive Online Community

Our Tricks, Games, and Enrichment online coaching group is a great way to connect with other therapy dog teams, exchange ideas, celebrate wins, and build training skills!

Service Options to Match Your Needs

Coaching

1 session per week, teaching you how to train your dog

Hybrid

1 session per week teaching you how to train your dog
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1 session per week working directly with your dog to boost your progress and make training easier for you

Professionally-Trained

3 sessions per week, working directly with your dog to build skills
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1 transfer session per week, teaching you and your dog to use skills together.

Out of Our Service Area, Or Prefer to Learn Online?

Our onlne Tricks, Games, and Enrichment group class is a great option for Therapy Dog teams who want to build more skills that empower their partnership!
See Online Training Options
And if you need one-on-one help with training for obedience tests or addressing behavior issues with your therapy dog, we offer online private coaching via Zoom

We Train Therapy Dogs Who Love Their Work!

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Therapy dogs provide comfort and emotional support, so their training must prioritize trust, confidence, and a willingness to engage. Positive reinforcement—rewarding desired behaviors with treats, praise, or play—creates a therapy dog that is not only well-trained but also emotionally secure and eager to interact.
Research shows that reward-based training leads to better behavioral outcomes and lower stress levels compared to punishment-based methods (Ziv, 2017). Conversely, aversive techniques can increase fear and anxiety, which may negatively impact a dog’s ability to remain calm in unpredictable environments (Vieira de Castro et al., 2020). A therapy dog must feel safe and assured to provide the best support for those in need.
By using positive reinforcement, handlers develop therapy dogs that are adaptable, engaged, and happy in their work—qualities that make a real difference to the people they help. Whether visiting hospitals, schools, or care facilities, a well-trained therapy dog fosters connection, reduces stress, and brings comfort to those who need it most.
Why Work With Us?
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Educated and endorsed by university professors and leading industry experts
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6 years professional therapy dog training experience
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2 years training professional therapy dogs with an Assistance Dogs International (ADI)-accredited organization
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Successfully trained dozens of therapy dog teams, for a wide variety of roles
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Over 10 years of accredited continuing education
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Experienced with all aspects of therapy dog training, from selecting a dog, to puppy raising, to obedience and manners training, specialty therapy behaviors, and resolving behavior issues
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Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT) Professional Member
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Insured Therapy Dog Trainer
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Over 1,000 dogs trained with 100% 5-star reviews
Don't Take Our Word for It!

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​Dominic is a great communicator and truly has my dog's best interest at heart. He has helped me deepen my relationship with her, and her with me. I highly, highly recommend Dominic for your dog training needs!

former client

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Dominic's character, leadership, and ability to graduate the most successful teams at [our organization] was done in a way that often required a combination of heart and intelligence that made him stand out as a master of his craft

Director of Client Services at an ADI-accredited service dog school

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Dominic is more than capable of making [positive reinforcement service dog and therapy dog] training happen. In the dogs we have seen him train, they have an excitment to do the work and look forward to helping their humans.

Professional Therapy Dogs of Colorado

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​Dominic is a force-free, positive dog trainer with expertise and skills to help any dog. My dog absolutely loves him. She even tries to follow him to his car when he leaves after our training sessions! Dominic has helped us with a variety of skills including basic obedience, reactivity, nose work, loose leash walking, task training with DPT and more.

former client

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Dominic’s proficiency as a trainer, his dedication to humane methods, and his success in producing well-trained service dogs make him an excellent candidate.

Training Manager of an ADI-Accredited service dog school

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Contact Us About Therapy Dog Training:

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Reach out using the form below

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You'll receive an email with more information about our services and a link to set up a free phone assessment

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If we're a good fit for each other, we'll suggest a consultaion to plan your training program and get started!

Therapy Dog Certification

Are you a professional clinician interested in incorporating a therapy dog into your practice? Our trusted partners at Professional Therapy Dogs of Colorado​ offer expert-led workshops designed to help you understand how to ethically and effectively integrate a therapy dog into your therapeutic services. These workshops cover essential topics and best practices for creating a successful human-canine therapy partnership.

Whether you're just beginning your therapy dog journey or looking to refine your approach, these workshops provide invaluable education and guidance. Learn how to elevate your practice with the healing presence of a well-trained therapy dog!
Learn More
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Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between a service dog, skilled companion, therapy dog, and emotional support animal?
A service dog is specially trained to perform specific tasks that assist a person with a disability. These tasks are directly related to the handler’s needs, such as guiding individuals who are blind, alerting those with hearing loss, or assisting with mobility. Service dogs are legally protected and allowed in public places under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

A skilled companion is a trained assistance dog that may not be suitable to access all public places, but can perform helpful tasks for a person with a disability at home or in dog-friendly settings.

A therapy dog provides comfort and emotional support in settings like treatment centers, schools. and other clinical settings. These dogs are trained to be well-mannered and interact positively with various people, but they are not trained to perform specific disability-related tasks. Therapy dogs do not have public access rights under the ADA.

An emotional support animal (ESA) offers companionship and emotional relief to individuals with mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression. Unlike service dogs, ESAs do not require specialized training to perform tasks or access the public. They do not have public access rights but may qualify for housing accommodations under the Fair Housing Act.

What are the requirements for a therapy dog?
There are many types of therapy dogs and different roles require different skills, but generally therapy dogs should have a calm, friendly, and confident temperament. They should be comfortable, well behaved, and free from fear and aggression around a variety of people, other animals, and environments. Therapy dogs require various levels of obedience and manners training, and may also have specifically trained behaviors that support a therapeutic process, e.g. pressure therapy, behavior interruptions, or interactive tricks and games!

Can any dog become a therapy dog?
While many dogs can become therapy dogs, not all dogs are suited for this role. A therapy dog should enjoy social interaction, remain relaxed in new environments, and have a predictable and stable temperament. Puppies and highly excitable or anxious dogs may need additional training and socialization before they are ready.

How do I get my dog certified as a therapy dog?
Therapy dog certification typically requires passing a temperament and skills evaluation through a recognized therapy dog organization. These organizations assess obedience, behavior, and how well the dog responds to different situations. For professional clinicians, we encourage you to consider certification through Professional Therapy Dogs of Colorado. For pet owners who want to volunteer in a therapy dog program, we recommend considering Pet Partners. Please beware of organizations selling therapy dog certificates or IDs to the public, without training or testing- such products are not legally recognized and are often scams designed to take advantage of dog owners.
Contact us!
  • Home
  • In-Home Training
    • Pet Dog Training
    • Therapy Dog Training
    • Service Dog Training
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  • Contact Us