Our Therapy Dog Training Program is designed to prepare well-mannered, confident dogs for meaningful work in schools, hospitals, nursing homes, counseling settings, community programs, and other supportive environments. Whether you are enrolling a dog you already own or being matched with a puppy from our program, every dog follows a structured, results-driven training system held to high standards for behavior, stability, and social reliability, while still honoring each dog’s unique personality, strengths, and pace of learning.
Comprehensive Temperament Evaluation
Before training begins, every dog completes a detailed temperament assessment to determine suitability for therapy work. This evaluation reviews:
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Confidence and emotional stability
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Sociability with a variety of people
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Focus and trainability
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Adaptability in new environments
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Calm overall demeanor and recovery from stress
Only dogs who demonstrate the right qualities move forward, helping ensure long-term success, public safety, and positive interactions throughout the program.
Structured Training Path
Training begins with a strong foundation in obedience, engagement, and clear communication between dog and handler. Early focus areas include:
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Reliable obedience in everyday settings
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Loose leash walking and polite greetings
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Impulse control and sustained focus
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Exposure to new environments, sounds, surfaces, and distractions
As dogs progress, training expands into advanced manners, emotional neutrality, and real-world reliability so they remain calm, responsive, and friendly in a variety of public and therapeutic settings.
Level-Based Progression
The program is organized into five clear levels, giving clients transparency and measurable milestones throughout training:
Level 1: Foundations & Basic Obedience
Building engagement, marker training, leash manners, recalls, sit/down/stay, polite greetings, and household structure.
Level 2: Intermediate Obedience & Confidence Building
Strengthening reliability under distraction, duration work, impulse control, neutrality around people/dogs, and environmental exposure.
Level 3: Therapy Skills & Visitations
Preparing for real therapy visits through advanced manners, handler teamwork, supervised interactions, crowd neutrality, and controlled engagement with children, seniors, or patients.
Level 4: Final Testing & Graduation
Polishing all skills, handler transfer work, therapy simulation scenarios, certification readiness, and graduation standards.
Flexible Payment Options
Clients may pay level by level as their dog advances or choose an upfront full-program package. This flexible structure avoids a large initial investment while still providing access to a complete, professional training experience. Payment plans are available for each level.
Progressive Skill Development
As dogs move through the program, expectations and skills increase to prepare them for successful therapy work. Training includes:
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Working through higher distractions and longer durations
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Remaining calm during touching, petting, and public interaction
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Confidence around wheelchairs, walkers, canes, carts, and sudden movement
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Settling quietly during conversations or appointments
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Maintaining focus and composure in emotionally charged environments
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Appropriate social interaction without overexcitement
Every skill is taught with a focus on consistency, dependability, and practical use during real visits.
Graduation Standards & Certification
To successfully complete the program, dogs must meet our highest standards by:
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Earning all three Canine Good Citizen titles (CGC, CGCA, CGCU)
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Passing a therapy dog evaluation and handler assessment
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Demonstrating safe, calm, and reliable behavior in simulated public visit environments
These benchmarks help confirm each graduate demonstrates the stability, manners, and confidence expected of a quality therapy dog.
Overall Well-Being & Support
We believe exceptional therapy dogs need more than obedience alone. Our program also prioritizes:
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Physical health and conditioning
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Mental enrichment and problem-solving skills
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Emotional balance and resilience
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Positive handler relationship and teamwork
This creates dogs that are not only highly trained, but capable of thriving in meaningful human-centered environments.
Outcome for Clients & Dogs
Graduates of our program provide handlers and communities with:
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A dependable, confident, and friendly therapy dog
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Professional support and hands-on guidance
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A clear path from foundation obedience to therapy certification readiness
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A dog prepared to bring comfort, connection, and calm to others
Choosing our program means building a reliable partner prepared to brighten lives, support emotional well-being, and represent the highest standards of canine therapy work.
Program overview
Facility Dogs
Facility dogs provide valuable support for professionals working in structured environments where ongoing canine assistance is beneficial, including:
Schools and educational programs
Counseling offices
Hospitals and rehabilitation centers
Courthouses or advocacy programs
Crisis response settings
Community service organizations
These dogs are trained to assist staff, clients, students, or patients through consistent daily support. Tasks may include comforting individuals, assisting reading confidence programs, supporting de-escalation, encouraging participation, or helping create a calm and welcoming environment.
General Therapy Dogs
General therapy dogs assist individuals and groups by providing comfort, encouragement, and positive interaction in a variety of settings such as:
Hospitals
Nursing homes
Assisted living communities
Schools
Libraries
Community programs
Other qualifying visitation environments
These dogs are trained to help reduce stress, encourage social interaction, and provide calm companionship during meaningful visits. Tasks may include gentle greetings, calm interaction, emotional reassurance, guided engagement, or comforting presence depending on the setting’s needs.
Therapy Dog Types
Therapy Dog Tricks
Every client receives access to our comprehensive Trick Masterlist, outlining the tricks and interactive behaviors available through our program. This allows each dog’s training plan to be customized based on the handler’s goals, visitation environment, and long-term objectives.
Clients may review the Trick Masterlist and choose the tricks most beneficial to their situation. This ensures:
For clients needing expanded or highly specialized support:
Additional tricks may be added beyond the included five
Extra tricks are available for $50 per trick. Tricks can be added later as needs evolve and training plans remain flexible over time
Sourcing your Therapy Dog
Buying a Program-Provided Puppy
Our program offers clients the opportunity to start with a carefully selected puppy, raised and developed to become a reliable, well-mannered, fully capable therapy or facility dog.
Puppy Selection & Suitability
Puppies are sourced from ethical, reputable breeders who prioritize health, structure, and therapy-appropriate temperament. We focus on selecting dogs with the highest potential for therapy and facility work based on:
Confidence and stability
Social engagement and friendliness
Adaptability and overall demeanor
Calm temperament and trainability
We typically offer:
Labrador Retrievers
Golden Retrievers
Poodles (all sizes)
Collies (rough and smooth)
Off-breeds are not commonly available. Clients may request a preferred breed and/or gender, and we do our best to accommodate these preferences when possible.
Puppies are matched to their future handler or facility between 12–16 weeks of age based on personality, temperament, and working potential—not appearance.
Early Development & Health Requirements
After being matched, puppies remain in our care to continue their early development and training. Each puppy:
Receives the first year of required vaccinations
Is spayed/neutered or placed on a spay/neuter contract
Is raised in a structured environment focused on confidence, socialization, and stability
This ensures every puppy develops a strong, healthy foundation before transitioning to their new home or placement setting.
Level Placement & Program Entry
All program-provided puppies remain in the trainer’s home to complete Level 1 (Foundations & Basic Obedience) before going home.
Puppies do not immediately live with their handler after matching
This period allows for consistent structure, early training, and professional development
Once Level 1 is completed:
Puppies transition to living with their handler or facility representative
Dogs continue through Levels 2–4 of the program
Handlers meet routinely for ongoing training and progression
All dogs follow the same structured program and are held to the same standards for graduation.
Flexible Placement & Accessibility
Our placement process is designed to create the best possible match and long-term success:
Puppies are matched based on temperament, lifestyle, and working ability
Breed and gender preferences are considered, but suitability is prioritized
Early in-house development allows for a smoother transition into handler care or facility placement
Program Goals & Support
Throughout the process, our team provides:
Professional guidance during puppy development and placement
Continued support as the dog progresses through Levels 2–4
Ongoing monitoring to ensure consistency, confidence, and reliability
Our focus is on developing dogs that are stable, adaptable, and capable of performing in real-world environments.
This program is ideal for clients who want to start with a purpose-selected puppy and receive structured, professional guidance from the earliest stages. Puppies are thoughtfully matched, properly developed, and prepared to grow into confident, dependable therapy or facility dogs capable of bringing comfort, support, and positive engagement in everyday life.
Training Your Own Dog to Be a Therapy or Facility Dog
Our program welcomes clients who already have a dog and want to develop them into a reliable, well-mannered, fully capable therapy or facility dog.
Temperament & Suitability Assessment
Before beginning, every dog undergoes a comprehensive temperament evaluation to ensure they are physically and behaviorally suitable for therapy or facility work. This step assesses:
Confidence and stability
Social friendliness and attentiveness
Adaptability and resilience
Calm demeanor in new environments
Dogs must also meet basic health and care requirements to be eligible for training:
Up-to-date on all required vaccinations
Spayed or neutered (unless breeder contract requires otherwise)
Dogs that meet the program’s standards are approved to continue, ensuring they can safely and successfully progress through training.
Level Placement & Program Entry
Following evaluation, dogs are placed into the appropriate training level (Level 1–4) based on their prior training and experience.
Dogs are not required to repeat previous levels they have already mastered
Clients are not charged for levels the dog does not need (for example, a dog entering at Level 2 does not take or pay for Level 1)
This structure allows for efficient progression while maintaining program standards.
Dogs of any age may be accepted into the program; however, younger dogs are generally easier to train and tend to progress more quickly.
Flexible Placement & Accessibility
We believe suitability is based on temperament, not appearance or breed.
All breeds and breed mixes are accepted, both large and small
Each dog is evaluated as an individual based on behavior and working potential
Placement ensures training is focused on areas that will maximize the dog’s success
This approach allows a wide range of dogs to participate while maintaining high standards for therapy and facility work.
Program Goals & Support
While the dog advances through the program, our team provides:
Guidance and support tailored to the dog’s individual abilities
Placement and progression based on readiness, not a fixed timeline
Ongoing monitoring to ensure safety, consistency, and success
Our focus is on developing dogs that are not only trained, but also stable, confident, and capable of handling real-world environments.
This program is ideal for clients who want a structured, professional pathway for their existing dog, starting with a thorough assessment and clear placement within the program. Dogs that meet the program’s standards are positioned to become confident, dependable therapy or facility partners, capable of working reliably in public and everyday situations.
Level 1 – Foundations & Basic Obedience
Level 1 is the starting point of the Service Dog Training Program. This stage focuses on establishing communication, structure, and foundational obedience while building a dog that is mentally engaged, stable, and responsive to handler direction. Every behavior introduced here becomes the baseline for all advanced training in later levels.
The goal is to create a dog that understands learning structure, responds consistently to basic cues, and begins developing handler focus as the primary source of guidance.
Core Skills Developed
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Engagement building and sustained attention to handler
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Marker training for precise communication and learning clarity
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Structured leash manners (no pulling, controlled movement, handler awareness)
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Reliable sit, down, stand, and basic position holding
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Recall (come when called) in controlled environments
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Introduction to place command for structured settling
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Basic household structure (boundaries, thresholds, calm behavior expectations)
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Early impulse control foundations (waiting, not rushing, disengaging from distractions)
Training Emphasis
Level 1 is not just obedience, it is the development of learning mechanics. Dogs are taught how to process information, understand reinforcement, and build confidence in responding to handler direction. Handlers are actively coached on timing, consistency, and reinforcement so communication becomes clear and predictable.
Training is kept structured and low-distraction to prevent confusion and ensure strong foundational reliability.
End Goals
By the end of Level 1:
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Strong engagement and willingness to work with handler
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Clear understanding of foundational obedience cues
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Calm, structured behavior in home and training environments
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Early impulse control and emotional regulation foundations
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Preparedness for controlled distraction environments in Level 2
Level 2 – Intermediate Obedience & Confidence Building
Level 2 strengthens reliability by proofing foundational obedience under controlled distraction while increasing duration, expectation clarity, and environmental exposure. This stage is where behaviors begin to stabilize across changing conditions rather than only in structured settings.
The goal is consistency: the dog should perform known behaviors reliably even when the environment introduces competing stimuli.
Core Skills Developed
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Obedience reliability under mild to moderate distraction
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Extended duration for sit, down, stay, and place
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Structured impulse control in real-life scenarios (food, movement, noise)
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Neutrality toward unfamiliar people and dogs (non-reactive behavior)
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Environmental exposure across new surfaces, sounds, and locations
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Leash skills maintained under distraction (no reinforcement dependency on quiet environments)
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Reinforced handler engagement in non-controlled settings
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Off leash skills.
Training Emphasis
This stage focuses on emotional stability and cognitive flexibility. Dogs learn that obedience is not environment-dependent, it applies everywhere, not just in predictable spaces. The expectation is not perfection, but consistency under increasing complexity.
Handlers begin transitioning from mechanical cue-giving to situational awareness, learning how to maintain engagement even when distractions are present.
End Goals
By the end of Level 2:
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Reliable obedience under structured distraction
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Increased emotional confidence in unfamiliar environments
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Strong impulse control and environmental neutrality
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Ability to maintain handler focus in varied settings
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Readiness for structured public access training in Level 3
Level 3 – Volunteer & Visitation Work
Level 3 is dedicated entirely to therapy dog volunteer and visitation development. This stage teaches the dog how to behave appropriately, calmly, and reliably in real-world environments where people interaction, movement, noise, and emotional situations may be present.
The focus is not advanced tricks or competition obedience, it is social stability, emotional neutrality, and dependable visitation manners.
Core Skills Developed
Structured heel work in public environments with sustained handler focus
Calm, extended-duration settles in real-world settings
Neutrality to food, people, dogs, carts, sounds, and movement
Polite greeting behavior with multiple people
Controlled interaction with children, seniors, and groups
Comfortable behavior around wheelchairs, walkers, canes, and hospital equipment
Ignoring environmental distractions without escalation
Maintaining obedience under variable real-world pressure
Reinforced engagement despite distractions
Training Environments
Training is conducted in progressively challenging public and visitation settings, including:
Pet-friendly retail stores
Schools and libraries
Community centers
Outdoor public spaces with movement and noise
Care facilities or simulated visitation environments
Busy pedestrian environments
Training Emphasis
Level 3 is about neutrality under pressure and calm social interaction. The dog must learn that public visitation environments require composed, friendly, and reliable behavior regardless of external stimulation.
Handlers develop real-world handling confidence, learning how to maintain structure while advocating for the dog and managing safe interactions with the public.
End Goals
By the end of Level 3:
Reliable, calm behavior in visitation environments
Strong neutrality toward distractions
Consistent handler engagement in real-world settings
Controlled, friendly interaction with the public
Readiness for final testing and graduation in Level 4
Level 4 – Final Testing & Graduation
Level 4 is the final stage of the Therapy Dog Training Program. This stage ensures all obedience, public manners, and visitation behavior are fully proofed and reliable in real-world conditions without trainer support.
The focus is long-term stability, confidence, and readiness as a therapy dog team.
Core Focus
Full proofing of obedience across environments and distractions
Reliable calm behavior during public interaction
Handler independence and confident real-world handling
Consistent visitation manners in all settings
Seamless teamwork between dog and handler
Final Requirements
Comprehensive evaluation across multiple environments
Full obedience reliability under distraction and pressure
Consistent calm greetings and safe public interaction
Handler competency, communication, and decision-making evaluation
Demonstration of safe, appropriate public behavior at all times
End Goals
By the end of Level 4:
Fully trained and reliable therapy dog team
Successful completion of all program requirements and testing
Confident, independent handler capable of managing the dog in all environments
Dog capable of performing dependable therapy work in real life
Official graduation into volunteer visitation and community service work
Cost Breakdown & Financial Plans
Deposit & Initial Costs
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Bringing your own dog: $20 temperament evaluation, $1,500 deposit
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Purchasing a puppy from us: $2,000 deposit
Training Levels & Pricing
Level 1 – Foundations & Basic Obedience
Estimated 2-4 Month Course
$1,000
Builds the essential skills every future service dog needs, including:
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Sit, down, stay, place
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Loose leash walking
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Recall foundations
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Marker training & engagement
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Impulse control
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Proper socialization exposure
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Handler focus & relationship building
Level 2 – Intermediate Obedience & Confidence Building
Estimated 2–4 Month Course
$1,500 total
Develops reliability in distracting environments while improving confidence and composure.
Includes:
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Advanced obedience with duration & distance
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Reliable leash manners in public areas
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Confidence on unstable surfaces/noise distractions
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Neutrality around dogs and people
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Calm settling in new environments
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Increased responsiveness under distraction
Level 3 – Volunteer & Visitation
Estimated 4–8 Month Course
$3,500 total
Focused entirely on public behavior and therapy dog standards in real-world settings.
Includes:
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Training is conducted in progressively challenging public and visitation settings, including:
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Pet-friendly retail stores
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Schools and libraries
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Community centers
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Outdoor public spaces with movement and noise
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Care facilities or simulated visitation environments
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Busy pedestrian environments
Level 4 – Final Testing & Graduation
Estimated 1–2 Month Course
$1,000 total
Includes:
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Public access evaluation
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Handler education sessions
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Transition to home life
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Maintenance plan
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Graduation upon successful completion
Level Placement
Every dog is evaluated before entering the program to determine the appropriate starting level.
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Dogs start at the level that matches their current skill set
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If your dog already meets the requirements of a level, they will start at the next level up
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You are only charged for the levels your dog actually completes
Example:
If your dog is already performing at a Level 1 standard, they may begin at Level 2, and you would not pay for Level 1.
Financial Plans
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Option of $2,000 deposit (Buying a puppy from us), or the $20 evaluation fee with a $1,500 deposit (Supplying your own dog for training) is paid upfront.
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After that, training is paid one level at a time.
For each level:
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You can either pay the full amount upfront or
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Split that level’s cost into monthly payments during that phase of training
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Payment for a level begins when your dog starts that level
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You are not able to pay for the next level until your dog has successfully completed the current one and is ready to move forward
Commonly asked questions
Do I need a disability to have a therapy dog?
No. Therapy dogs are not limited to individuals with disabilities. Therapy dogs work alongside their handler to provide comfort, encouragement, and positive interaction to others in settings such as hospitals, schools, nursing homes, libraries, counseling offices, and community programs.
What is the difference between a therapy dog, service dog, and emotional support animal?
Therapy dogs are trained to support others through volunteer visits, outreach, and comfort-based work. They do not have automatic public access rights.
Service dogs are individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability and have public access rights under the ADA.
Emotional support animals (ESAs) provide comfort to their owner but are not task-trained and do not have public access rights.
Can any breed become a therapy dog?
Yes. We do not restrict any breeds or mixed breeds. Suitability is based on temperament, behavior, confidence, sociability, and overall stability—not breed.
Can I choose my puppy?
Clients may request breed and gender preferences; however, puppies are matched based on temperament, personality, and working potential to ensure the best long-term success.
How long does the program take?
The full program timeline varies depending on the dog’s starting level, age, and progress. On average, training can take 6–12 months to complete all levels.
What happens if my dog doesn’t pass the evaluation?
If a dog is not suitable for therapy work, we will discuss alternative options and recommendations. This ensures the safety and success of both the dog and handler. Disqualifications may include bite history, aggression toward people or animals, extreme fearfulness, inability to recover from stress, or medical issues that impact daily quality of life.
Will I be trained as well?
Yes. Handler education is a critical part of the program. You will learn how to effectively communicate with your dog, maintain training, read stress signals, and navigate visitation environments confidently and professionally.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. Clients may pay per level as their dog progresses or pay upfront. Payment plans can be arranged for each level, allowing flexibility without requiring full payment at once.
Join the program today!
Dog Evaluation Application
Apply to have your dog assessed for therapy work through our comprehensive temperament and suitability evaluation. This process determines if your dog meets the behavioral and physical requirements for the program and allows us to place them at the appropriate training level based on their current skills.
Puppy Program Waitlist
Join our waitlist to be matched with a carefully selected therapy dog puppy. Clients may submit preferences for breed and gender, while final placement is based on temperament, personality, and working potential to ensure the best long-term partnership.