Certified Therapy Dog Requirements

Therapy dogs come in all sizes and breeds.

Certified therapy dog requirements.

In 2012 therapy dog international registered approximately 24 750 dog handler teams for therapy work. Others require hands on testing to put your dog through their paces. Basic testing for dogs. One of the top requirements for therapy dog certification is that the dog enjoys being around people.

Therapy dogs must enjoy human contact and be content to be petted cuddled and handled sometimes clumsily by unfamiliar people and to enjoy that contact. The basic skills test usually tests your dog s basic obedience skills. After achieving a cgc certification your next step will be to contact an organization to acquire your pet s pet therapy certification. Nope they love being around people.

Though there is no minimum age for a handler of a therapy dog if the handler is under 18 they must be accompanied by an adult and their parent or guardian must. Therapy dog certification ensures that both dogs and handlers are well. Most of the tests are designed to test dogs specifically because the majority of therapy pets are dogs. The most important characteristic of a therapy dog is its temperament.

Akc therapy dog titles can be earned by dogs who have been certified by akc recognized therapy dog organizations and have performed the required number of visits. In order for a dog to be considered for a therapy dog certification the dog must meet the following requirements. A certified therapy dog must be friendly patient confident gentle and at ease in all situations. There is a minimum age of one year.