What makes a good therapy dog?
Before starting this journey with your dog, please watch our pre-enrollment video below to learn more about our process and to see if your pup is ready for therapy dog work—or if they would even enjoy the job!
therapy dog training
Pre therapy dog
group class
Our Pre-Therapy Dog Training Group Class is a great first step for those interested in making an impact in the community through pet therapy. This 4-week class will cover basic and advanced skills needed to successfully pass a therapy dog test including
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Introduction to people greeting skills
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Loose leash walking
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Learn how to communicate with your pup using our suggested training tool "The Snoot Loop"
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Teach your dog to ignore other dogs
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How to work as a team
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And more!
Pre-Therapy Dog Training Class costs $260 + taxes and fees
*Dogs must be at least 10 months old, enjoy attention from people they DO NOT KNOW and have the ability to be in the room with people and dogs WITHOUT BARKING OR WHINING*
At this time, our therapy dog training class waitlist is full and temporarily closed as we work through existing interest. We truly appreciate the incredible support from our community! Please check back here or follow us on social media for updates on future class openings and waitlist availability.
therapy dog readiness group class
Our Therapy Dog Readiness Class builds on the skills learned in the Pre Therapy Dog Class while continuing to build skills needed to conduct therapeutic visits to schools, hospitals, assisted living centers, and many other locations bringing joy and smiles to those they meet! This class includes 3 group classes and a training outing to practice their skills out in the world!
We'll cover the following in the 4 sessions
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Confidence Building Exercises
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Advanced People Greeting Skills
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Impulse Control Exercises
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Practice Therapy Dog Tests
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Practice realistic Therapy Visit Scenarios
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And more!
Therapy Dog Readiness Training Class costs $245 + taxes and fees
*Dogs must be a year old and either have taken the Pre-Therapy Dog Training Class or prior training at Pups with a Purpose*
private therapy dog training programs
Our Private Therapy Dog Training Program is currently available to teams who are interested in volunteer therapy work but are unable to attend our group classes. While our group classes are highly recommended for professional teams and serve as an excellent starting point, private sessions are designed for those with scheduling constraints or specific training goals.
For teams interested in developing professional therapy dog skills, we ask that you begin with our group classes, as we are actively developing a new program for professional teams that will be rolling out sometime in 2026.
The investment for this program ranges from $705 to $1,200 depending on the needs of each team.
This program is fully booked! Check back soon!
*THESE PROGRAMS DO NOT GUARANTEE THERAPY CERTIFICATION*
We will walk you through the certification process and prepare you for all of the expectations for therapy dog testing.