Professional Therapy Dog Program

Courteous Canine developed the training program for the states’ first Therapy Dog, Cali who is owned and handled by Cranston Police Department and the Aubin Center at Hasbro Children’s Hospital. In 2018, we worked with Detective Michael Iacone to develop the comprehensive program which became the standard for the Police Department’s comfort/therapy dogs credentialing in Rhode Island. 

Since the program’s inception we have collaborated with:

  • Six police departments: Cranston, Pawtucket, Smithfield, North Smithfield, South Kingstown & Hopkinton 

  • Lifespan Hospital/Hasbro 3 canines at the Aubin Center, Palliative Care (CHIPS) & Child Life Services

  • North Smithfield Fire Department

  • Salve Regina Department of Safety and Security

  • Lincoln Middle School 

  • Hope Elementary School

  • Exeter West Greenwich School District 

  • University of RI Psychological Counseling Center

We can be of assistance with:

  • Program Development

  • Formation of your institutions’ policy

  • Liability assessment for your program

  • Selection of breed/breeder/rescue

  • Temperament Testing/Litter Evaluations

  • Handler Training / Training of additional/secondary handlers

  • Canine Training – Puppy through Adult 

  • Canine Behavior Remediation

  • Canine evaluations and certifications

Read more about our work here!

The Dogs We’ve Trained Include:

BASIL | CALI | GRACE | KNIGHT | LEO | LIBERTY | OZZY

RAYMOND | RUGGLES | WATSON | WILLOW