A therapy dog is a well-trained dog that works with its handler to provide comfort, emotional support, and positive interactions for other people. Therapy dog teams typically volunteer or work in settings such as hospitals, schools, libraries, nursing homes, assisted living communities, rehabilitation centers, hospice programs, crisis response settings, and community events.

Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs do not perform disability-related tasks for their handler. Their role is to benefit others.

People who are interested in volunteering with their pet or using their pet as in conjunction with their paid employment.

Although these terms are often confused, they serve very different purposes.

Therapy Dogs

• Provide comfort and emotional well-being to other people.

• Visit hospitals, schools, nursing homes, libraries, and community programs.

• Must have excellent manners and enjoy interacting with a variety of people.

• Typically work with a registered therapy dog organization or an employer.

Service Dogs

• Are individually trained to perform specific tasks that mitigate a person's disability.

• Work exclusively for their handler.

• Have public access rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

Emotional Support Animals (ESAs)

• Provide comfort simply through their presence.

• Do not require specialized task training.

• Do not have the same public access rights as service dogs.

• May have housing protections under applicable laws.

Each type of assistance animal has an important role, but they are trained and protected under different laws.

The first step is enrolling in our Therapy Dog Training Class or scheduling a consultation if you're unsure whether your dog is a good candidate.

We'll evaluate your goals, discuss your dog's temperament and training history, and recommend the best path toward becoming a confident therapy dog team.

Every team progresses at a different pace.

Success depends on your dog's maturity, temperament, previous training, and your consistency in practicing between classes.

Many dogs first complete foundation classes such as Puppy Kindergarten, Focused Puppy, Canine Essentials before enrolling in therapy dog preparation. Every team progresses at a different pace.

Success depends on your dog's maturity, temperament, previous training, and your consistency in practicing between classes.

Volunteer therapy dog teams donate their time to organizations such as:

• Hospitals

• Nursing homes

• Schools

• Libraries

• Community events

• Hospice programs

Professional therapy dogs work alongside their handler as part of their career.

Examples include:

• Counselors

• Social workers

• Psychologists

• Occupational therapists

• Physical therapists

• Speech-language pathologists

• Educators

• Reading specialists

• Healthcare professionals

These dogs are integrated into therapeutic or educational services as part of the professional's work.

While both types of therapy dogs require exceptional training and temperament, professional therapy dogs often receive additional preparation for their specific work environment.

No.

Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs do not have legal public access rights under the ADA.

They are invited into facilities by permission and may only enter locations where they have been authorized to work or volunteer.

Not every dog enjoys therapy work.

Successful therapy dogs are typically:

• Friendly without being overly excited

• Comfortable with strangers

• Gentle when interacting with children and adults

• Confident in new environments

• Calm around medical equipment and unusual noises

• Comfortable being handled by unfamiliar people

• Able to recover quickly from surprises

• Comfortable around other animals

We evaluate each dog's temperament and help determine whether therapy work is an appropriate fit.

Dogs of all breeds and mixed breeds, one year and older at the start of the class.

Dogs should have taken at least 1 basic training class and be able to sit, lay down, loose leash walking and come at places other than their homes.

Adult Dogs

• Your puppy/dog has lived in your home for at least 6 months.

• Two or more vaccinations for distemper and parvo

  This is often listed on your receipt as a combo shot “DA2P” or similar.

• We do not require bordetella (kennel cough) for class

• Rabies as required by law.

For families that choose a minimal vaccination protocol for their canines, we require proof of a titer test showing a positive ELISA result of at least >=1:80 indicating probable protective immunity.

Yes, once they have met the requirements of the facility and, when applicable, the therapy dog organization with which they are registered.

Each facility establishes its own policies regarding health requirements, insurance, registration, vaccinations, and handler qualifications.

Not every dog enjoys therapy work. Therapy dogs can be purebreds, mixes and all different breeds.

Successful therapy dogs are typically:

• Friendly without being overly excited

• Comfortable with strangers

• Gentle when interacting with children and adults

• Confident in new environments

• Calm around medical equipment and unusual noises

• Comfortable being handled by unfamiliar people

• Able to recover quickly from surprises

• Comfortable around other animals

We evaluate each dog's temperament and help determine whether therapy work is an appropriate fit.

Many of our graduates pursue registration with nationally recognized therapy dog organizations or local programs, depending on where they plan to volunteer or work.

We'll help you understand the requirements and choose the organization that best fits your goals.

No.

Courteous Canine provides education and training to help teams prepare for therapy dog evaluations.

Registration or certification is provided by independent therapy dog organizations or employers after the team successfully completes their evaluation process.

1. A smile. Relax, wag your tail and enjoy some fun, quality time with your dog.

2. Proof of vaccinations from your vet is required at the first class.

3. Mark your calendar with class dates and location

4. Please potty your dog for at least five minutes before coming into class. Please always bring bags to pick up your dogs poop and dispose of all poop in the dumpster. Please remain in front of the white plastic fence.

5. A hungry dog and 500 tiny pea-sized treats. A variety of soft healthy meat, hot dog, liver, jerky, cheese or commercial treats that you cut up into tiny pieces. These positive rewards should be highly valued by your dog. Kibble and crunchy baked treats are stingy “minimum wage” treats for most dogs. Adjust your dog’s calorie intake for the treats. Feed a small amount of treats 3 days in advance to adjust your dog’s tummy. *Tug or squeaky toy as a play reward and for recess. If your dog is toy motivated you can use a game of tug as a reward instead of treats.

6. A treat bag that has easy-access, washable, can be worn HANDS-FREE on your body and DEDICATED for treats. We carry treat pouches in the training room and have them available to borrow if needed.

7. Flat buckle/snap/martingale collar or harness (Please, no choke chains or prong collars!) and a Leather, nylon or cotton 6-foot leash preferred. (No chain, Flexi or retractable leashes.) For The People: Cross-training type athletic shoes with traction.

8. Comfortable, layered clothing.

9. If you have registered for our Feisty Fido class, your dog DOES NOT come to the first class. For all other classes, your dog comes to the first class.

Training happens both in class and at home. Most progress occurs between sessions, so consistent practice is important.

We recommend short, fun training sessions of about 5–10 minutes, several times a day. Puppies learn best through repetition and positive experiences, so practicing a little each day is more effective than one long session.

You’ll receive homework after each class to help reinforce the skills covered in class and support your puppy’s progress. Our goal is to give you practical exercises that easily fit into everyday life.

Think of training as building habits through daily practice — consistency matters more than perfection!

Yes! We encourage family involvement in training. Family members are welcome to attend so everyone can learn the same training techniques and help maintain consistency at home.

For the best learning experience:

• We recommend one primary handler working with the dog at a time during exercises.

• Adults and responsible children are welcome to observe and participate when appropriate.

• Children must be supervised by an adult at all times and should be able to follow directions and remain calm around the dogs.

Having multiple family members involved often helps dogs progress more quickly because everyone learns how to communicate and train consistently.

If you have a large group attending, please let us know in advance so we can ensure adequate space in class.

Yes, absolutely!

• Our general policy on children in class is children under 6 years old may attend class if an adult other than the person handling the dog is also present to supervise them.

• Additionally, children under 6 may not handle the dog in class. Children ages 6 to 12 may not attend class without a second adult present and they may handle the dog under direct adult supervision.

• Children ages 13 and older may attend class as the principle handler of the dog if they have written permission from an adult. No more than one child, regardless of age, may handle a dog at the same time.

• Children should not interact with a dog other than their own without permission from their parents/supervisors, as well as the dog’s owner and class instructor.

• Children must be seated during off-leash playtime in the puppy classes..

Please use the parking lot behind the building. Please reserve the row closest to the building for the residential tenants.

Please remain on our side of the white vinyl fence when pottying your dog.

We included off leash socialization as part of our Puppy Kindergarten and Focused Puppy curriculum.

All classes are staffed with one instructor. We have space for four dogs in each class. For the Feisty Fido class we enroll only 3 dogs.

Transportation:

Ruffland Kennels, click for more info
Vario Cage, click for more info
Gunner Kennels, click for more info
Dog Hop, click for more info

Tavo Crispin https://tavopets.com

Canvas Back, www.canvasback.com

Dog Beds:

Kuranda Dog Beds, click for more info
Big Barker Dog Beds, click for more info

Wearables:

Sleepy Pod, click for more info
2 Hounds Design No Pull Harness, click for more info

Outdoor Protection:

Wondercide, click for more info
Tick Ban, click for more info

Rex Specs & Doggles www.rexspecs.com

Pet Insurance:

Health Paws, click for more info
Pets Best, click for more info

At-Home:

Pet Playground Non-Electric Fence, click for more info

Online Resources:

Whole Dog Journal, click for more info

Students in ongoing enrollment classes (Puppy Kindergarten & Focused Puppy) can attend the next time the lesson is offered if there is a seat available, or schedule a ½ hour make up session at the facility for $20.

Students in all other classes can schedule a ½ hour make up session at the facility for $20.

Availability for makeup sessions are based on the availability of the instructor.

To help keep all dogs and handlers healthy, please do not bring your dog to class if they are feeling unwell or showing signs of illness.

Please keep your dog home if they have experienced any of the following:

Vomiting or Diarrhea: Dogs experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, stomach upset, or unexplained digestive issues should not attend class. Please wait until symptoms have fully resolved and your dog has returned to normal.

Coughing or Respiratory Symptoms: Dogs with coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge, unusual throat clearing, or signs of respiratory illness should stay home. Respiratory illnesses can spread quickly in group settings.

Parasites: Dogs with fleas, ticks, intestinal parasites (such as worms), or other contagious parasites should complete treatment and be cleared before returning to class.

Fever or General Illness: If your dog seems lethargic, uncomfortable, unusually tired, painful, has a fever, or is simply “not acting like themselves,” please skip class and monitor their condition.

Exposure to a Contagious Illness: If your dog has been exposed to a contagious disease (such as kennel cough, canine influenza, parvovirus, intestinal illness, etc.), please contact us before attending class so we can help determine an appropriate return timeline.

When Can My Dog Return to Class?

If your dog has been sick, we generally ask that they be:

• Symptom-free for at least 24–48 hours

• Back to normal energy, appetite, and bathroom habits

• Cleared by your veterinarian when appropriate

If you are unsure whether your dog should attend, please reach out before class. We are happy to help you make the safest choice for your dog and the other class participants.

Spay / Neuter: We allow intact animals in class.

Please email your instructor if your female is in season.

We ask that females in season remain home until the completion of their cycle if there is an intact male in class. Otherwise they are welcome to attend wearing sanitary pants.

In the event of weather or emergency cancellation, notifications will be sent by tex, email and posted to social media pages:

• 7:00 AM for daytime classes

• 3:00 PM for evening classes

Makeup classes will be scheduled for the missed session.

Classes that are cancelled by Courteous Canine will be rescheduled.

Dogs should have a solid foundation in basic manners before beginning therapy dog preparation.

Many teams begin preparing during puppyhood by focusing on socialization, confidence, and everyday manners. Formal therapy dog evaluations generally occur once a dog has reached maturity and demonstrates emotional stability.

Most organizations require dogs to be at least one year old and have lived in their owners house for at least 6 months.

No.

Completing a class does not automatically qualify a dog for therapy work.

Therapy organizations evaluate the entire team, including the handler's skills, the dog's temperament, and their ability to work safely in real-world settings.

Our program prepares teams for success but does not guarantee certification or registration.

Courteous Canine uses science-based, positive reinforcement training methods that build confidence, trust, and clear communication.

We focus on creating therapy dog teams that are reliable, compassionate, and genuinely enjoy interacting with the people they serve.