Certified Therapy Dog Requirements

Basic testing for dogs.

Certified therapy dog requirements.

There is a minimum age of one year. Obviously there are many loving dogs in the world. In some cases you can apply online. 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. After achieving a cgc certification your next step will be to contact an organization to acquire your pet s pet therapy certification. Others require hands on testing to put your dog through their paces. In 2012 therapy dog international registered approximately 24 750 dog handler teams for therapy work.

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. Therapy dog certification ensures that both dogs and handlers are well. In order for a dog to be considered for a therapy dog certification the dog must meet the following requirements. Most of the tests are designed to test dogs specifically because the majority of therapy pets are dogs.

A certified therapy dog must be friendly patient confident gentle and at ease in all situations. The basic skills test usually tests your dog s basic obedience skills. Though the exact requirements of each test varies most of them require the same skills demonstrated in some way. 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.