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What is a Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog is a dog that performs a service for other people. Typical therapy dog tasks are going to nursing homes or hospitals to cheer people up. For your dog to qualify, he/she must be friendly with strangers, and with training, be able to work around a high level of distraction and to understand personal boundaries, such as not jumping up, licking, mouthing, etc.
Research shows that therapy dogs can have a positive effect on a patient’s mood, stress, and pain levels during facility stays. Children, in particular, respond positively to therapy dogs. They are more motivated to participate in treatments, feel optimistic about the future, and experience an overall sense of calm when a certified therapy dog is present.
Therapy dogs can promote social interaction between individuals within communities that may not otherwise experience socialization typically. Therapy dogs offer unconditional love, non-judgmental interaction, reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness and provide an overall positive distraction to ailments.
Goals for Your Therapy Companion
- Socialization
- Lower Pain Levels
- Motivation
- Provide Comfort
- Decrease in Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
- Promote Healing
- Increase Overall Optimism
- Ease Loneliness
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Augusta location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Therapy Dog
Therapy dog training is based on your dog's abilities.
$3,175
A therapy dog volunteers alongside you, where permitted, and provides comfort to others. Examples include cheering people up at nursing homes or hospitals.
A good therapy dog is naturally friendly with strangers, able to work around a high level of distraction (with training), and able to understand personal boundaries, such as not jumping up, licking, mouthing, etc (with training).
LIFETIME SUPPORT!
- Puppy Selection advice
- Private, one-on-one training sessions in your home and the community 9 Sessions
- Group Training Classes Unlimited
- Lifetime support via text/email and in-person support sessions to be scheduled at trainer’s discretion. (No more than once per month, after completing initial program.)
- AKC Training
- AKC Canine Good Citizen Testing
- Therapy bandana, ID Card, and Certificate of Training
- Practice testing for the Therapy Test, now or in the future
- Come
- Sit, Down
- Place
- Heel
- Quiet
- Off, Wait
- Leash Manners
- People Manners
- Load up in the car / kennel
- Make a friend
- Choose one personalized greeting (high five, shake, hug, etc.)
- Top-notch off leash obedience
- Distraction Training
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
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Empowering Owners
We empower Owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times. -
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis. -
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
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Supportive
We support Owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session"). -
Involved
We work with all members of the household. -
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
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Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training. -
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term. -
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing
PSYCHOLOGY
noun
A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
We help your dog become a valued companion and beloved member of the family. Read what our customers have to say and then give us a call!
Great personality and so helpful! Seneca helped with some bad behavior and now my dog is listening to me and being the best dog she can be.— Keri Schneider
Posted June 26th 2024
Seneca is very professional and friendly. He has done wonders with our rescue dog who was afraid of everything. He is now ready for public access and his service certification thanks to Seneca. I highly recommend Seneca for your training needs.— S Fens
Posted June 13th 2024
Seneca is an amazing trainer! He has done wonders with our dog and has helped us a lot in understanding our dog too.— Arin Fenstermacher
Posted June 13th 2024
Seneca was fantastic! Showed us how to be accountable during training so that we got the most out of each session, and then training in between. He is the man! He always explained things to be relatable to help even further. I give him 10 stars if we could!— Matt DeHaven
Posted June 12th 2024
Seneca is an outstanding dog trainer! His expertise, patience, and genuine love for dogs was evident in every session. He tailored every training to suit my dog's needs and made the process enjoyable for both of us. Seneca's methods are effective and compassionate, resulting in remarkable improvements in my dog's behavior. I highly recommend him to anyone looking for a skilled and dedicated trainer. Thank you, Seneca, for transforming our training experience!— Tyler Clark
Posted June 12th 2024
Our Trainer, Seneca is really pushing our dog to be obedient. He is doing a great job with our stubborn dog. Would highly recommend Seneca and Dog Training Elite Augusta!— Erica Crossland
Posted June 4th 2024
Seneca is doing a fantastic job with our training. We have a stubborn dog that is finally starting to develop skills. Would highly recommend!— Steve Crossland
Posted June 4th 2024