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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Colorado Springs teaches dogs to provide comfort, support, and affection to the people they meet, particularly vulnerable people like children, seniors, patients in hospitals, and so on.
Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Service dogs are trained to perform specific tasks to help a person who has a disability. This distinction is important because therapy dogs do not have the same access to public places like service dogs do. For example, service dogs can go into restaurants, but therapy dogs cannot. Therapy dogs still provide a valuable service and should receive therapy dog certification.
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Who Do Therapy Dogs Help?
Therapy dogs may be regular visitors to a variety of people and places, with hospitals and rehabilitation centers being among the most common. Children, in particular, respond positively to therapy dogs.
Seniors in assisted living or people with mental disabilities who live in facilities and experience feelings of isolation also see a lot of benefits from visiting with a therapy dog.
Besides providing valuable social opportunities and relieving anxiety, therapy dogs may even help lower blood pressure and heart rate in patients and the other people they visit.
Why Are Therapy Dogs Important?
Therapy dogs offer unconditional love, non-judgmental interaction, reduce stress, anxiety and loneliness, and provide an overall positive distraction to ailments. Research shows therapy dogs can have a positive effect on a patient’s mood, stress and pain levels during facility stays.
Young patients — children — seem to benefit most from working with 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.
For people who may have a hard time socializing due to mental disabilities or their living situation, therapy dogs can promote social interaction within their community and help them to connect.
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!
Highly recommend Caroline at Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs. Our dog had become very reactive and aggressive at door knocks and doorbell rings. We needed 100% in-home training sessions to correct this behavior. Caroline was excellent and showed us how to re-train our dog within several sessions. He loved working with her and got excited at every one of her visits. She's amazing!— Laurie Carroll
Posted August 27th 2024
Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs has been absolutely amazing in helping us get our Goldendoodles therapy trained and certified. From day one, their expertise and dedication have shone through. The trainers at Dog Training Elite have gone above and beyond in ensuring that our Goldendoodles are well-prepared to provide therapy. We've been incredibly impressed by their commitment to excellence. One of the standout aspects of our experience with Dog Training Elite is their dedication to real-world training scenarios. Working in parks and businesses has proven to be a brilliant approach. It has helped our Goldendoodles become acclimated to various environments, people, and distractions. This kind of practical training is precisely what our dogs needed to excel as therapy dogs. The trainers at Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs are not only knowledgeable but also genuinely caring and patient with the dogs. They have created a positive and nurturing environment, which has been instrumental in our dogs' growth and development. We couldn't be more pleased with our experience at Dog Training Elite. They have exceeded our expectations in every way, and we are now more confident than ever in our Goldendoodles' ability to serve as therapy dogs. Thank you, Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs, for your exceptional training and support. We wholeheartedly recommend their services to anyone looking for top-notch dog training and certification. Our Goldendoodles are now ready to make a real difference in the lives of those they'll be helping.— Andrea Manuszak
Posted October 23rd 2023
There are hardly enough words to say how terrific our experience has been with CS Dog Training Elite. The entire staff is wonderful, but a special shout out to Lucas and Caroline! They have gone above and beyond anything I could have expected, and their patience and encouragement have been invaluable in giving Murphy and me a completely enjoyable and successful training experience. Murphy passed his service dog certification test yesterday, a testament to this incredible training program and the people who run it. We look forward to continuing attending group classes for "brush-ups" and to stay connected to this wonderful organization. A huge thank you from Murphy and me!— Janet Morris
Posted August 16th 2023
Amazing company! they have been superb and kind! they were able to help train my husky rescue who is my service dog in training! Lucas and Caroline have always gone above and beyond with every step! they are more than willing to answer a silly question even after hours. they have truly shaped my life and my dogs! they are so amazing and truly life changing!— Carrie Monroe
Posted July 29th 2023
Used to be that if my little terrier mix saw a dog anywhere on the block , he would totally lose his mind. now he can be comfortably next to another dog. Awesome results! He's like a totally different dog.— Merrilee Williams
Posted July 24th 2023
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Posted March 20th 2023
Speaking with Lucas today was absolutely awesome! I got all my questions answered in regards of how to go about the process with a service animal. It was a lot of information but very straightforward, which I really liked. The bubbly personality, politeness, and just how awesome the demo went today, I would recommend 100%. I'll definitely be doing business with them. :) Thanks again guys!— Audrey Escobedo
Posted January 19th 2023
We have been training our two goldendoodle puppies to be therapy dogs with Dig Training Elite. They have been amazing and very helpful every step of the way.— Andrea Manuszak
Posted January 7th 2023
Carlos and Trinity have taken our dog, who was half trained, and changed her program to be more disciplined and organized. Since being in their program, she has learned to smell and alert to seizures, behave well in public areas, and do several other tasks (retrieve thing off the ground, anxiety interruption tasks, etc). I can’t recommend them enough.— Hannah Burgo
Posted June 4th 2022
Carlos and Trinity are professional, caring and very knowledgeable. I feel they trained me as a handler as much as they did Anubis in his skills. I hate to see them go, but life moves us around for a reason. Anubis went from a gangly puppy that wouldn’t even sit on command, to an attentive hard working service dog who has become a major asset and my best friend. He continues to astound me by learning new skills with eagerness and with such excitement. I could have never gotten him trough all his training without Elite! Thank you and best to you all as you move to new adventures.— Doc
Posted August 10th 2022
Both Carlos and Trinity are excellent trainers. The last 5 weeks has transformed a bit of an out of control dog into knowing his basic manners! I can't wait to join the weekend group and continue practicing with him.— Markham Performance
Posted May 27th 2022
Who says you can’t teach old dogs new tricks? Our 9 and 10 year old dogs were having difficulty adjusting after an out of state move, we had issues with constant barking, dangerous jumping and a general lack of following directions. This training changed our day to day life in such an impactful way I can’t recommend Carlos and Trinity highly enough!— Rhiannon Billman
Posted April 3rd 2022
The results and dedication of Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs exceed all of my expectations.— linda smith
Posted January 6th 2022
We have nothing but a great experience with this training company since my daughter has received Ocean in December 2020. The staff is helpful and makes you feel like family. Training a dog is hard work, but my daughter with epilepsy and anxiety has been able to train with the help of Elite!! I HIGHLY recommend this company!!!— Dara Lightle
Posted March 11th 2021
How Does a Dog Become a Therapy Dog?
If you have felt the benefits of owning a dog, you may feel inspired to help more people feel the unconditional love, joy and support your dog provides. However, having a friendly, loving personality isn’t enough for a dog to qualify as a therapy dog. Some other qualifications to consider are:
- The age of your dog. Puppies do not make good therapy animals.
- How obedient your dog is. It’s important your dog listens to you and obeys basic commands. Dogs that go through obedience training with Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs have the perfect foundation to go onto therapy dog training, as long as they are old enough.
- How social your dog is. Your dog may be affectionate with you — but are they affectionate with strangers? Do they like to receive attention from strangers, particularly petting?
Therapy Dog Handlers
As a dog owner, it’s important to reflect on whether you would like to become a therapy dog handler as well. If you enjoy connecting with people, becoming a therapy dog handler may be a great fit. You can also choose where to volunteer to better suit your interests — if you like kids, volunteer to visit schools or children’s hospitals. If you prefer to work with older people, then sign up to visit senior living centers.
Once you’ve determined that becoming a therapy dog handler and helping your dog become a therapy dog is the right move for the two of you, you’re ready to start therapy dog training. The trainers of Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs are experts in the behaviors needed in a therapy dog and will help you and your dog either brush up on or master behaviors such as “leave it,” “watch me,” loose-leash walking and not jumping on other people.
To help your dog become well socialized, you may consider also signing up for one of Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs’s group obedience classes. A group class environment is also beneficial because it helps your dog learn to be obedient when there are a lot of distractions around, a crucial skill for a therapy dog.
Once you’ve completed initial training, you’re ready to apply for therapy dog certification in Colorado Springs. However, it is important to note that this certification is not the end. It’s important to stay on top of your dog’s training and continue to help them be the best therapy dog they can be.
Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs Partners
Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs?
The Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs training method stands out because of its emphasis on positive reinforcement. Dogs are never punished for bad behavior, instead they are rewarded for good behavior. This kind of training makes a huge difference in your relationship with your dog, and will make a difference in how your dog interacts with other people.
The balanced training method of Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs fosters a dog’s naturally loving and obedient nature. Focusing on positive reinforcement and rewarding good behavior helps build a strong bond between dog and owner built on love and trust. This foundation in turn becomes a great foundation for dog and owner to become a fabulous therapy team providing an invaluable service to the community.
If you feel therapy dog certification is right for you and your dog, get started by contacting Dog Training Elite Colorado Springs. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
