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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Oklahoma City 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 Oklahoma location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
(Service Dog reevaluation mandatory 6 months after certification to verify maintenance of training - small additional fee)
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!
Jessica has taught us and Penny so much! Penny can now go on walks, rides, and public places without a problem. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite, well worth the investment!— Heather Kramer
Posted September 6th 2024
Dog Training Elite provides excellent dog training. My golden doodle is behaving so much better as a result of the lessons David, Kristin, and Paul provided!!!— Karen Wilson
Posted September 4th 2024
The trainers have been very helpful to us in getting our Autism Service Dog trained. They have worked well with our busy schedule. We are still in training and have completed the obedience portion and we have seen some major improvements in our dog.— Nichole Criswell
Posted September 3rd 2024
Really impressed with the training and service Dog Training Elite offers. Would highly recommend!— Shana Darby
Posted September 3rd 2024
Prior to DTE, Dashi was very nervous and reactive around other dogs, people, and vehicles. Treats were required to get her to do anything and we would never have dreamed she could ever be off-leash. Now, she is so well behaved and much better around all sorts of distractions. She regularly goes off-leash and is so much more confident and obedient! We can have so many more adventures now because we have confidence that she will listen. DTE was a game changer and our whole family is grateful! Multiple people have noticed that she really is a different dog. We won’t have another dog without DTE!— Lindsey Madden
Posted December 1st 2023
Look man, my day was a straight up "BREAK SOME shhtuff" day! While dealing with a family emergency, I realized, I was 30 minutes away from home and my apt started in 10 minutes! I called Kristen who relayed the message to Korbyn (already patiently waiting at my home because you know... punctuality matters... sorry again . She got a heads up that I was having a hard time and NEEDED the therapy. (I'm not crying, you're crying!) When I arrived to my home, 40 minutes later; (I said sorry...) Korbyn sensed my stress/anxiety and informed me that she enjoyed the views my Homefront offer. She just told me if I needed some time to center or grab a drink she would sit right there and enjoy the view. INSTANT relief. Despite my tardiness, she ensured I understood every aspect of the information she provided me. I even had a breakdown moment in front of this young lady y'all. There is not a single, tiny little thing I can say negative about her. I am HONORED to post this. ~ Adam— Adam Johnson
Posted November 12th 2023
David and Kristin have a real passion for the services they provide, and their love for both people and dogs is so genuine. We are grateful for the time and work they put into their training to ensure success!— Marcie Waligura
Posted September 17th 2023
You won’t find better training in the area for your best furry friend!! You’ll be so glad you called Dog Training Elite OKC!! We’ve known the owners/operators for many years and their results are truly inspiring!!— Holly Jule
Posted September 13th 2023
I loved DTE so much and believed in their training so fully that I became a trainer with them myself! Couldn't recommend highly enough.— korbyn carter
Posted September 11th 2023
Kristin and David helped me train my pup and now he is my full time service dog! They are so thoughtful and passionate about what they do. Couldn’t recommend them more!— Korbyn McKale Poetry
Posted August 27th 2023
This is the company and these are the people to use to train your dog. David and Kristin are amazing! They are patient yet authoritative with my dog. I saw an improvement in my dog after just the first session. But not only is my dog learning, but I’m also learning how to be a better owner. David and Kristin make the training simple and have given me the tools to reinforce everything they have taught my dog. I am so fortunate to have found them. I highly recommend David and Kristin and Dog Training Elite.— Jason Dawes
Posted July 28th 2023
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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma’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 Oklahoma City. 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.
Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite Oklahoma?
The Dog Training Elite Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
