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Therapy Dog Training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton


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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton 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.

Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County provides therapy dog training in West Palm Beach / Boca Raton to give people emotional support in all stages of life.

Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.


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Children can especially benefit from therapy animals - Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County is happy to help your family with these certifications.

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!

Josephine has been absolutely fantastic to work with! She has given us the tools to help our dogs become the best versions of themselves. The difference in just 4 sessions has been night and day for these dogs, we love practicing and working with them every day to get better. Our dogs were very reactive on leash and now family walks are much more enjoyable! Highly recommend taking the time and effort to work with her, she is wonderful!
— Krissy Weinhardt
Posted September 30th 2024
google
My daughter has a pure bred Corgi. She recently moved into a condo. She brought her dog to live there. She constantly barked The dog was not going to able to stay there. The dog is currently staying at our house. We decided to get a trainer She had several issues. She constantly barked, She jumped on anyone who came into the house and she was aggressive towards other dogs when she was being walked even though she likes other dogs We called and met with Josephine. We decided to give a try. She is making progress we did not think was possible. We have not finished the training but we are happy with the results so far. She still has a ways to go but we think she will continue to make progress and that will be able to live with our daughter. Josephine is very kind and patient and she knows what she is doing.
— Dwight Divine
Posted October 11th 2024
google
Josephine is an awesome dog trainer. She is very easy going and really knows how to not only communicate with our dog, but even more important with the owners. Throughout the process, she’s not only teaching the dog what to do but teaching the dogs owners how to continue the training process, which is probably the most important part of this journey. Our 22 month old Bernadoodle has really progressed amazingly well over just 4 or 5-1 hour sessions. We have also put in the work necessary to make this successful and are constantly hearing comments about how well-behaved our puppy is. I highly recommend Josephine and Dog training elite to anyone Who has not made the commitment to train and learn the follow up for having a well-trained dog
— Randy Lebowitz
Posted June 16th 2024
google
We got a rescue puppy who ended up being a completely different mix than we thought. We thought he was a small breed but ended up being a German Shepard/boarder collie mix and was timid and aggressive with age. I was feeling completely helpless and really didn’t think we could keep him but I wanted to try one more thing. Josephine came to our house and as much as she taught him, she taught me more. He gained respect for my authority and I gained control. I no longer have any fears from him! We have had parties with 20 people, multiple different dogs in and out of the house, doors left open and more. We are now confident he can be a part of our family forever. ❤️
— Tina Donahue
Posted June 1st 2024
google
Great so far, lots of progress with my German Shepherd. Excited to see how this develops going forward.
— Todd Morey
Posted April 23rd 2024
google
I can’t say enough about Josephine, Gracie and Dottie! Josephine is helping us with our two little pups that we adopted during Covid. They are loving little guys, but were totally out of control whenever company came over or someone came to the door. So much so, that we would have to put them in a bedroom just to open the front door ! They were over excited to greet guests, jumping , barking for attention - absolute chaos! With Josephine’s help - we are able to control them so much better and they are more relaxed when company is over. They are definitely a work in progress, but in a short few weeks we have seen such an improvement in both of them !! I highly recommend Josephine for your dog training needs - you won’t be disappointed!
— MB Davis
Posted April 17th 2024
google
We have Cavaliers. Both reactive and one in particular, a large male, demanding and at times quite annoying. That was before a chance meeting with Josephine and her dogs Gracie and Dottie at the Wellington Amphitheater, after which we signed both Cavs up for training with Elite. After a few weeks with Josephine there is a marked difference in obedience and behavior allowing us more freedom to enjoy our pups. In the past we could not walk them if other dogs were around as they wound act like the hounds from hell. Now they pay attention to us and can remain calm which was the number one goal we had with the training. Importantly, the training is probably as much training us as it is our Cavs, but together we have learned how to drastically improve our dog owning experience, keeping all the good that comes with it and filtering out the bad. Josephine has the tools, techniques and knowledge that made it happen. We did not believe it could. But it did! Thank you.
— roger lawrence
Posted April 16th 2024
google
Josephine is just the sweetest! She has done amazing work with our dogs and we are so grateful. We have 3 rambunctious pups (different sizes and different breeds) who don’t normally warm up to people quickly but they felt right at ease with Josephine. She treats them as if they are her own and I couldn’t be more appreciative. Everyone should sign up with Josephine! 😊
— Kayla Rogers-Callaghan
Posted March 28th 2024
google
I was very nervous but Josephine explained everything and I was much calmer. She was able to work with me when we had to individualize my beagle's training regimen. Thank you!
— Lauren Schwal
Posted March 13th 2024
google
Josephine has done a great job in helping us train Dolly.. She is patient, soft spoken but provides us with the tools and lesson plans to train our puppy.. Walking was incredibly difficult with Dolly pulling and barking at other dogs and bikers… After one lesson, she is heeling, not barking or pulling !!
— Sandra Hoesley
Posted March 9th 2024
google
Josephine is a great trainer. She really connects with the dogs and teaches you how to do the same. I loved the convenience of having her come to us for weekly appointments. She is extremely knowledgable and patient. Unfortunately we had to head back up north and could not spend more time or join a group. Thank you! Danielle and Leroy Brown
— Danielle Jacobs
Posted February 20th 2024
google
We have a golden retriever. 4 years old. We had behavioral issues with her. She would pull on the leash and go after bicycles ect. My wife called the dog trainer to train our dog to correct the issues. We bought her best program and she met with us weekly . She sits, lays, heals, and comes to me on comand. Also she can stay in place when people come over instead of jumping all over them. We are now educated in what to do going forward and will continue to use her expertise in the future.
— Thomas Carpenter
Posted February 14th 2024
google
I've been working with Josephine on training my Shih-poo Louis. He was very willful when we started, pulling on the leash when we went for walks and barking incessantly when he heard the doorbell or any noise outside. He's gotten much better with the pulling and although he will still start barking when he heard a noise, he'll quite down when I tell him to stop. I'm very pleased with the progress he's made. Highly recommend if you have a dog with annoying or troublesome behaviors.
— George Leef
Posted February 10th 2024
google
If you are looking for a dog trainer that is extremely knowledgable, will work with your schedule, and genuinely cares about the well-being of your pup, please look no further than working with Josephine! For context, my wife and I are out of the house for most of the day all week, and we quickly realized that our new puppy needed training. To keep it short, our evenings used to consist of coming home to a puppy who was seemingly off the rails, and we were completely overwhelmed. We found Josephine and she came for a consultation that same day which was huge because at that point we were really at our breaking point. From then on, our lives completely changed. She quickly identified actionable steps for us and enrolled us in the plan that she thought would fit our wants and the needs of our dog. She also did this in the calmest manner, and we left that consultation feeling excited for the future of us and our dog. Now, our evenings consist of coming home to a routine and a puppy who is thriving on that routine! We are now able to do things that I never thought would be possible, like grabbing a late night snack at the local diner and having our dog laying down next to us completely calm! We are eventually working towards having our dog trained to being off-leash reliable, and I am genuinely convinced that with Josephine's guidance our dog will get there! I cannot thank DTE for all of the support they have given us. I would recommend them to anyone with any type of dog!
— Alberto Pavon
Posted November 22nd 2023
google
Josephine has been HANDS-DOWN the best investment that I have ever made! If you have a large breed high-energy dog or are finding yourself in the middle of the "puppy blues", I strongly urge you to look no further than Josephine as your dog trainer! As a brand new dog owner to a 6 month old German Shepard/Husky mix, I quickly became overwhelmed with all of the conflicting information available online about how to properly train your dog. Therefore, when searching for a dog trainer, I knew I needed someone who would not only train my dog, but also educate me on how to coexist and grow with my dog. I wanted someone who would work in partnership with me, give me lifelong skills, and see the bigger picture. Josephine not only exceeded this expectation, but also exceeded all of my other expectations! My dog Rocky immediately warmed up to Josephine, as she had a calm but strong presence about her. He thoroughly enjoyed the training sessions because he was always actively learning and bonding with us! As a German Shepard/Husky mix, this was a dream come true for Rocky! Within weeks, it was as if we had a completely different dog! Rocky was actively looking for ways to apply his new skills, and eventually, we had a new language in the house that was understood by us as his owners, and Rocky. This tremendously helped our relationship and transformed our house. Before training, we were inconsistent on expectations for Rocky. We were also lost on how to mentally stimulate him, and did not know how to communicate to him that certain behaviors were not what we wanted (stealing socks, jumping on guests, pulling on the leash, reactive towards other dogs). After training, I could drop a sock or shoe in front of Rocky and he wouldn't flinch, he knows to stay in "place" when guests come over, and our walks are actually enjoyable because he remains in a "heel" position until we give him the okay! Rocky can even ride up the elevator in our apartment building with another dog inside with him and remain completely calm! To anyone thinking about training, I would strongly urge you to use Dog Training Elite! I know trusting a new person with your fur baby can be scary, but I can honestly say that I will be enrolling any future dogs with them without hesitation. It is to the point where I have had neighbors who I have never spoken to before come up to me and praise Rocky for being so well-mannered. They truly saved my relationship with my dog and that is something that I can never repay them for!
— Emily Rivas
Posted November 22nd 2023
google
Josephine was amazing with my Layla. Layla is a silver lab and was horrible on the leash. She has become a wonderful listener and walking buddy. 100% worth every penny.
— Christina La
Posted November 18th 2023
google
Before training it was chaos. Panda was out of control, bad behavior, super noisy, bad with guests, our property manager gave us a warning letter with a notice regarding his disruption to peace with the neighbors. We knew we had to do something fast. So we contacted Dog Training Elite and started the program. Now I’m proud that I can socialize with people and not having my dog bothering anyone. We can go out now and we can stop his behavior before it starts. Everyone who knew him before training noticed the big change in Panda. Thank you Josephine & Gracie.
— Joely Tangarife
Posted November 9th 2023
google
Best decision we made for our family and Harry, our dog. What a difference DTE made for us, we are forever grateful. Josephine was on time, professional, and extremely helpful, helping us fall even more in love with Harry.
— R Ferr
Posted April 11th 2023
google
Before Martian started training, he had no self-control. He would jump on everyone, pull on his leash, and bite while we were playing with him. Since training, he has gained self-control and no longer jumps on everyone. He follows basic commands and is off to being the best version of himself! If you are looking for training with a true professional, Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County is the way to go!
— Natalie Vazquez
Posted November 6th 2023
google
Josephine the trainer, played a HUGE part for my dog. I was concerned that it was going to take a long time but it was the opposite! She is friendly, full of love, and is passionate about what she does. This is my first time doing this and it is worth every money I invested with Josephine.
— Josue Levis
Posted August 11th 2023
google

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This cute pup is excited to learn and help provide support with his therapy training with Dog Training Elite Palm Beach CountyWest Palm Beach / Boca Raton.

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 Palm Beach County 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 Palm Beach County 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 Palm Beach County’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 West Palm Beach / Boca Raton. 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.

By working with Dog Training Elite Palm Beach CountyWest Palm Beach / Boca Raton, you will also be trained to be a therapy dog handler with your pup.

Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County?


The Dog Training Elite Palm Beach County 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 Palm Beach County 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 Palm Beach County. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.

Contact Dog Training Elite Palm Beach CountyWest Palm Beach / Boca Raton if you feel this certification is right for you and your pup.

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