Thanks for stopping by!  The Therapy Dog Club of North Carolina is a group of therapy dogs and handlers that exists to promote the proper training, use and certification of therapy dogs to ensure a better quality of life for those they help.

What is a Therapy Dog?

A therapy dog is a dog that is trained to provide comfort and affection to those in hospitals, nursing homes, retirement homes and schools with children with learning difficulties, developmental disorders.Therapy dogs also respond to assist people and families who may find themselves in stressful situations and environments such as disaster areas.

Therapy dogs often come in all shapes and sizes.  Breed and gender are not important for therapy dogs.  Temperament is the most important trait of therapy dogs. Good therapy dogs must be calm, patient and gentle with strangers in all situations. Therapy dogs must crave contact from humans and be content with being handled and petted quite often.

The job of a therapy dog is to go with it's handler to those places where it is needed and to be petted and handled by people who enjoy this contact. These dogs often enjoy the visits as much or more than the people they are there to assist.  Therapy dogs often contribute to their visits by performing tricks and playing structured games.

Therapy dogs and their handlers are volunteers who enjoy going into the community to help those that need their services.  Becoming a therapy dog takes hours of work and practice and is a huge commitment for both the dog and handler.  The purpose of this club is to promote the use of therapy dogs in areas of the community where they are needed as well as assisting dogs and handlers with the proper methods of conducting therapy dog visits.

Benefits of Therapy Dogs

Animals have long been acknowledged as being a positive force in the healing process for many. Dogs have a calming and therapeutic effect on people, especially those in hospitals, nursing homes and similar environments. They help people deal with the emotional issues that are related to their illness. Therapy dogs also offer direct physical contact with another living creature, something that is often missing in the lives of those in clinical environments. They always summon pleasant memories of past pets or experiences. Best of all, they avert a person's attention from the problems of the day. Therapy dogs help the elderly more easily deal with the boredom and loneliness that they too often encounter.

During therapy dog visits, everyone involved often gains from the presence of these canine health care providers.  These dogs often bring a smile not only to the residents but also to the visitors and staff. When Therapy Dogs visit these facilities, it is often a struggle to separate the dogs from the staff so that they can perform for the residents.  Therapy dogs also provide a much needed break from the routine and stress of working in long term care facilities.

 Living in a long-term care facility can be lonely and boring for its residents. Visits from therapy dogs can break their daily routines and stimulate the mind in spectacular ways. The most serious problem for older adults is not of disease; but loneliness and depression. Therapy dogs can make a resident of these facilities vibrant again, welcoming them back into the world around them.

The benefits of therapy dogs are endless.  These dogs and their handlers brighten almost any environment that they choose to work in. 

Requirements for Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs and their handlers must undergo a great deal of training and evaluation to fully ensure they are prepared to actually conduct visits.  These dogs and handlers must first successfully pass the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen Evaluation.  Then they go through a number of classes and practical evaluations before they “earn their vest” and become working therapy dogs.  The American Kennel Club CGC is a ten part test that evaluates the dogs’ level of training as well as its' temperament.  Therapy dogs are not covered by the Americans with Disabilities Act and are not afforded the privileges that service or assistance dogs are.  Therefore, therapy dogs must be invited into the public buildings where they assist.

Contact us to find out more!