Therapy Dog Training in Myrtle Beach, SC
A nine-week program of one-on-one lessons that prepares you and your dog to be a therapy dog team, finishing with the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.
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From a good dog to a therapy dog team
Our Therapy Dog Development program gives you and your dog the training to be a well-balanced therapy dog team. It starts with four weeks of basic obedience, then food refusal, supervised visits to places like a senior living facility, and preparation for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, which we give in the final week. We are certified Canine Good Citizen evaluators.
What the program covers
Basic obedience first
Weeks one to four: come, sit, break, off, place, heel, down and greetings.
Food refusal
A therapy dog has to ignore food it finds on the floor. Week five teaches it.
Supervised visits
Weeks six and seven: real visits, with your trainer alongside.
Canine Good Citizen
Week eight prepares for the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, and week nine is the test.
A free evaluation
A free 30-minute evaluation first, to check your dog is a good fit for therapy work.
Therapy dog programs
One one-hour lesson a week for nine weeks. To be insured for therapy visits you will also certify through a therapy dog organization, and we talk that through in week eight. Payment plans are available, and every program is on our plans and pricing page.
Therapy Dog Development
Nine weekly one-on-one lessons, from basic obedience to supervised visits and the Canine Good Citizen test.
Canine Good Citizen
Practice the ten Canine Good Citizen skills and take the test with a certified evaluator.
Watch one of our Myrtle Beach dogs
Castle, a 4-year-old chocolate lab, showing the calm, steady manners therapy dog work is built on. More training videos on YouTube →
What Grand Strand dog owners say
“Our goal is to further her training into a therapy dog and we are confident we have found the right match!”
“Joyell is very knowledgeable about dogs and their behavior and explains the whys and hows of everything that she trains, which, for me, is very important and also helps me to remember what I'm supposed to be doing.”
“I recommend this program and her as a trainer to anyone looking to calm their dog down and to give them good manners out in public and at home.”
Therapy dog questions
Is my dog a good fit for therapy work?
We start with a free 30-minute evaluation to find out. Your trainer can also stop the program if your dog shows stress, anxiety, reactivity or other signs that therapy work is not right for it.
Can a puppy do the therapy program?
No. Therapy training starts with basic obedience, which begins at five months. Younger puppies start with our Happy Puppy programs.
Will my dog be certified at the end?
The program ends with the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, given by our certified evaluators. To be insured for therapy visits you also certify through a therapy dog organization, and you should be well prepared for its evaluation.
What happens on the supervised visits?
In weeks six and seven you and your dog visit places such as a senior living facility or a children's home, with your trainer alongside to coach you.
Do you offer payment plans?
Yes. Payment plans are available. Call us today to learn more about payment options.
Therapy dog training across the Grand Strand
Ready to start your therapy dog journey?
Book your free phone consultation and we will tell you honestly which program fits your dog, or compare every program first.