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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Davis / Weber County 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 Northern Utah 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!
I can’t thank them enough! My wild first experience was with my unruly husky mix who didn’t care to listen. After they helped us I am excited to take him out and about, he loves the attention he gets by showing off. And we now have our Great Dane in their training program and I’m so happy with the improvement we’ve seen. Thank you!— Tristen Topham
Posted March 1st 2024
We sent our collie here to a week of training and from the first day I could not believe the change in her. Everyone is great and they are training us to continue what she learned. I was referred from a friend who sent her dog here for training. I highly recommend the training. Every dog who attended with our dog did great as each dog showed what they learned at the end of the week. Spectacular!— Debbie Hollberg
Posted January 20th 2024
As soon as my wire haired pointer started training it was a noticeable difference and at the end of the first week it was night and day difference like she was a completely different dog. They do absolutely fantastic with their training and keep very good communication with everything and anything you could possibly need! 10/10 would recommend to anyone looking to get their pup trained!— Jacob McNiven
Posted February 7th 2024
These guys rock! They helped me get my girl finished up in her training, are super responsive to messages, and are always encouraging us and looking to help. When I saw how they cared for my girl during her day camps every bit of anxiety over her being there melted away, and Eir was excited every time she went. I would absolutely anyone I know looking for dog training go to DTE Northern Utah!— Chet Showalter
Posted January 29th 2024
These guys rock! They helped me get my girl finished up in her training, are super responsive to messages, and are always encouraging us and looking to help. When I saw how they cared for my girl during her day camps every bit of anxiety over her being there melted away, and Eir was excited every time she went. I would absolutely anyone I know looking for dog training go to DTE Northern Utah!— Chet Showalter
Posted January 29th 2024
I enthusiastically recomend Elite Dog Training Northern Utah!! I was not sure if a mobility service dog was for me, but my daughter was concerned about me and dragged me into my first interview. What a wonderful day that was!! They found me a dog, and now Clyde and I have finished our first year together. The team is fantastic and I was skeptical. They truly work miricles and have taken the time to listen to me and my disability and make it work for me. They took a puppy and have turned him into a champ at going anywhere with me. I look forward to the next year and working with them. Thanks for making me a believer in what a service dog can do.— Marlene Hyndman
Posted January 29th 2024
I am so happy I chose this company to help me train my dog! Lexi and Trevor are the two trainers we had come out and they are the best! You can tell they care about your dog and know what they’re doing. I thought my dog was already good but after training he’s like a new dog with how well he listens- he loves training everyday! We’re excited to keep advancing his training through this company!— Shelby Barber
Posted January 18th 2024
These guys are truly wonderful to work with. They helped me train my German Shepherd as a PTSD service animal. They also had a lot of one on one sessions with my dog and then again with my dog and I. They have taught me a lot during the training sessions. I would highly recommend this company from just basic obedience training to what ever service animal you may need.— Mike-Wazowski
Posted January 15th 2024
What an awesome group of trainers! Mac is an awesome diabetic alert dog and we paid a lot less going this route instead of buying an already trained dog. Dan and Hailey helped us train Mac to alert and also to obey simple commands. They give you 110% dedication to help train your dog. This was a much better and cheaper solution to getting a service animal. I am at ease knowing that Mac is capable of saving my son’s life if he needs to. If you are considering a company for dog training go with Dog Training Elite, They Rock!— Dana Wellard
Posted December 7th 2023
I can’t thank Hayden and Dog Training Elite. I got Molly, a seven month old Belgian Malinios. She was beyond a handful. After trying to train her for over a year I came to realize this was beyond my capabilities. After she chased the neighbors cows through a barbed wire fence and knew I had to make a choice, either rehome her or get professional help. I saw a veteran with his service dog and asked where he had been trained and I was told Elite Dog Training. I contacted them and met Hayden the next day. We started training and with a lot of patience and really a minimal time. After several weeks of training I decided I wanted her to become a Service Dog. We then went on to the specialized training program. It took a while but she was finally able to get her training and became my service dog. Fast forward to now. I recently had to move up to Northern Utah because of my 94 year old father health issues. Because of Molly’s training I can take her with me anywhere. My dad is in the VA Rehabilitation Center in north Ogden and Molly and I ago see him at least 3-4 times a week. She not only brings joy to my dad but also to a lot of the other Veterans who are there. She is my constant companion and I would be lost without her. She still has her quirks, she is a Malinios after all. Because of Hayden and Elite Dog Training I am so grateful.— LaRae Widmeyer
Posted November 22nd 2023
DTE has done a great job with my pup Milly! They are very attentive and always available to answer any questions or concerns. I always receive a ton of compliments about how well behaved Milly is!— Elizabeth Collins
Posted November 20th 2023
We are so impressed with this service. Everyone we have worked with has been so kind and professional. They are all highly trained and very knowledgeable. We were never made to feel like we were being judged by our lack of experience and our questions were always answered with a great deal of respect. We would highly recommend Dog Training Elite to anyone looking for the best training anywhere!— Kathy Porter
Posted November 12th 2023
I have had an excellent experience with Elite (Northern) Dog Training! I love the options that they have; train at center or at home, and lots of group classes. I chose to have the trainers come to my home to work with my puppy. They were very knowledgeable, patient, and had high standards for their training. They showed me exactly how to do each step and we practiced it together. I have been so happy & impressed with my puppy's response to Elite Training! I could see the true passion for dog training that each trainer had. (Trevor is amazing & has such passion for training dogs!) We are starting our group classes and are excited to master skills with lots of real life distractions. I would recommend this training program, and am experiencing great results!— Brooke Marlor
Posted November 10th 2023
Ginger is a timid two year old rescue dog. Elite taught me that you can teach an old dog new tricks. The e-collar is a gentle training tool. We adopted a puppy and they helped us introduce her to Ginger and her new home. The trainers are all very knowledgeable and skilled. They were quick to respond to my questions and concerns.— Rebecca Skordas
Posted November 5th 2023
Their service is phenomenal! The owners Dan, Colleen are wonderful trainers, in addition to their other trainers Alex, Melanie, Hayley, & Trevor are the best trainers. They take pride in every dog they train. Our service dog is the best, she wouldn’t be if it wasn’t for their training experience, expertise, patience, and attentiveness ensuring we are well equipped to continue our training outside their facility. They provide us with homework & tasks after every session. We trust them 100% with our dog. We wouldn’t go any where else!— Michele Corning
Posted October 24th 2023
They are amazing!! My Dj is a completely different dog..staff is very knowledgeable.. The owners put so much love into the program... My sweet Dj can alert me when my sugar levels are low... I am very thankful for the training they provide for Dj and me. Highly recommend.— Andrea Bennett
Posted October 22nd 2023
All the trainers were extremely knowledgeable and helpful.— Ashley Willey
Posted October 12th 2023
After having several dogs over the years we decided to invest in training for our year old Aussiedoodle. What a great decision. Thanks to the great trainers at Dog Training Elite, Bruno modified several poor behaviors and he is even more of a joy in our home and in public. We weren’t sure it would all work but have been pleasantly surprised how responsive Bruno is to many different commands.— Bob Farrell
Posted September 26th 2023
Words can not express how happy I am with the difference in my dog. Zeuz(my dog) was having some behavioral issues that I wanted to fix. After just the first session, people were commenting on how he had changed. How last session was yesterday. The dog he is now from the one he was back in March of this year is crazy! The people that work here are very talented and care about these dogs. Trevor was the one that saw Zeuz the most and I will forever be thankful for him. They are very flexible with scheduling, and if something comes up they are more than happy to switch some things around. You will see fantastic results with these trainers. I can not recommend them enough!— Yarely Vazquez
Posted September 15th 2023
Best Dog Trainers 🐕 ❤️ They are amazing. Dj shows big improvements and can also alert me when my sugar is getting low . Thank you!!— Andrea Bennett
Posted July 26th 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 Northern Utah 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 Northern Utah 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 Northern Utah’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 Davis / Weber County. 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.
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite Northern Utah, we believe that Service Dogs save lives. It is our mission to make these life-saving companions available to our Veterans, First Responders, Women Survivors, and Children with Medical Needs. Whether it be for PTSD, Mobility Support, or Special Needs, Dog Training Elite Northern Utah works with the Malinois Foundation to heal and empower these individuals with a specialized service animal, a partner in life, and a new best friend.
Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite Northern Utah?
The Dog Training Elite Northern Utah 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 Northern Utah 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 Northern Utah. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
