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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas 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!
When we brought our 8 week old English lab pups home I knew I wanted professional help with training. Nick has gone above and beyond our expectations. We worked hard and practiced his lessons in between sessions. The girls learned quickly and are eager to please. The additional group classes have been hugely advantageous to socialize them and reinforce skills. Nick is a gold star trainer. Patient, calm, persistent. But you have to do the work if you want results! We are now considering service training. With Nick's expertise I have no doubt our dogs will make exceptional service animals. Thank you Nick!— Nikki Goodden
Posted June 25th 2023
Nick was amazing with my dog. She was shy at first and took some warming up. Wasn’t long before she was excited to see him and get to work weekly. She is well behaved and knows when it’s time to work (certified service dog) and when she can be herself. She is amazing and so loving. I had no idea she could be so focused. I get so many compliments on how well behaved she is. You guys are awesome.— Laura Booth
Posted November 6th 2023
Nick is the best. He makes sure he gives the dog his utmost attention and makes sure you understand what he is trying to accomplish and makes sure you understand it as well. Highly recommend this person to fulfill all your training needs for your dog— Mark Gordon
Posted November 6th 2023
Nick has been amazing! He has been working hard with our 5 month old German Shepherd Gunner. He is absolutely amazing. Gunner has really done well working with him.— Sarah Shah
Posted November 6th 2023
My puppy husky/pit mix Milo loved his training sessions. Both with Nick and Bryanna. They treated him as if he was their own and made him and myself feel very comfortable to be around. We were lucky enough to have some training time with their beautiful puppy Kaden as well. Milo was a big jumper and commands weren’t his strong suit. After a couple of training weeks with them I now feel safe having him at dog parks and even having him off leash when we go for his regular walks. I couldn’t thank them enough for the patients they had with Milo.— Allie Stark
Posted October 27th 2023
We are so happy with the training we are getting with Dog Training Elite Southwest LV! Our puppy has become calmer and more disciplined as we go through the process, and he really loves to practice the commands we learn. Nick is patient with our pup and committed to making sure he learns the commands accurately. I would absolutely recommend them for anyone with a new puppy or even an older dog who needs to learn. Thanks so much!— Mariah Dyer
Posted July 25th 2023
We worked with Nick Smith and his wife Bry, both of whom were easy and friendly to work with. Our pup Damian is a high energy pit bull who had trouble jumping up. After just a few sessions with Elite he understands boundaries better and we understand how to communicate effectively with him. Thank you for all of your efforts Nick and Bry, we will be recommending you in the future.— Chris Schack
Posted July 24th 2023
Nick has done wonders for my pup! He’s knowledgeable, patient, responsive & easy to work with. Training is based on praise treatment, not discipline. Commands are not only demonstrated but fully explained, which eases my mind and makes the training process easier for me to understand & implement with Piper. I highly recommend reaching out to Nick for your training needs! Pictured: Piper in her place(s) ☺️— Jenna Jurvelin
Posted July 19th 2023
Nick was incredible with my dog, Rio. He helped settle his obnoxious behaviors like jumping up on people, and he even corrected me in how to handle Rio when he gets a little too excited. If you’re looking for a place to help you and your dogs, your search is over! Thanks again, Nick!— Tanner Mann
Posted July 19th 2023
We have two small children so having a well behaved and mannered dog who listens well is a top priority and after completing the training our dog was the most behaved he’s ever been.— Nia Gateley
Posted July 19th 2023
Classical conditioning works best for my dog, Jisoo. She becomes the rockstar of dog obedience and behavior skills while attending DTE training sessions. Currently, Jisoo is working hard to earn the Psychiatric Service Dog. Thank you so much to her DTE trainer, Colin, for the patience and persistence. I learned a lot about dog training. Kudos to DTE-Henderson!— Aidy Resurreccion
Posted June 1st 2023
Great to work with Colin. My dog Bentley overcame his aggressiveness after the 1st day of meeting Colin. Very effective training methods. I am more than happy and pleased with the results so far. Cannot wait for more training for Bentley and me!— stanley kato
Posted May 25th 2023
I have recently started working with Dog Elite and our trainer Colin and we are seeing major improvements in the house. I can’t wait to see all the changes with Kylo over our training time 🤩🤩. Super happy to have found a team that wants to make a difference.—
Posted March 14th 2023
Dog Training Elite is helping me train my 3.5 year old doberman/shepherd mix pup. Kylo had some behaviors that I knew we needed help with and Colin has been a savior. We are currently in week 2 of training and already I am seeing huge benefits. Kylo is listening and now the kittens even come out because they know they can play without being bothered. The hugest difference is that my sister whom was attacked by a Great Dane almost 2 years ago couldn't come to my house because Kylo would jump and be too energetic for her. She has since come to the house and been on a walk with us and she couldn't believe the change that she saw. We have a long road ahead of us but I would recommend Dog Elite and Colin to anyone who will listen to me sing their praises. I know that if we put in the work I will see a change as has been proven in the last week. This program is changing my life and Kylo's for the better and I look forward to learning even more.— Andrea Stubblefield
Posted March 14th 2023
Excellent experience and training! I've worked with Service dog trainers in Denver and was referred by them to Colin and Celeste, which carried a lot of weight - and I'm glad we chose to work with them! I have been very impressed by their flexibility and diligence in working with my dog. They are a young, hungry business, and clearly love what they are doing and the dogs. And we are seeing great results week over week. My dog greets the two of them with the excitement he used to reserve just for me so that speaks volumes too! Their willingness to customize to the individual dog and personal attention go above and beyond what I could ever have expected, and I highly recommend you give them a try!— Robert Kilpatrick
Posted March 2nd 2023
Colin and Celeste are great! Very upbeat and positive, and it is obvious that they love what they do. I've had the pleasure of working with them recently and would highly recommend them.— Montina Ruffin
Posted December 2nd 2022
Very friendly staff and service was great! Sessions are going well we’re very pleased.— Mik Clark
Posted October 17th 2022
Nick and Bry with DTE we’re so wonderful with our dog Apollo. He is a high energy dog that required much more training than we could offer and they were able to provide that. They were professional, polite and took care with both us and our dog to ensure we felt comfortable and confident with their training. Thank you so much! Would highly recommend them to anyone!— Megan
Posted October 17th 2022
Nick and dog training elite were tremendous helps with our 7 month old puppy who needed some fine tuning and correction. Nick offers wonderful guidance and tools to provide more structure and leadership for your dog! Would highly recommend! :)— kenzie Arne
Posted October 13th 2022
Nick and Bryanna at DTE are incredible to work with and have improved the partnership between my dog and I. The training is top notch. I highly recommend working with DTE if you are looking for dog training.— Andrew Hood
Posted October 12th 2022
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 in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas’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 Las Vegas. 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 in Las Vegas, 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 in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas?
The Dog Training Elite in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas 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 in Las Vegas. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
