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What is a Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog is a dog that performs a service for other people. Typical therapy dog tasks are going to nursing homes or hospitals to cheer people up. For your dog to qualify, he/she must be friendly with strangers, and with training, be able to work around a high level of distraction and to understand personal boundaries, such as not jumping up, licking, mouthing, etc.
Research shows that therapy dogs can have a positive effect on a patient’s mood, stress, and pain levels during facility stays. Children, in particular, respond positively to 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.
Therapy dogs can promote social interaction between individuals within communities that may not otherwise experience socialization typically. Therapy dogs offer unconditional love, non-judgmental interaction, reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness and provide an overall positive distraction to ailments.
Goals for Your Therapy Companion
- Socialization
- Lower Pain Levels
- Motivation
- Provide Comfort
- Decrease in Stress, Anxiety, and Depression
- Promote Healing
- Increase Overall Optimism
- Ease Loneliness
Not all training packages may be available at our Dog Training Elite of the NC Triangle location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
Therapy Dog
Therapy dog training is based on your dog's abilities. Purchase of additional equipment may be required.
$2,795
A therapy dog volunteers alongside you, where permitted, and provides comfort to others. Examples include cheering people up at nursing homes or hospitals.
A good therapy dog is naturally friendly with strangers, able to work around a high level of distraction (with training), and able to understand personal boundaries, such as not jumping up, licking, mouthing, etc (with training).
- Puppy Selection advice
- Private, one-on-one training sessions in your home and the community 9 Sessions
- Group Training Classes 32 sessions
- AKC Training
- Therapy bandana, ID Card, and Certificate of Training
- An exclusive directory of therapy events and locations for you to donate your time
- Come
- Sit, Down
- Place
- Heel
- Quiet
- Off, Wait
- Leash Manners
- People Manners
- Load up in the car / kennel
- Make a friend
- Choose one personalized greeting (high five, shake, hug, etc.)
- Top-notch off leash obedience
- Distraction Training
Our Balanced Theory
We base our training around the "Classical Conditioning" model (a.k.a. "Pavlovian" or "respondent conditioning"). This includes developing conditioned or automatic reflexes to commands. In its simplest form (after proper conditioning), when the owner says "sit," the dog automatically sits without thinking about it. Our unique techniques ensure our program is a success no matter what behavior we encounter.
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Empowering Owners
We empower Owners to train so their dog knows who to obey at all times. -
Personalized
We deal with problem behaviors on a personal basis. -
Environment Specific
We train wherever issues tend to arise (i.e. jogging, park, home).
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Supportive
We support Owners in the off-hours (when training is "not in session"). -
Involved
We work with all members of the household. -
Simplified & Customized
We plan training around the owner's schedule and require only 20 min/day follow-up practice.
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Continued Training
Additional programs / group sessions offered after in-home training. -
Lifetime Investment
We follow up & are invested in the owner's success long-term. -
Satisfaction Ratings
Our high client satisfaction rating sets us apart from competitors.
clas·si·cal con·di·tion·ing
PSYCHOLOGY
noun
A learning process that occurs when two stimuli are repeatedly paired; a response that is at first elicited by the second stimulus and is eventually elicited by the first stimulus alone.
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!
We’ve had our dog with DTE for the past 6 months and seen huge improvements as he is a poodle puppy and we needed him to be a service dog. Alex is the all-star team member and the trainer you’d want to prepare your family. Alex makes herself available for questions we have outside our sessions, is on time, friendly and goes the extra mile during Saturday classes at the park where our dog learns from other dogs/handlers.— Taylor Gustafson
Posted November 16th 2023
This training saved our poor dog! Virginia was always so anxious. We tried everything we could think of including local dog training where you go to their facility. It wasn’t until Alexx came to our home that the light bulb went off for us as owners. She needed to be taught what she was supposed to do. Once Alexx started training Virginia, everything clicked. Now she is so happy to lucky and rarely shows signs of anxiety. She goes to her designated “place,” she doesn’t bark, she walks on a leash without pulling, and is very well behaved. In home dog training is the way to go and we highly recommend Dog Training Elite!— Darren Pierce
Posted August 25th 2023
Cindy and Alexx are very responsive and helpful! Our “pandemic puppy” had become a terror and was extremely reactive around other people and dogs. When our teen wanted to get a service dog, we knew we needed help with our current pup before we could even consider bringing another dog into the household. Once our family started working with Alexx, we noticed a difference right away. Our pup started responding to commands and visitors to our home noticed how much calmer she had become. Our pup is still a work in progress but Alexx always has helpful suggestions to help us work through every issue. Cindy helped us find a reputable breeder for our daughter’s service dog in training and we will be working with Alexx again to train the new pup! I am so thankful that we found them!— Carolyn Allen
Posted July 14th 2023
Proud Sponsor of The Malinois Foundation
At Dog Training Elite of the NC Triangle, 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 of the NC Triangle 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.