A therapy dog walking in a park with their owner - contact Dog Training Elite to talk to a professional therapy dog trainer in St. George, UT!

Therapy Dog Training

Dog Training Elite St. George

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Our Therapy Dog Training Could Help:

Those managing chronic pain
People looking to increase social interaction
Anyone seeking enhanced motivation and purpose
Individuals in need of emotional comfort
Those experiencing stress, anxiety, or depression
People wanting to boost overall optimism
Anyone feeling lonely or isolated

Therapy Dog Trainer in St. George, UT

What is a Therapy Dog?

A therapy dog is trained to provide emotional support and comfort to people in need, often visiting hospitals, nursing homes, and schools. These dogs must be friendly with strangers, able to handle high levels of distraction, and understand personal boundaries like not jumping, licking, or mouthing. With proper training, therapy dogs can bring joy and emotional relief to those they interact with, offering companionship in stressful environments.

At Dog Training Elite, we offer programs to help your dog become a certified therapy dog. As a leading therapy dog trainer in St. George, UT, we focus on developing the right temperament and skills so your dog can confidently provide comfort and support in various settings. With our professional guidance, your dog can become a valuable source of emotional care and connection for individuals in need.

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A therapy dog in training with Dog Training Elite St. George's expert handlers.

How Does a Dog Become a Therapy Dog?


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While the companionship your dog brings you may inspire you to share that with others, not every dog is suited to be a therapy animal. Beyond a friendly, loving personality, several important qualifications must be met for a dog to be considered for therapy work:

  • Age: Puppies are typically too energetic and lack the focus to be therapy dogs.
  • Obedience: A therapy dog must follow commands reliably. Dogs that have completed obedience training with Dog Training Elite have the solid foundation needed to begin therapy dog training.
  • Social Skills: Therapy dogs need to naturally enjoy meeting new people and must handle being petted and approached by strangers without anxiety. Their ability to remain calm and friendly, even in unfamiliar situations, ensures they can provide emotional support to those they interact with.

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You and your canine companion really can have it all. See how easy it can be to become a member of the elite pup society by requesting a free consultation today!

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FAQs

One of our trainers will visit your home to meet you and your dog and discuss any issues you're facing. We will then demonstrate one of our model dogs so you can see what you can expect after hiring our trainers. From there, we will discuss the various packages we offer and which we feel best suit your (and your dog's) needs.
We provide full obedience training that covers all basic commands, both on and off-leash. Our in-home visits target specific issues like counter-surfing, digging, and more. Unlike some trainers, we work with all breeds, including those often considered challenging.
Yes. You (and anyone in your family who wants to be involved) are integral to your dog getting trained. We need you to practice 5-6 days a week, about 15-20 minutes a day for optimal results.
Once a week. We come to you (with the silver, gold and platinum packages) once a week to start your dog off, then you come to park sessions which are held once a week in St. George.
We train dogs of all breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Whether your dog is a tiny Chihuahua or a large Mastiff, we have the experience and expertise to work with them.

Hear From Our Customers

Learn Why Dog owners choose Dog Training Elite

  • Libby Mabey
    Sep. 12, 2024
    Hunter was amazing with my puppy and so patient. Norman learned everything he was taught and it was an amazing experience. Would recommend to anyone with a dog!
  • Brittney Harrell
    Aug. 6, 2024
    Hunter is the Best! He has made training so effortless. Highly recommend!
  • Taylor Stratton
    Jul. 26, 2024
    I would highly reccomend dog training elite! i’ve really enjoyed working with hunter with my puppy, cooper. Hunter is extremely patient, & he definitely knows his stuff! I’ve noticed quite the tremendous difference after my last few sessions. Cooper is now excited to see Hunter when he comes for trainings. Couldn’t ask for a better trainer!
  • K Richardson
    Jul. 26, 2024
    Backstory and why I am so glad they changed owners: We started off with this company a little less than a year ago to have our new dog service trained for my husband. The first trainer to show up, Sarah, was super cool and kind and had given us a pretty clear plan of how at home training was going to go, we thought training was going well, she was kind and we could tell she cared, but after our third lesson with her Hayden showed up at our fourth and basically just said he was taking over since we had a service dog and we were going to switch to public outings and just cut a lot of corners and cut Sarah's original plan extremely short. My husband felt like we were getting scammed and didn't like how all of a sudden we weren't getting personal training and just repetitively walking through stores and basically being told our dog was ready to pass his test, when we didn't even really have all the basics done at home. Just didn't feel right and I was in denial saying we'd get more home lessons later like they promised cause I didn't want to believe this training cost us thousands of dollars. But my husband really was not ok with it and knew something was wrong. Then the ownership changed and I'm soooooo happy it did! They took on all the old clients that had thought their dogs were service trained and have basically saved them from having issues in the future when they would find out they weren't. Hunter is so nice and definitely more knowledgeable than Hayden, or maybe it's because he actually cares. We've had more in-home visits in the past couple months than we did in the 8 months prior and my husband, who just feels things in his gut, magically, was happier and more involved since Hayden left and Hunter and Evan took over. We basically had to start from scratch because even the collar commands were incorrect before, but these owners are taking all this extra work on at their own expense and I'm so grateful for them. This is now worth the money and Jett, our pup, loves Hunter. Thank you guys for taking on this heavy load and helping all of the original customers out!
  • Riah Tafoya
    Jul. 26, 2024
    We love dog training elite St George! We have been working with them for a few months on service dog training and they have been super helpful and knowledgeable. We have seen a world of differences. My pup (rescue) was abused and anxious of the world and it is amazing to now see him so confident and able to explore. I can not say enough for this company. Our trainer Hunter is amazing and I hope you and your furry friends are lucky enough to work with them.
  • Cassidy Robertson
    Jul. 26, 2024
    My pup and I have been in the service dog program with DTE since September 2023. I want to join the crowd of those who were unhappy with the training we were receiving at that point -- often feeling rushed, ignored, or like my poor dog was just stressed out. HOWEVER, The new owners, and Hunter specifically, have been amazing. We've been working with them for a few months, and I can already see a difference in my pup. He's happier and behaving better, and I feel like I'm actually learning how to implement the training at home! He's spends SO much time with us and never makes us feel rushed. My service dog is officially doing his task training now, and is excelling at it thanks to Hunter's patience, kindness, and willingness to work at my pups level. We are very happy with the new ownership, and I feel so hopeful about my pup as he becomes closer and closer to being fully trained!
  • Jennifer Laudel
    Jul. 26, 2024
    Our trainer was outstanding. He gave 100 percent effort. Our dog who can be agressive, eventually warmed up to our trainer thanks to his patience and persistence.
  • Cortney Jackson
    Jun. 12, 2024
    Trainer Hunter, is just what my pup and I needed. Norah, my spunky Aussie-doodle, has already learned so much from Hunter, as have I. Norah is much more respectful and intelligent after proper training. Norah and I are doing full service animal training. It is a lot of work, but it is done with an emphasis of care, not only with Norah, but with me. Thank you Hunter and DTE! Shout out to Evan who has also helped me tremendously!⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
  • April Smith
    May. 28, 2024
    I cannot thank Evan, Hunter, and Kaycee enough. They went above and beyond to make accommodations for extra support either in person, phone, or texting. They are the A-Team to have for helping me with my service animal and helping me meet a hard deadline before I leave town. My Great Dane attached instantly which tells me she reads them as leaders who also love and care for her, and not “do this!” because I tell you to do so. That is huge, as a Great Dane is incredibly sensitive and needs special handling. My quick rundown: 1) after assessing my girl and my short deadline, they tailored the training for focus on the top 5 ‘must haves’ first. This was after long onboarding conversations with both Kaycee and Evan. We dove right in with full 1-hour sessions that provided me with easy to do homework so results for that week’s lesson were ingrained quickly. The use of an e-collar was hard until it was explained and demonstrated. This, in conjunction with our already established treat/reward training, was taken into account and has been well received by my girl. So far, highly effective and notable progress is being made. Overall Experience is a 5/5: I highly recommend this very specific A-Team. The communication, accommodations, and approach coupled with Evan’s expertise, is making me smile!!
  • Amy Ence
    May. 22, 2024
    I highly recommend Dog Training Elite with Hunter and Evan! They really are dog whisperers because they genuinely care about and love dogs. Implementing the commands, rules and boundaries with our pups is helping to make Toffee and Frito an even more beloved part of our family. I loved that Hunter took time to teach my daughters and husband and I how to use the e-collar correctly for obedience training. They also worked individually with Toffee and Frito. We have been given all we need to succeed in our homework for the week and reinforce the learning. We always look forward to the next visit! The time Hunter and Evan have spent with us has won us over. This training is completely worth the money. The new ownership and trainers have far exceeded our expectations. Even the company and scheduling is well organized and just fantastic. Moreover, our dogs love Hunter! He has gone above and beyond to help us get the kind of training that ensures our pups are healthy and happy and we are too!
  • Dracozu
    Sep. 12, 2023
    Best dog training place in St. George. My dogs never behaved, but after working with Sarah and Hayden, I have seen such an improvement in the behavior of my dogs. Highly reccomend!
  • Shantel Baker
    Mar. 17, 2023
    Hayden and his team of trainers have been so wonderful to work with training our dog! About a year ago we started working with Dog Training Elite to service train my dog and we have had nothing but positive exprience from day one. Even now, if I ever have an issue or concern with my dog, the trainers are more than willing to help out. 10/10 best investment for my pup!
  • Kaimana Allen
    Feb. 22, 2023
    Sarah and Hayden have done such a great job for us and our dog Lil'bit. They helped us to be more confident which has given our dog an opportunity to rise to his confident self. With all the preparation we were so happy when Lil'bit was introduced to other dogs. Hayden did such a great job helping Lil'bit understand how to interact with other dogs. Both Sarah and Hayden have helped us to be confident with our dog around other people and other dogs. Thank you for bringing more freedom to our home.
  • Cynthia Guptill
    Jan. 4, 2023
    I adopted Watson two years ago after losing my 18 year old Peekingese. I have gotten older and I needed help with Watson's training. I am so glad I called dog training elite. The e-coller has never left any marks on my dog however it does help him to pay attention to what is being taught. Hayden (the trainer) is professional, dependable and very patient with me. Hayden explains the training techniques thoroughly and I am seeing real results. Thank you Dog Training elite!
  • Shane Davis
    Dec. 8, 2022
    In the beginning, I was involved with the shock collar for my dog, and I was not comfortable with doing it, and really didn’t want to believe in it. But after being educated about the guard and how it teaches the dog faster and more relevant to the situation. So it took me a little while but I grew into it and now it’s become an every day lesson with my dog.
  • Leslie Seal
    Oct. 22, 2022
    I can’t even tell you how happy I am with the results of training our puppies with Dog Training Elite St. George. I guess since I’m submitting a review I will try. I have 2 dogs ages 5 and 1. We have all but given up on our five year old ever responding to us when we call him (unless it’s on his schedule). When we got the new puppy, we decided to make the extra investment to train him right. We really want to have a well behaved dog that doesn’t freak out in public. Hayden from Dog Training Elite trained both dogs for us! Now, when people come over, the dogs will stay in their place. They don’t jump up on people. We can take them for walks or to festivals and they are so well behaved. Now, I’m one of the cool dog owners that has the awesome dogs- not just one, but two! Also- we have trained our little dog to be a service animal and he gets to visit the kids in the hospital and they love it.
  • Katelyn Bryner
    Oct. 20, 2022
    I would definitely recommend working with them to train your dog! Very clear instruction and results.
  • Bobby Cuomo
    Aug. 16, 2022
    Hayden at DTE has been absolutely outstanding in getting my crazy German Shepherd Dog under control. He has taught me a great deal on how to control my dog’s behavior. In just a few short weeks I am able to walk my pup with confidence without all the barking and pulling. Thanks Dog Training Elite! Money well spent.
  • Alexandra Imbach Lagenour
    Jul. 16, 2022
    Hayden has been great!! We have 6 dogs. 4 pit mixes (all rescues) one heeler and one Dane. My Dane and male pit mix are having some aggression towards one another and my main goal was creating an overall more structured/peaceful home for them. DTE has been super accommodating! I live in Mesquite and Hayden comes to my house every week! And worked with my goals. We still have a long way to go but he has truly helped me and my four legged kids. As someone who has years of experience with animals of all kinds, having his outside and professional skills has dramatically improved our lives. Pic of our two boys together!
  • Andrew Jensen
    May. 1, 2022
    A life giving experience. We were ready to find a new home (or possibly put down) our aggressive dog after he had bit several people including us multiple times and a random kid. We were completely lost with what to do, it was a very emotional time. We called Hyden with Dog Training Elite out of complete desperation. Within a few weeks our aggressive puppy that we loved so much was making huge strides. Not only is he not aggressive anymore, he has learned basic and advanced obedience techniques. We would HIGHLY recommend Dog Training Elite for anyone with an aggressive dog or anyone who is looking to improve their dogs’ behavior.
An obedient dog in a fran_territory_name} emotional support dog training program.

Benefits of Therapy Dogs

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Therapy dogs have a profound impact on individuals’ emotional and physical well-being. Research demonstrates that therapy dogs can improve a patient's mood, reduce stress, and even lower pain levels during hospital stays or medical treatments. Their calming presence provides comfort and relief in challenging moments.

Children, in particular, often respond well to therapy dogs. The companionship and playful interaction of a therapy dog can motivate children to engage more fully in treatments, helping them overcome fear or reluctance. With a therapy dog by their side, children tend to feel more optimistic and less anxious.

Beyond medical settings, therapy dogs also foster social interaction, especially in autism and mental health communities. These dogs offer non-judgmental companionship and serve as a bridge for individuals who may struggle with social connections. By reducing feelings of loneliness and anxiety, therapy dogs offer their owners comfort and companionship that enhances the overall quality of life.

A therapy dog handler with their dog trained by Dog Training Elite St. George.

Therapy Dog Handlers

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If you’ve ever wanted to make a meaningful impact in your community, becoming a therapy dog handler offers a unique opportunity to do so alongside your dog. You can choose where to volunteer based on your interests, such as schools, hospitals, or senior living centers.

Once you’ve decided, therapy dog training is the next step. Dog Training Elite St. George’s expert trainers will help your dog master essential behaviors like loose-leash walking, “leave it,” and not jumping on people. After completing training, you can apply for therapy dog certification, but it’s essential to keep up with ongoing training to ensure your dog remains well-behaved and ready to assist.

Additional Training Programs

Dog Training Elite St. George - Dog Obedience Training in St. George, UT. DTE
Obedience Training
Dog Training Elite St. George - Elite Puppy Training in St. George, UT. DTE
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Dog Training Elite St. George - Elite Service Dog Training in St. George, UT. DTE
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Dog Training Elite St. George - Aggressive Dog Training in St. George, UT. DTE
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Dog Training Elite St. George - Top Group Dog Training in St. George, UT. DTE
Group Classes
A fully trained service dog from Dog Training Elite St. George.

St. George Emotional Support Dog Training

Why Choose DTE for Therapy Dog Training?

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At Dog Training Elite St. George, our training programs prepare your dog for real-world situations where their presence can provide emotional support and comfort. Beyond just obedience, our training teaches your dog how to handle stressful or highly stimulating environments like hospitals, schools, or nursing homes.

We also place a strong emphasis on socialization and adaptability, making sure your dog can confidently engage with people of all ages and backgrounds. Therapy dog work requires attentiveness and empathy, and our training helps your dog develop these traits. With a foundation of trust, consistency, and patience, your dog will be fully equipped to offer comfort and companionship wherever it’s needed.

A group of dogs being trained by the expert team at Dog Training Elite St. George.
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ESA vs. Therapy vs. Service Animals

What's the Difference?

Animals that provide assistance and companionship can be classified into three main groups: service animals, emotional support animals (ESAs), and therapy animals. Each has different responsibilities, training requirements, and legal protections. Knowing the differences can help you choose the right type of support for a disability, emotional needs, or therapy purposes.

Here are the defining features of each type:

Service animals are trained to help individuals by performing tasks that meet their specific needs, such as:

  • Redirecting attention when an individual is beginning to feel overstimulated
  • Reminding owners to take medication
  • Waking someone who is having a nightmare

Service dogs are highly valued in the mental health and disability community and are protected under ADA laws, allowing them to accompany their owners anywhere. At DTE, we provide specialized training for service dogs that assist individuals with autism, diabetes, and PTSD.

The key difference between ESAs, therapy dogs, and service dogs is that service animals are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. This means they are allowed to go anywhere their owner goes. ESAs and therapy dogs do not have the same protections as service dogs, and public places can set their own rules about allowing them.

ESAs are prescribed by licensed mental health professionals to help individuals with mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression. These animals provide emotional support simply by being a comforting presence. Unlike service dogs, ESAs are not trained to perform specific tasks related to their owner's condition.

ESAs can be of any breed or age, and while they do not require the same level of training as service dogs, many owners choose to seek additional training. This can help strengthen the bond between the owner and the animal and improve the ESA's ability to provide consistent emotional support in different situations.

Therapy animals provide comfort and emotional support to individuals in need. They are not trained to assist a single person but are instead taught to be well-behaved and sociable around various groups of people. These animals help reduce stress, anxiety, and loneliness for those they visit.

Unlike service animals, therapy animals are not required to perform specific tasks. Their calming presence is what makes them valuable in therapeutic programs.