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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Nashville 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 Central Nashville 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!
Our two Great Pyrenees mix pups were getting too difficult to train on our own. When the trainer (Reina) arrived for the assessment she knew what we needed- and we have learned so much! She loves dogs, is easy to work with, and responds quickly when there are any questions, issues, or schedule changes. Highly recommend!— Mollie Woltmann
Posted September 25th 2024
Our Dog Is Now The Star of Home Depot! We only wish we'd found you sooner! Zeppelin is our rescued & when triggered, berserk dog. He goes berserk at the sight of another dog. Pulling the leash, attack mode, very loud & ferocious. We feared for ourselves as well. He was an at-risk animal from a shelter before we even knew what at-risk means. It means: at-risk of not getting adopted & staying adopted. Sounds familiar? You're at the absolute right place to make effective changes in your dog, and in your lives. Even if your dog isn't at-risk of going back to a shelter, or you're often wishing you could give it away. Don't! Especially if you're in love with your dog + they are now a member of your family. Because after Elite's expert trainers: Now he's a behavioral star! Side note: My father was a psychotherapist & professor. I can guarantee you this review is what my father would have written about Elite and our behaviorally transformed dog! Prior to Elite's incredible trainers, Izabel & Parker, we had gone through 3 trainers & medications. Many hours with $1,000 trainers and many hours on own own + without a change from his being triggered & going berserk. We as a family always watchful & afraid. Including respectfully, the department for canine behavioral-change at University of Tennessee Knoxville. The same happened with the best private Williamson County rescue trainer, no change at all. Calming medications didn't work either. No one was a match for him. Sad! Methods that failed: Prong collar walking, walking with string cheese rewards, and group dog desensitization sessions with spray bottles. All of them gave up. There was no going outside the house for us & Zeppelin. Home Depot absolutely out of the question. Previous trainers tried, and we all left the store totally defeated. NOW! For us & for the dog himself, the behavioral reconditioning and reprogramming from Elite is easily worth many times over what we paid previous trainers! The transformation is priceless. I'm so glad that I get to see it now, daily. He now knows that we are in control of his mood & that greatly calms him down. No shock collars. No training with treats. No negative or positive vocal prompts. No forced grouping training with punishments. No water-spray bottles, no leash & prong collar jerking. No stern language or mood is needed. No punishments at all, actually. Very specific vibration collar and transmitter are provided. The best & most professional equipment & expertise using them. Very professional, simply the best. Guided group training with a muzzle is coming up. Very much like Zen, less-is-more technique. 30 minute sessions. All in your own backyard, they come to you. What could be better for so vast the change? Literally, Home Depot with a triggered rescue dog is a mammoth exercise. An impossibility after all other top trainers. He simply went berserk, forcing quick exits. He's especially triggered by much smaller dogs. We do not know why. Now, we don't have to know why. Now after only 6-8 training sessions with Elite, inside Home Depot he calmly performed Heal, Sit, and Down in the store! Unbelievable! He now has no distraction nor triggers! Another dog walked inside the aisle we're in, right behind him. He just sat there, maintaining calm eye contact with us! Elite's trainers Izabel & Parker have totally cured him. They are the wisest dog psychologists you could ever dream of working with your dog! Inside Home Depot, calmly walked him, working his commands. Then the sweetest, eldest cashier came to us "May I meet your pretty dog?" He calmly sat while she gave him a doggy bacon strip! Parking lot leaving the store, a man called out "That's a beautiful dog you have there!". Before the Elite transformation there wasn't any chance for any such compliments. Now there is & yes, now he is pretty, with even more possibilities with Elite to come! One last thing: You deserve this too. Help your dog and the enjoyments will be endless.— Bob Schmerda
Posted September 23rd 2024
Reina did great with Max! He absolutely loved his time with her ❤️— Rachel Baudendistel
Posted September 19th 2024
Reina did excellent with training my dog Ghost. Reina is very punctual and patient with Ghost.— Jessica Coleman
Posted September 17th 2024
Dog Training Elite really helped train my out of control puppy! I now have my dream dog! A dog that I am proud of!— Natalee Wells
Posted September 13th 2024
I’m happy to recommend DTE! Izabel worked with us and our teenage daughter to train her (sweet but stubborn) lab puppy, Moon. Izabel is a joy to work with— she’s an excellent teacher and trainer, and we enjoyed and benefited from every single session we had with her. I’ve also appreciated the open line of communication with DTE. They are quick to respond to my texts, always helpful, and always professional. We’re excited to do another level of training soon!— Amanda Williams
Posted August 28th 2024
I've been training with Isabelle since the spring, and both my dog and I have made tremendous progress. Previously, I tried service dog training with a different personal trainer, but the approach pushed me too far out of my comfort zone and didn't yield the results I needed. Isabelle from Dog Training Elite has helped me and my dog, Laszlo, gain confidence and work together as an effective team. The effectiveness of this training has far exceeded my past experiences. Thanks to this training, I’m now prepared to train any future dogs I may have. I’m truly grateful for Isabelle and this company!!— Anna Johnson
Posted July 29th 2024
We’ve seen big positive behavior changes in Seamus in just a little more than a month— mary mcdaniel
Posted July 11th 2024
Our 1½ year old lab has significantly calmed down. She no longer chews on anything other than her toys, and follows commands so well. Highly recommend using Dog Training Elite Central Nashville!— Katelyn Murphy
Posted June 21st 2024
We have had a great experience with the trainers! Our very stubborn puppy is making great progress with each session.— Marjana Longenecker
Posted June 19th 2024
Parker and Izabel are amazing! They have really helped our two dogs. Ruby and Raelynn are so much calmer and well behaved.— Nicole Spainhoward
Posted June 17th 2024
We have had the best experience working with Dog Training Elite- Nashville! Especially with Izabel!! She has been great with our dogs and we have learned so much! Everything on their team has been very professional and takes training seriously! We have seen such a huge improvement in our golden retrievers!— Halle Maddox
Posted June 15th 2024
I loved my time with Dog Training Elite! I really like their model where they teach my dog and I learn to reinforce it. I rarely had to feel like “the bad guy” in the process and they were always there to help when it got hard!— Tyler Kennedy
Posted June 12th 2024
What a difference a well behaved dog is to take in public areas! My dog Kash went from barking at everything and some times biting, to walking in a heel and listening to commands which I never thought was possible! His confidence is slowly growing and I’m seeing a new side to him. Thank you to Izabel who was just the best to work with! Highly recommend her and Elite Dog Training to anyone looking for a trainer for their furry kiddo— Zina Abutaleb
Posted June 5th 2024
The team at Dog Training Elite has been wonderful to work with, and they’ve very effectively trained both our dogs, including our daughter’s service dog. We are so grateful for their knowledge, expertise and professionalism and highly recommend them.— Allie Davis
Posted June 5th 2024
Parker and his team have been amazing with both our dogs. We needed help reinforcing commands with our daughters service Dog, as well as obedience training with our other Dog. He had them doing things we thought would take months within the first visit or two. Highly effective and highly recommended.— Eric Davis
Posted June 5th 2024
I was so skeptical that my 4 year old golden doodle had any chance of following commands but the team at Dog training Elite proved me wrong in the best way possible way. They are so kind and patient and just very cool people. I worked with Isabel and she was absolutely amazing. It was like have my a fun session with a friend each time. I would recommend them and Isabel confidently no matter how stubborn your fur baby may be.😊— Denise Janus
Posted May 24th 2024
Parker is AMAZING!! What you have taught me in such a short period of time is mind blowing. I truly can communicate with my dog in a way I never thought possible. Dog Training Elite Nashville is hands down the BEST!— Denise Yenchochic
Posted May 1st 2024
Izabel has been amazing! Great with me and my dog. She has been patient and has greatly improved my dog's behavior.— Elizabeth Jacobs
Posted April 8th 2024
i love elite so much!! we’ve seen so much progress in our dog and i just know he’s going to be a great service companion. we love izabel and everything she’s done for us— partygore
Posted March 30th 2024
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 Central Nashville 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 Central Nashville 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 Central Nashville’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 Nashville. 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.
Why do Therapy Dog Training with Dog Training Elite Central Nashville?
The Dog Training Elite Central Nashville 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 Central Nashville 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 Central Nashville. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
