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A therapy dog is a dog who visits places like schools, hospitals and nursing homes. Therapy dog training in Tulsa 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 Oklahoma location, please reference our pricing page for complete information on services offered.
(Service Dog reevaluation mandatory 6 months after certification to verify maintenance of training - small additional fee)
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!
Fantastic experience training our service dog! He is learning so quickly and we love their gentle methods of teaching!!— Heather Pfeifer
Posted September 11th 2024
This is a such a wonderful company!!! My 5.5 month old cane corso mix is training to be my service dog and because they are so skilled she will well on her way to being certified. The trainers are super caring and knowledgeable. Tootsie is even happy to see them every time! Highly recommend!— Cheryl Rettig
Posted August 22nd 2024
We love all the trainers at Dog Training Elite! They are patient, kind and explain everything thoroughly. We have felt very supported on our journey to getting our Luna girl ready for her important job as a school therapy dog.— Hannah Bunn
Posted August 19th 2024
We are currently doing service dog training and the growth I have seen in 6 -7 weeks has been unreal. I feel confident that my dog will be passing the public access test and confident in my ability as a handler. I would give them 10 stars if I could.— Lindsey Simmons
Posted August 18th 2024
Excellent experience training our autism service dog! Very professional and knowledgeable. Highly recommend!— Ashley Kirven
Posted May 16th 2024
My puppy is a rescue. She had been through another company's training and came back after 10 days and learned only how to sit, which I'd already taught her. I called Elite. They are the best ever! They came to my house for 5 sessions and trained me how to train my puppy. What a difference it is when the dog mom/ dad is involved! I can't say enough wonderful things about this place. Any questions I ever had, I was able to text them and get my answers promptly. My dog is almost perfect at this point. Thank you Elite. We will next be doing service dog training to make my Anna more perfect. The first photo is her cap and gown graduation photo.— Michele Watson
Posted May 16th 2024
We have done puppy, obedience and service with this company and I would highly recommend them they are very knowledgeable, engaging and make you feel like family!!— Jennifer Champlain
Posted May 15th 2024
Dog Training Elite Ok has been a treat to work with. Our Hazel has become the most obedient and happy girl. We are thrilled with her training program and will now attend Group! This training has totally changed her and she's not the wild animal she was in the beginning. Thanks!— Jane Van Pelt
Posted May 7th 2024
I was needing help in training my Great Pyrenees puppy and a friend referred me to DTE. Jamie, Kristen, and Paul were a fantastic team. They would always explain in great detail why you should, or not, do certain things. Their love for dogs was evident in their training. Their training was easy commands and have been very beneficial. Instead of having a large dog who’s out of control, I now have a large dog who minds and is a joy to have around. Thank you guy’s for all the time you took to train “me” so I could train, Minnie.— Susan Cochrane
Posted May 1st 2024
They were honestly the best in helping me train my service dog. Along side that because you are involved in the training I got to learn how to train my other dogs as well. They are patient and kind and truly love dogs. You can tell that they truly have a passion for dogs and helping them and the owners succeed. The group classes are fun and great practice as well. 10/10 recommend.— Alyse Grzymala
Posted April 17th 2024
Dog Training Elite is amazing! My one yr old male labradoodle is 95 lbs of non-stop energy. He loves his training sessions and comes away from every session better behaved than the last time. DTE really takes the time to not only train the dog, but the owner as well which has made all the difference. Beyond their obedience training package, I use their day-long training sessions at their new facility when I have to be at a job site all day. It’s been great! My dog gets in a day of work on training and I don’t have to worry about trying to exercise him enough or work on his training after a long day. I can’t recommend the DTE team enough - they are awesome!— Jennifer Marie
Posted March 27th 2024
David, Kristin, Paul & Jamie are exceptional trainers. Ginger and I went to a group class for some refresher training and it was like spending time with family. The approach to dog training is consistent, well managed, and easy to follow. I am forever grateful for the obedience and service dog training Ginger received. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite!— Marilyn Fooshee
Posted August 3rd 2023
💙 Blue and I have loved working with Dog Training Elite Oklahoma. Blue is becoming a Therapy and Service dog so he can help on multiple platforms. You can really see the passion D.T.E.Ok has for what they do, and the dogs feel it too! They do an excellent job of training us so we know how to speak K-9 🐶 What I love the most is how well behaved my boy Blue is 🥰 I take him everywhere with me and people are always incredibly impressed. Then they want to love on him, and because he's a therapy dog as well, he adores allowing them to do so 💙 It's been a true blessing to both 💙 Blue and myself to work with Dog Training Elite Oklahoma!— Kitzie
Posted February 22nd 2024
They did amazing at helping me train my 10 month old GSP puppy! He is a different dog now. 10/10 would recommend!— Megan Parris
Posted February 19th 2024
We've had a great experience with Dog Training Elite. Jamie has been wonderful with obedience training our Great Dane/Great Pyrenees, Chance. He was a very nervous and reactive dog that made walking and being around strangers a struggle. Over the past few weeks we've seen noticeable changes and can see his confidence growing. We're able to walk comfortably now and the trust between us and Chance is getting better everyday.— Sarah Hintz
Posted February 9th 2024
Grateful to DTE for truly taking the time and caring about our dog’s success. It is helpful to not have a one size fits all approach….they have taken the time to get to know us, our dog, and have helped all of us make progress. They have listened and been patient as we learn we are seeing improvements with each session. Thank you!!!!! Would highly recommend to any family who wants a happy, thriving dog.— Matthew Parker
Posted February 6th 2024
My dog and I have had the best experience with Dog Training Elite. They have shown me how to building a trusting relationship with my dog that has in turn allowed him to trust me and it took our training to a whole new level. I am so excited to be working on a Therapy certification with my petite Golden Doodle and they have made it possible. I highly recommend Dog Training Elite for all of your training needs.— Michelle Talbot
Posted January 23rd 2024
I love them they are all great they have helped Bella come so far and taught me a lot about a service dog requires. I’d take all my dogs to them if I had the money they are great.— Hailey
Posted January 19th 2024
We have had an excellent experience with Dog Training Elite Oklahoma. Kristen and her team are excellent to work with. We would never second-guess our decision to work with them.— Mitch Myers
Posted January 13th 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma’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 Tulsa. 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 Oklahoma?
The Dog Training Elite Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma. Request your free training demo and in-home assessment today.
