# How to Earn AKC Therapy Dog Title



## ILGHAUS

From an email that I received from the AKC today ....

How it works:

AKC will not certify or test therapy dogs. Instead, we will work with existing therapy dog certification/registration organizations that are the experts in this area.​ 
A therapy dog title has consistently been one of the most requested titles ("Please add a therapy title to acknowledge the great work our dogs do!") at AKC.​ 
This title is for dogs who have already worked as therapy dogs.​ 
*REQUIREMENTS* ​
To earn the AKC Therapy Dog title, you and your dog must meet the following criteria:
Certified/registered by an AKC recognized therapy dog organization
Perform a minimum of 50 visits
The dog must be registered or listed with AKC. Because we add the title to a dog's AKC record, the dog needs an AKC number to earn the title.
Both purebred and mixed breed dogs are welcome to apply for the AKC Therapy Dog title. Mixed breed dogs enroll in AKC Canine Partners to acquire a number for earning titles. 
To learn more or to download an application, visit www.akc.org/akctherapydog, or contact us at (919) 816-3900 or [email protected]​


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## ILGHAUS

Information and contact info must be sent in with the application so that it can be verified.

Make sure you have met the requirements below.
__ 1. Provide verification of being certified/registered by an AKC recognized therapy dog organization.
This can be done with a copy of a wallet card or certificate from the certification organization.
A list of certification organizations can be found at: www.akc.org/akctherapydog

__ 2. Provide verification of a minimum of 50 therapy dog visits. This can be done by using a:
1) Therapy Dog Record of Visits Form (see www.akc.org/akctherapydog) or, 
2) Certificate or wallet card from certifying organization indicating the dog has made 50 visits or 
more, or,
3) Letter from the facility (nursing home, school, hospital, etc.) where the dog served as a therapy 
dog. Letters must be on facility letterhead. 


To see the rest of the application
http://www.akc.org/pdfs/therapy_dog/title_application.pdf


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## ILGHAUS

Record of Visits

To earn the AKC Therapy Dog title, you and your dog must have completed at least 50 therapy visits. These visits must be documented with time, date, location, and a signature of a staff person at the facility (e.g., school, hospital, etc.). This documentation can be achieved by submitting one of the following –

Therapy Dog Record of Visits Form or,
Certificate or wallet card from a certifying organization indicating the dog has made 50 or more visits or,
Letter from the facility (nursing home, school, hospital, etc.) where the dog served as a therapy dog. Letters must be on facility letterhead. Contact information for verification purposes should include facility name, address and contact person's name, phone number and/or email address.
American Kennel Club - AKC Therapy Dog Program


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## Andaka

Great! And by requiring the dog actually have 50 visits, then the owner isn't just getting the title to have another title.


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## blehmannwa

This is exciting news. I can hardly wait to see the recognized organizations.


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## AbbyK9

The wording on the website and the type of form used (and 50 visit requirement) remind me of the way things are set up on the Therapy Dogs International website.  I bet that will be one of the top recognized organizations when they publish their list.

I'm torn on this. Yes, it's nice for people to add that title to their dog and show the accomplishment of visiting at least 50 times. But on the other hand, I think it's a little silly. Visiting should be about the volunteering, not the title. I have never tracked my visits for TDI on the sheet that you send in to get the titles you can earn through them.


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## ILGHAUS

Have any of you with either registered or certified Therapy Dogs heard anything on this title from your organizations?


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## AbbyK9

I have not. If they're going to mention it, I expect it will be in the next newsletter/magazine we get from TDI.


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## Chicagocanine

I'm wondering if it is only going to include national organizations? All the ones I have volunteered with have their own testing/certification process and are local to my area, not with a national group.
Example: Canine Therapy Corps - Animal Assisted Therapy


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## ken k

I just got off the phone with T.D.Inc, I guess they have been working with AKC the last couple of months to implement this, and upon T.D.Inc recommendation the proof of 50 visits, as of today T.D.Inc does not know who else is on board with the program as far as T.D.I or Delta and a couple others, but, regular testing and pass, and then the 50 visits.


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## Chicagocanine

I emailed the organization who I posted the link to (Canine Therapy Corps, one of the ones my last dog and I volunteered with) and they said they already applied to AKC to be part of the list of qualifying organizations and are waiting to hear back.


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## kiwilrdg

> I'm torn on this. Yes, it's nice for people to add that title to their dog and show the accomplishment of visiting at least 50 times. But on the other hand, I think it's a little silly. Visiting should be about the volunteering, not the title. I have never tracked my visits for TDI on the sheet that you send in to get the titles you can earn through them.


I agree that it is a mixed message. The visit requirement shows that the dog really is a therapy dog and it also provides a way to show a result from the certification. 

In an ideal world volunteers would just volunteer on their own but some folks need the encouragement. Being able to show what others have done is a good to encourage people who are interested in volunteering.


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## Chicagocanine

Personally I think it is a nice idea. It rewards the people who are already doing volunteering work with their dogs. If some people do the visits just to get the title who would not have done it otherwise, well then at least they contributed and helped people for those 50 visits. Somehow I doubt very many people who had NO interest in volunteering would volunteer 50+ hours of their time JUST to get the title but it may encourage people who were considering doing therapy work and give them incentive to go out and do it. IMO it's a win-win situation.


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## Luxie

I live by two nursing homesand I was wondering when cani start volunteering withlux she is just shy of 6 months. Do they have to be a certain age or can I start bringing herover erewithme now??


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## jm513

I am hoping SO MUCH that I will be able to train Jedi as a therapy dog (he is a GSD mix). So far his temperament seems to be ideal for the job. And thank you to all of you who do volunteer with your dogs! My 4 year old daughter has had 3 open heart surgeries and we spent months in the hospital with each surgery. The dogs that came in to visit were such a joy!! It is amazing what a few minutes with a dog can do for not only the patients, but parents and staff as well - so thank you!


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## AbbyK9

> I live by two nursing homesand I was wondering when cani start volunteering withlux she is just shy of 6 months. Do they have to be a certain age or can I start bringing herover erewithme now??


I can tell you that TDI will not certify your dog until she is at least 1 year of age. I do not know what the requirements are for TDInc. or Delta. And if there are smaller, local groups in your area, their requirements would also vary and you'd have to contact them individually.

I believe most organizations do not test and certify dogs until they are at the very least 1 year of age and beginning to mature. And I would definitely recommend that you are registered with an organization (or even visiting in a group with your local organization) because they INSURE you during your visits in case anything happens. (It's VERY easy for an elderly person's skin to be broken accidentally by a dog nail, for example.) 

And, if you've never done any Therapy Dog work, getting started in a group can help you get going - remember, the dog is only HALF of the team.

A lot of facilities, especially nursing homes, will let dogs visit that are NOT certified as Therapy Dogs but may, for example, have a CGC title. But you'd need to speak with their activities coordinator regarding how you and your dog would be covered under insurance (possibly their volunteer insurance) in case something happens.


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## EJQ

AbbyK9 said:


> The wording on the website and the type of form used (and 50 visit requirement) remind me of the way things are set up on the Therapy Dogs International website.  I bet that will be one of the top recognized organizations when they publish their list.
> 
> I'm torn on this. Yes, it's nice for people to add that title to their dog and show the accomplishment of visiting at least 50 times. But on the other hand, I think it's a little silly. Visiting should be about the volunteering, not the title. I have never tracked my visits for TDI on the sheet that you send in to get the titles you can earn through them.


I have to agree that it is more about the volunteering. I confess that I don't send my visiting record in to TDI either. We visit four different facilities on a routine basis and we will be adding one more for the 2011/2012 school year. It adds up to way more than 50 visits. I do record our visits on my calender.


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## Scarlettsmom

I am taking Scarlett for her TDI evaluation this weekend. We hope to volunteer at a local Hospice. I was purely doing it for my own gratification and for something for Scarlett to do outside just being our buddy. I honestly hadn't even thought about having another title. I don't think I will bother with that. I just want to bring a little comfort to people like my BIL, who while in Hospice, may not have the pleasure of seeing their own dogs. 

I think if the AKC Therapy Dog helps people get involved with volunteer work with their dogs, then it's not a bad thing. I just hope it doesn't get to a "competitive" level. I don't need any more competition in my daily life.


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## EJQ

Scarlettsmom said:


> I am taking Scarlett for her TDI evaluation this weekend. We hope to volunteer at a local Hospice. I was purely doing it for my own gratification and for something for Scarlett to do outside just being our buddy. I honestly hadn't even thought about having another title. I don't think I will bother with that. I just want to bring a little comfort to people like my BIL, who while in Hospice, may not have the pleasure of seeing their own dogs.
> 
> I think if the AKC Therapy Dog helps people get involved with volunteer work with their dogs, then it's not a bad thing. I just hope it doesn't get to a "competitive" level. I don't need any more competition in my daily life.


:congratulations: - you'll never regret becoming involved in therapy work.


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## Oskar der Drachen

Hey there everyone!

I am interested in Service training for my pup. I live in New Zealand, and I am just beginning to look for information. Where would the best places be to go looking? Are there International standards for this kind of training?

I am a primary teacher, and my goal is to have my pup take part in a program like this one...

R.E.A.D.

Advice?


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## PaddyD

EJQ said:


> I have to agree that it is more about the volunteering. I confess that I don't send my visiting record in to TDI either. We visit four different facilities on a routine basis and we will be adding one more for the 2011/2012 school year. It adds up to way more than 50 visits. I do record our visits on my calender.


I also agree that the point of Therapy Dog is the visits.
However, getting a certificate may make it easier to go to places that have more strict visiting standards. The 'piece of paper' can get you in quicker/easier than having to prove your dog is an experienced TD.


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