Therapy dogs, also referred to as comfort dogs, help support a person’s general wellbeing by providing attention and comfort. Therapy dogs are both used by individuals and in professional settings like children’s hospitals, nursing homes and schools, to give ongoing mental health support.

The support therapy dogs offer patients has proven results in reducing a range of psychological health issues such as stress, anxiety or depression. They’ve also shown to aid a patient’s recovery after surgery or a serious accident. 

Duties

In the UK there is no register or certification process for therapy dogs. But to be effective in their role of providing emotional support the dogs need to be very well trained. Therapy dogs must:

  • Be friendly
  • Be highly obedient
  • Be social and like being around strangers
  • Remain calm in new or hectic and stressful situations
  • Not get easily distracted
  • Enjoy being petted and not mind being overly petted
  • Not excessively shed
  • Have a strong bond with their handler/owner

Training

As there are no certifications required for therapy dogs there is no official training process. Despite this, therapy dogs need to be extremely well behaved and remain calm in stimulating and challenging environments. Essential skills include:

  • Know basic behavioural commands like sit, stay, and heel
  • Sit calmly for petting and allow strangers to touch them
  • Remain well behaved when left alone with a stranger
  • Ignoring distractions and understand the ‘leave it’ command
  • Leash and off-leash walking
  • Not give chase to people, other animals, or objects

The sooner a dog is trained for therapy the more likely it will acquire the needed skills. Although puppies are too excitable to make effective comfort dogs, you can teach old dogs new tricks, so it’s possible to train older dogs with the right temperament.

Any breed can be suitable for therapy work, but dog’s used in service work make excellent comfort dogs due to their calm nature and intelligence. Common breeds include Corgis, Beagles, and King Charles Spaniels, as well as larger breeds including Retrievers, German Shepherds, and Poodles.

Therapy Dog Handlers

A strong bond between the dog and its handler is critical to a successful working relationship. The dog needs to be docile to strangers approaching their handler and be able to obey commands in a variety of situations.

Spotting behavioural signs from the dog is extremely important in managing their behaviour and removing them from a situation they’re struggling with. A therapy dog that nips, yelps or barks at someone can of course be very bad for patients. If the dog becomes overwhelmed and just wants to return to their handler, this can also be extremely stressful for the most vulnerable patients.  So it is vital that a handler knows their dog’s behavioural patterns and also needs to be confident in managing a patient’s behaviour towards the dog.  

Although there is no official certification for therapy dogs and handlers, as the dogs work in a wide number of sectors including schools, retirement homes, and hospitals, the handlers may need specific documentation. This could include CRB checks, proof of inoculation in certain medical settings, or personal references.

Charities

If you are looking to volunteer to be a handler, or think you’re dog has the temperament to be a therapy dog, there are a number of UK charities that pair comfort dogs to those who need them: