Therapy Dog Certification Tests
Therapy dog certification helps ensure that dogs and their handlers are prepared, safe, and effective when providing comfort and emotional support in a variety of settings. Below is an updated 2026 overview of major certification options, visit-based recognition, health & safety requirements, and practical guidance for selecting the best path for your dog and team.
1. Foundational Training — AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC)
The American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen program remains one of the best foundational training and certification programs to ready a dog for therapy work. It teaches good manners, obedience, and public-friendly behavior. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
- Skills Tested: Accepting friendly strangers, sitting politely for petting, proper grooming/examination, walking on a loose leash, responding to basic commands, calm behavior around other dogs and distractions, and good impulse control. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
- Recognition & Versatility: CGC is valid for all dogs — purebred, mixed-breed, or rescues — and often serves as a required prerequisite for many therapy-dog certification organizations. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}
- Limitations: CGC alone does not test your dog’s reaction to therapy-specific settings (hospitals, medical equipment, unpredictable noises, vulnerable populations). It should be seen as the first step, not the endpoint.
2. Major Therapy Dog Certification Programs
Pet Partners
Pet Partners is widely regarded as a leading national therapy-animal organization, offering structured training, evaluation, and ongoing certification for handler–animal teams.
- Process: Handler training (online or in-person), canine skills review, team evaluation, and ongoing registration. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
- Health & Hygiene Requirements: Therapy animals must meet strict infection-control standards — including up-to-date vaccinations, regular vet screenings, clean grooming, and **no raw-meat diets** (raw protein diets are prohibited for both the animal and any household animal sharing the home) to minimize risk of zoonotic disease. :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}
- Visit Duration Limits: To avoid oversaturation or stress, Pet Partners limits visits to a maximum of two hours per team per day. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}
- Equipment & Behavior Standards: Animals must be well-trained, house-broken, comfortable with strangers, wear approved gear, and handlers must follow facility rules. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}
Therapy Dogs International (TDI)
TDI remains a strong choice for teams looking for rigorous temperament and obedience evaluation in simulated therapy contexts. Evaluations typically test a dog’s impulse control, social behavior, and reaction to stimuli like noise, crowds, and medical-equipment settings.
- Key Evaluations: Controlled obedience tests, “Leave-It Part Two” (food / water within reach), distraction and noise management, calm behavior around wheelchairs, walkers, and medical equipment. Many facilities look for these exact skills. (Keep an eye on any updated test-item lists from TDI.)
- Good for: Experienced dogs needing robust certification for clinical, school, hospice, or medical-facility volunteer work.
Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD)
ATD certifies handler-dog teams and provides liability insurance for volunteer work. Their 2025 rules clarify continuing-service requirements for 2026 and beyond. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}
- Certification Process: Initial temperament/behavior testing followed by 3–4 supervised observation visits, including at least two in medical- or institutional-type settings. (Facilities may request documentation.)
- Maintenance Requirements: To keep certification active, teams must complete at least one volunteer in-person visit every 3 months. :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}
- Liability Insurance: ATD offers a volunteer liability policy (e.g., $5 million) that covers visits, provided the handler is unpaid and following ATD rules. :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}
- Flexibility: Dual membership with other therapy-animal organizations is allowed — but only one organization’s policy may be active for a given visit. :contentReference[oaicite:13]{index=13}
Therapy Dogs United (TDU)
TDU continues to offer scenario-based evaluations designed to mimic real therapy-visit conditions — including exposure to medical equipment, unpredictable interactions, and environmental distractions. This makes TDU a good option for teams preparing for visits to hospitals, schools, or facilities with complex environments.
- Focus: Real-world therapy visit simulation, facility-readiness, and safety under distraction. Ideal for first-time therapy teams or dogs new to exposure work.
3. AKC Therapy Dog Titles (Visit-Based Recognition)
After certification with a recognized therapy-dog organization and once you begin logging facility visits, your team becomes eligible for official AKC Therapy Dog Program recognition. The titles reflect sustained work and service. :contentReference[oaicite:15]{index=15}
| Title | Name | Minimum Visits |
|---|---|---|
| THDN | Therapy Dog Novice | 10 |
| THD | Therapy Dog | 50 |
| THDA | Therapy Dog Advanced | 100 |
| THDX | Therapy Dog Excellent | 200 |
| THDD | Therapy Dog Distinguished | 400 |
| THDS | Therapy Dog Supreme | 600 |
These titles reward ongoing commitment to therapy work and give facilities a way to recognize experienced, reliable therapy teams. :contentReference[oaicite:16]{index=16}
4. Health, Hygiene & Handler / Team Requirements
- Veterinary care & vaccinations: Up-to-date core vaccinations, regular vet check-ups, and good general health. Many organizations require a recent veterinary health screening before certification or renewal.
- Grooming & cleanliness: Cleanliness is critical to infection control — dogs should be bathed, nails trimmed, and free of odor or parasites. :contentReference[oaicite:17]{index=17}
- No raw-meat diets / strict dietary rules: For safety and hygiene, many therapy-dog programs (like Pet Partners) prohibit raw meat diets for visiting animals and often for all pets in the same household. This reduces risk of bacterial contamination and protects vulnerable clients. :contentReference[oaicite:18]{index=18}
- Control and behavior reliability: Animals must be calm, well-trained, and responsive to handler commands at all times — including around medical equipment, noise, and in high-stress environments.
- Handler professionalism: Handlers must ensure their dog’s well-being, follow facility policies, maintain control of the dog, and be prepared to end visits if the dog shows stress or discomfort.
5. Insurance, Background Checks & Facility Onboarding
Before visiting any facility, it’s important to confirm that your therapy-dog team meets all organizational and facility requirements related to safety, liability, and conduct.
- Liability insurance: Some certifying organizations (e.g., ATD) provide volunteer-team liability coverage for therapy visits. Insurance often only applies when the team is volunteering (not being paid), and all program rules are followed. :contentReference[oaicite:19]{index=19}
- Background checks & handler screening: Most therapy-dog organizations require handlers to pass a background check and sometimes additional facility-specific onboarding or credentialing (especially for hospitals, schools, or senior-care centers).
- Facility compliance: Facilities may have their own rules (additional medical clearance, dress code, scheduling constraints). Always confirm their policies before scheduling visits — when in conflict with organizational policies, follow the more restrictive rule.
6. Practical Tips from Experienced Handlers
- Train your dog to reliably ignore food on floors or tables, and never allow pawing or jumping on clients — even if clients encourage it.
- Expose your dog to wheelchairs, walkers, oxygen tanks, IV poles, medical equipment, noises, and unpredictable movement during training so they get used to realistic therapy environments.
- Practice sudden touches or light physical contact (e.g., gentle taps on harness or shoulders) and maintain calm, controlled posture — the handler’s energy sets the tone.
- After each visit, always clean or change any gear, leashes, vests, blankets, or bedding used during the visit to reduce cross-contamination risk.
7. Choosing the Right Certification or Service Path
| Your Goal | Recommended Path / Organization |
|---|---|
| Build basic manners & public readiness | AKC Canine Good Citizen (CGC) |
| Join a structured, widely accepted therapy-animal network | Pet Partners |
| Receive rigorous temperament/obedience evaluation for clinical settings | Therapy Dogs International (TDI) |
| Get insured volunteer status + team certification + flexible service | Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) |
| Simulate realistic therapy-visit conditions before actual deployment | Therapy Dogs United (TDU) |
| Achieve long-term recognition for consistent service | AKC Therapy Dog Titles (THDN–THDS) |
8. Local & Facility Considerations (Fairfax, VA / Northern Virginia)
In the Northern Virginia area, many therapy-dog teams operate in settings such as:
- Hospitals (e.g., Inova Fairfax Hospital)
- Public libraries (Fairfax County Public Libraries)
- Veterans’ centers, senior living & retirement communities
- Schools, counseling centers, and community outreach programs
Important Note: Facilities may impose their own policies (vaccination requirements, background checks, hygiene protocols). When facility rules are stricter than organizational policies, always follow the facility’s requirements. Confirm with volunteer coordinators before scheduling visits.
9. Next Steps
- Begin with CGC (or equivalent foundational training) to ensure strong public-behavior readiness.
- Select the therapy-dog organization that fits your goals and facility targets (Pet Partners, TDI, ATD or TDU).
- Complete health screening, handler training, and registration per your chosen organization’s guidelines.
- Start therapy visits and track them diligently — especially if you’re working toward AKC Therapy Dog titles.
- Maintain ongoing hygiene, training, and compliance — including periodic re-screenings, renewal evaluations, and adherence to facility rules.