AKC Therapy Dog Title

[EchoGSD]

AKC has announced that effective 6-27-11, anyone with a purebred or mixed breed dog currently registerd/listed with AKC can purchase a "Therapy Dog" title ("THD") that will appear behind your dog's name with the AKC. The AKC Webpage refers to this "title" as a kind of "advanced CGC". The only requirement is that you send them your $20, claim to have had your dog certified by one of the groups AKC lists as acceptable for certifying dogs for therapy dog visits, and claim to have completed 50 visits.
What do you guys think? Keep in mind that AKC does not have any role whatsoever in the training or evaluation requirements for therapy dogs, they do not certify evaluators for this purpose, they do not sanction matches, trials, or evaluations for therapy dogs, and they do not have any role with the groups who DO actually certify the dogs (like TDI and TDInc, etc). They also will not be verifying that the required number of visits (or any visits, for that matter) have been completed. Keep in mind also that AKC does not consider the Canine Good Citizen certification to be a Title, they are very careful to educate folks that this is an AWARD, not a title. But anyone with $20 can have the THD title, it seems.

[gagsd]

As with any title, it is what you make it.

AKC will put your Sch1 obtained at a WDA event on your pedigree. AKC has no involvement in the training, certififying, recordkeeping or evaluating that title either. Pay and it appears.
But that does not change the value of the Sch title that you earned.

[Jax08]

Sounds like a good way for the AKC to earn $20 for people that find having validation from AKC for having a therapy dog important. I bet most ppl don't bother with it though.

[EchoGSD]

All three of my dogs have been certified for therapy visits; we visit regularly. I agree with gagsd that having the THD letters behind my dog's names will not change the value of the certification process. I will not be sending the AKC $60 for the new "title", but there are several folks in my dog club who cannot get the paperwork fast enough.

[ILGHAUS]

claim to have had your dog certified by one of the groups AKC lists as acceptable for certifying dogs for therapy dog visits, and claim to have completed 50 visits. ... They also will not be verifying that the required number of visits (or any visits, for that matter) have been completed.

Where did you get that information?

[gagsd]

From the email:

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:

1. Certified/registered by an AKC recognized therapy dog organization
2. Perform a minimum of 50 visits
3. 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 akctherapydog@akc.org

[ILGHAUS]

I've posted the needed info down in the Guide, Therapy, & Service Dogs section under the thread How to Earn AKC Therapy Dog Title with the links.

[ken k]

T.D.Inc does not "certify" dogs, they are "registered"

[ILGHAUS]

T.D.Inc does not "certify" dogs, they are "registered"

That is why this is in the instructions *Certified/registered*.

[Liesje]

Honestly I think 50+ therapy visits sounds like a heck of a lot more work than something like the Rally Novice title! I say go for it.