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:

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]

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/...pplication.pdf

[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 –

1. Therapy Dog Record of Visits Form or,
2. Certificate or wallet card from a certifying organization indicating the dog has made 50 or more visits 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. 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

[Andaka]

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

[blehmannwa]

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

[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.

[ILGHAUS]

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

[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.

[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

[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.