How to Train Your Dog to Be a Therapy Dog with Newman's Dog Training
Build a better bond while changing lives
Do you dream of your dog becoming a therapy dog who brings comfort to hospitals, schools, or senior living centers? At Newman’s Dog Training, we specialize in helping families in Kansas City and Northwest Arkansas prepare their dogs for therapy dog certification using the Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC) as a foundation.
If your dog is calm, friendly, and enjoys meeting new people, we can help you turn their natural abilities into a life-changing role in your community.
What Is a Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog is trained to provide emotional support, affection, and comfort to people in settings like hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster relief areas. Therapy dogs are not service dogs or emotional support animals—they don’t have public access rights—but they do undergo training to behave appropriately in a wide range of environments.
Step 1: Is Your Dog a Good Fit?
Before starting therapy dog training, we evaluate your dog’s temperament. Ideal therapy dogs are:
- Friendly and non-reactive to strangers and children
- Calm in new environments
- Not easily startled by loud noises or fast movements
- Responsive to commands and well-socialized with other dogs
Even if your dog isn’t there yet, we offer custom training plans to help them develop the skills they need.
Step 2: Start with the Canine Good Citizen Test (CGC)
At Newman’s Dog Training, we use the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test as the cornerstone of our therapy dog training program. The CGC Test includes:
✅ Accepting a friendly stranger
✅ Sitting politely for petting
✅ Walking on a loose leash
✅ Walking through a crowd
✅ Coming when called
✅ Reaction to distractions
✅ Supervised separation
Passing the CGC test shows your dog has the basic obedience and good manners needed to move forward in therapy dog certification.
We’re proud to be certified CGC evaluators, so we can both train and certify your dog right here in Kansas City or Northwest Arkansas.
Step 3: Therapy-Specific Skills
Once your dog passes the CGC, we work on skills specific to therapy work, such as:
- Staying calm in hospitals or classrooms
- Getting comfortable with wheelchairs, walkers, and medical equipment
- Responding gently to unexpected touches or noises
- Greeting people politely, including children and elderly individuals
We tailor our program to the settings where you want your dog to volunteer.
Why Choose Newman’s Dog Training?
At Newman’s Dog Training, we don’t just teach commands—we build better relationships between dogs and people. Here's why families trust us for therapy dog training in Kansas City and Northwest Arkansas:
🐶 Certified CGC Evaluators – We train and evaluate in-house
📍 Local & In-Home Training – We come to you, minimizing stress
👩🏫 Customized Plans – We meet you and your dog where you are
❤️ Positive Reinforcement Methods – Science-backed and dog-friendly
🌟 Proven Results – Helping families and dogs build meaningful futures
Whether your goal is hospital visits, school reading programs, or just making people smile, we’re here to help your dog shine.
Ready to Get Started?
Our therapy dog training program is available in:
- Kansas City: Overland Park, Lee’s Summit, Liberty, and surrounding areas
- Northwest Arkansas: Fayetteville, Bentonville, Rogers, Springdale, and beyond
Let’s train your dog to make a difference!
📍 Serving Kansas City, Overland Park, Bentonville, Fayetteville & more
Step up your dog training game with access to our entire course library and special
rates for one-on-one sessions. Unlock your potential now!
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Please contact us if you have any questions on these tips, [email protected]
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