What does it take to be a therapy dog?

Therapy dogs need to love to interact with people. The dogs need to be tolerant of people who want to pat, play, hold and hug them, in all kinds of settings. Think of all the things in the courthouse, seniors’ residences and business offices that your average dog might not like such as slippery floors, a glass elevator, uniformed officers and security staff, people in robes, wheelchairs, and sudden loud noises.  The dogs must be comfortable around other dogs as well.  

In order for a dog to be resilient enough to handle all of these situations, they have to have been well “socialized” when young.  Socialized does not just mean meeting a lot of people, it means meeting all sorts of new things. When a young pup comes across a novel sight, sound, person, etc., they make a judgement call. Was that good or bad? Even if the new situation worries the pup a bit, the handler is there to support and encourage them and every time the pup overcomes a challenging situation they become braver and more resilient. 

If you get a puppy from a breeder in hopes of it being a therapy dog, look into the temperament of the parents and other dogs from that breeder. Dogs who are genetically predisposed to having a stable temperament are off to a great start. Enroll your puppy in a puppy kindergarten class so that they can see new things and interact with other puppies and people. Get your puppy out to see the world in a positive way and make all interactions fun.  

Any breed or mixed breed can be a great therapy dog if they have the right temperament and the handler has spent some time teaching them good manners and obedience skills. They can not bark excessively, they must not jump on people and they must be able to move on a loose leash in and around people and other dogs. 

If you think you have what it takes, you and your dog will be required to participate in an evaluation process which includes a test of your dog’s obedience skills, its desire to interact with people and its resilience in unusual situations. We also do reference checks and police security checks on the handler since we often work with vulnerable individuals. If everyone does well, then a senior member on the team will accompany you on your initial visits to ensure that both you and your dog are comfortable with your new job.

If your dog possesses a temperament that shows confidence, good manners, and sociability with other dogs and people, please contact us to discuss our programs in greater detail. 

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Dogs and Humans must have basic obedience skills completed to advance into our program.

Therapy Dogs 2026 Calendar

Our annual fundraising calendar will is now available! Support Canadian Therapy Dogs Support Services at the Ottawa Courthouse while enjoying heartwarming photos of our amazing therapy dogs all year long. Calendars are $20.00, and can be ordered and paid for by EFT at 161elgindogcalendar@gmail.com.