Therapy dogs are specially trained to share their boundless love with those in need. However, their training needs exceed those offered by general obedience training and behavior modification. While Sit Means Sit Charleston does not currently offer full therapy dog or service dog certification classes, we can begin foundational training that will help your dog learn to keep their cool and react lovingly in situations where they are meant to provide support.

How We Train Therapy Dogs

Therapy dogs bring their loving support to stimulating and sometimes scary, environments. They might visit nursing homes, retirement centers, hospices, schools, veterans hospitals, psychiatric facilities, and even disaster zones in an effort to comfort those in need. When they go on visits, they have to be comfortable sharing and receiving love. Sit Means Sit Charleston will work with your dog to help establish valuable therapy dog skills, such as:

• Polite greetings
• Controlled walking
• Response to calling
• Ignoring distractions

Importantly, we will work to eliminate signs of aggression, anxiety, and reactivity, all of which cannot exist in therapy dogs. Let us help your dog take their first critical steps on the road to becoming a therapy dog.