Therapy Dog Training in Gainesville, FL
Therapy Dog Preparation at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville is an 8-lesson, 8-week program for $1,000 that prepares you and your dog in Gainesville, FL for therapy-dog testing and certification. On successful completion, we can evaluate and certify you and your dog through Therapy Pets Unlimited.
Rated 5.0★ on Google · Many former clients have passed their certification · Open 9 AM–9 PM, seven days a week
Is Your Goal a Therapy Dog?
A therapy dog is a well-mannered, handler-guided dog that brings comfort to people other than its owner, wherever the two of you are invited to visit. The animal is not working for you; it is working with you, for someone else. That is why this program prepares both halves of the team.
It is not the same thing as a service dog. In general terms, a service dog is trained to perform specific tasks for one person with a disability, while a therapy dog is trained to be calm, steady, and welcome around many people. If you are unsure which goal you actually have, say so on the phone and we will point you in the right direction.
This page is for owners in Gainesville, FL and Alachua County whose goal is to have their dog become a therapy dog, with a structured path to testing and certification.
What the Therapy Dog Preparation Program Includes
Therapy Dog Preparation is an 8-lesson course delivered over eight weeks for $1,000. It is specially designed to prepare you and your dog for their therapy-dog testing and certification.
- Eight lessons, eight weeks. One program, one price, one clear finish line: the therapy-dog test.
- You and your dog, together. The course prepares the handler as much as the dog, because a therapy-dog test evaluates the team, not the animal alone.
- Built around the test. Everything in the program points at the testing and certification you are working toward. Lesson content is walked through on your consultation call.
- A track record. Many of our former clients have passed their therapy-dog certification after completing this program.
We keep this description short on purpose: we will not list skills, venues, or outcomes we do not publish. What an eight-week plan looks like for your dog is a phone call, not a web page.
Certification Through Therapy Pets Unlimited
With successful completion of the program, Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville can evaluate and certify you and your dog through Therapy Pets Unlimited. The training and the certification path stay with the same team from the first lesson to the evaluation.
We do not describe the evaluation itself here, because it belongs to the certifying organization and we would rather explain it to you accurately in person than summarize it loosely online. Ask us on your consultation call and we will walk you through what to expect and what “successful completion” means for your dog.
A Therapy Dog Is First an Obedient Dog
A dog that cannot hold a sit, ignore a dropped sandwich, or walk calmly past a stranger is not ready to comfort anyone. Therapy Dog Preparation assumes you want to get there; the obedience packages at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville are how most dogs build that foundation.
Basic Obedience Lessons ($650, four private one-hour lessons) teach Come, Sit, Down, Place, Break, Heel, and Off, with the extended versions that keep a dog in position until released. Basic & Advanced Training ($1,000, eight lessons) adds four advanced lessons. The 2-week board & train ($2,900) reaches the same commands with a pro trainer doing the daily work. We are confident enough in the system that if you are not completely amazed and satisfied in the first lesson, the lesson is free.*
Not sure where your dog stands today? Describe your dog on the phone and we will tell you honestly whether to start with Therapy Dog Preparation or with obedience first.
Therapy Dog Training Price in Gainesville, FL
Therapy Dog Preparation at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville costs $1,000 for the 8-lesson, 8-week program.
| Program | Format | Outcome | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Therapy Dog Preparation | 8 lessons over 8 weeks | Prepared for therapy-dog testing; evaluation and certification available through Therapy Pets Unlimited | $1,000 |
| Basic Obedience Lessons | 4 private 1-hour lessons | Obedience foundation | $650 |
| Basic & Advanced Training | 8 private 1-hour lessons | Basic + 4 advanced lessons | $1,000 |
Prices are published on our packages and pricing page; the Gainesville dog training cost guide compares every program from $100 to $3,500.
Calm, Confident Dogs From Gainesville Owners
“I brought my rescued dog Marley for two-week board and train. She has now come back as a more confident dog who is so much easier to handle.”
“We now have a dog that we can enjoy even more because we can take him anywhere. We receive comments all the time on how well behaved he is and no one believes us when he says he is still only a puppy.”
Read more on our testimonials page.
Therapy Dog Training in Gainesville: Common Questions
How much does therapy dog training cost in Gainesville, FL?
Therapy Dog Preparation at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville costs $1,000. It is an 8-lesson program delivered over eight weeks that prepares you and your dog for therapy-dog testing and certification. The price is published on the pricing page.
What is the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog?
In general terms, a service dog is trained to perform specific tasks for one person with a disability. A therapy dog is trained to be calm and welcome around many people, providing comfort to others alongside its handler. Therapy Dog Preparation is for the second goal. If you are unsure which you need, ask on your consultation call.
Does Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville certify therapy dogs?
With successful completion of the Therapy Dog Preparation program, Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville can evaluate and certify you and your dog through Therapy Pets Unlimited. Many former clients have passed their therapy-dog certification after the program. Details of the evaluation are explained when you enroll.
Does my dog need obedience training before therapy dog preparation?
It depends on where your dog stands today. Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville will tell you on a free phone call whether to begin with Therapy Dog Preparation or with an obedience package such as Basic Obedience Lessons ($650) or the 2-week board & train ($2,900). Describe your dog's current manners and we will recommend the order.
How long does therapy dog training take?
The Therapy Dog Preparation program at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville runs eight weeks, with eight lessons. After successful completion, the evaluation and certification through Therapy Pets Unlimited follow. Lessons are arranged around Gainesville and Alachua County; confirm your address when you call.
In short:
- Therapy Dog Preparation at Off Leash K9 Training Gainesville: 8 lessons over 8 weeks, $1,000, preparing you and your dog for therapy-dog testing and certification.
- On successful completion, we can evaluate and certify you and your dog through Therapy Pets Unlimited; many former clients have passed.
- Not sure whether your dog needs obedience first? Free phone consultation: (904) 580-6559.
* Lifetime refresher/support applies to the obedience commands included in your package. It is impossible to guarantee complete fixes of major behavioral issues such as dog aggression or people aggression; we can give you control and help you manage them. Ask us for details.
Start the Path to Certification
Tell us about your dog and where you hope to take it, and we will confirm whether Therapy Dog Preparation is the right next step. Free phone consultations, 9 AM–9 PM, seven days a week.