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Therapy Dog Training in Colorado Springs, CO — Find the Best Trainers

Therapy Dog Training in Colorado Springs, CO

GDBy the GetDogSchool team·Updated 2026·Expert-reviewed
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Therapy dogs visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools and similar settings with their owners to offer comfort and company to other people. The work is volunteer or professional rather than task work for one person, and around Colorado Springs several trainers prepare dogs and handlers for it, including a nonprofit training school with its own therapy dog course and field trips.

This page explains what therapy work asks of a dog, how preparation usually works, the local options, and how to decide whether your dog is suited to it.

What therapy work asks of a dog

A therapy dog has to enjoy meeting strangers, stay calm around medical equipment, unusual smells and sudden noises, accept handling from many people, and ignore dropped food and other distractions. It also has to be under good control on a loose leash. Handlers matter as much as dogs: therapy teams learn to read their dog, end a visit when the dog has had enough, and follow the rules of each facility.

How preparation usually works

Most preparation builds on obedience and manners, then adds exposure to the settings the team will visit. Many programs use the AKC Canine Good Citizen test and its advanced levels as milestones. One Colorado Springs trainer runs a twelve-session therapy team program that prepares teams for the CGC, CGCA and CGCU evaluations and includes practice in an elderly residential home. A nonprofit training school runs a nine-week Therapy Dog Troupe course with field trips to places such as nursing homes and hospitals, and a set of prerequisite classes that together lead to full AKC therapy dog certification.

Local options

Eight trainers in the area name therapy dog training in their own services. Besides the two programs above, they include a positive trainer and behavior consultant who prepares therapy dogs, a Woodland Park service dog practice that also trains therapy dogs for volunteers and health professionals, a service dog trainer who also offers therapy dog training, a trainer who specializes in service, emotional support and therapy dogs, a training and boarding facility that takes service and therapy dog inquiries, and an academy in Elbert that includes therapy and service dog work.

Is your dog suited to therapy work?

  • Temperament first. The best therapy dogs actively enjoy people, including strangers. A dog that tolerates people but would rather not be touched is not a good fit, however well trained.
  • Age and health. Dogs need to be mature enough to settle and healthy enough to handle visits.
  • Calm in odd places. Watch how your dog copes with elevators, slippery floors, wheelchairs and crowds.
  • Your interest. Therapy work is a commitment for the handler too, with regular visits and facility requirements.

A trainer who knows therapy work can assess your dog before you commit to a course.

Some owners find their dog is better suited to a different role. A dog that loves people but finds hospitals overwhelming may do well with reading programs at a library or school, where settings are quieter, and a dog that is calm but reserved may simply be a good companion. Neither outcome is a failure; the aim is a dog that enjoys the work.

What a visit looks like

A typical visit is short and structured. The handler checks in with the facility, the dog is groomed and on a short, loose leash, and the team moves from person to person, letting each resident, patient or student decide whether to greet the dog. Handlers watch for signs the dog is tired or stressed, such as yawning, turning away or licking its lips, and end the visit before the dog is overwhelmed. Good preparation courses practice these exact routines, including greeting people in wheelchairs or beds, walking past carts and equipment, and staying calm when someone reaches suddenly. The Colorado Springs courses above build that practice into field trips and residential-home sessions rather than teaching it only in a classroom.

Between classes, short calm outings do most of the preparation: loose leash walking past people, polite greetings, settling on a mat in a new place and ignoring food on the floor. Keep that practice on leash in city parks and on city trails, as Colorado Springs requires outside designated off-leash areas, which mirrors how visits are done.

Therapy dogs, service dogs and emotional support animals

These are often confused. A therapy dog visits and comforts other people. A service dog is trained to perform tasks for one person with a disability and has much broader public access. An emotional support animal gives comfort to its owner but is not task-trained. Several trainers in the Colorado Springs area work across all three, which is useful if you are not yet sure which path fits you and your dog.

Reviewed Therapy Dog Training Trainers in Colorado Springs

These reviewed Colorado Springs-area trainers from our directory handle therapy dog training. Each links to a full profile with specialties, certified credentials, reviews, and contact info:

See all Colorado Springs therapy dog training trainers →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a therapy dog and a service dog?

A therapy dog visits and comforts other people with its handler. A service dog is trained to perform tasks for one person with a disability. Several local trainers explain and train for both.

Does my dog need the Canine Good Citizen title first?

Many programs use it as a milestone. Local therapy courses prepare teams for the CGC and its advanced levels, and one sets a list of prerequisite classes before its therapy course.

How long does therapy dog preparation take?

Local programs run from a twelve-session team course to a nine-week course with prerequisites, but readiness depends on your dog’s temperament and obedience.

Can I do therapy work with a young dog?

Most dogs need some maturity before they are calm enough for visits. Work on manners and socialization first, and ask a trainer to assess readiness. A good trainer will tell you honestly whether to wait a few months.

Where do therapy teams visit?

Common settings include nursing homes, hospitals and schools. One local course includes field trips to places such as nursing homes and hospitals, and another includes practice in an elderly residential home.

Related: read our complete therapy dog training guide or the full Colorado Springs dog training overview.

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