Therapy dogs can be a great help to provide some comfort to people suffering in the hospitals and in old homes – these dogs are especially trained to become good listeners so that they can give companionship to children, psychological patients and all those who are in need of it. Therapy dog training requires a lot of hard work and patience since the aim of this training is to change the very basic nature of your dog.

Dogs from any breed and age group can be chosen to become a therapy dog but it is generally preferred to have older dogs with a calmer and friendly nature – selecting an aggressive, furious dog for therapy dog training is probably not a very good idea since he will never be able to completely let go off his nature. Usually, a dog between the age of 3 to 5 years is chosen, that has a welcoming attitude towards people; do not go for a too young or a too old dog since both of them will require extra effort on your part.

For good therapy dog training, you will have to be very consistent. The first and foremost thing to do is to make your dog familiar to the most basic commands like that of sitting down and standing up. Your dog should follow these commands no matter who gives them – so make sure that he is not too attached to you, otherwise he will get aggressive every time someone comes near you or touches you and that is exactly the kind of behavior that needs to be controlled for in therapy dog training.

Taking you dog out for regular walks and making him familiar with new faces every day can act as a positive reinforcement in his attitude. Along with this, it is best to take your dog along in shows and crowded market places, so that he gets used to a lot of noise and people – once your dog is well aware of the fact that he is not supposed to bark and show aggression towards strangers, you can consider your training to be working.

Therapy dog training also requires you to take good care of your dog’s health; make sure that he gets his vaccinations on time and that he is having proper food throughout the day. Take him for regular checkups to a good vet and keep a record of all the injections and medicines that the vet is giving him.

Along with this, make sure that you give me the proper love and affection – the more affectionate you are with him, the gentler he will become towards human beings in general. Reinforce things in such a way that he enjoys learning them; use whistle, hand and feet gestures to make him understand when you are not happy with him. Therapy dog training may take a long time; so do not lose hope if your dog does not respond to your things in the beginning, just remain calm and you will be able to see results in a couple of months.