get your k9 a akc Therapy Dog title
Welcome to K9 Titles - The Easiest K9 Virtual Title Service
The purpose of this program is to recognize AKC dogs and their owners who have given their time and helped people by volunteering as a therapy dog and owner team.
- The AKC Therapy Dog™ program awards official AKC titles to dogs who have worked to improve the lives of the people they have visited.
- AKC Therapy Dog titles can be earned by dogs who have been certified by AKC recognized therapy dog organizations and have performed the required number of visits.
- AKC does not certify therapy dogs; the certification and training is done by qualified therapy dog organizations. The certification organizations are the experts in this area and their efforts should be acknowledged and appreciated.
step 1
Get your AKC CGC Title
Begin by obtaining your AKC CGC Certification. You can do this through K9 Titles.
YOU MUST START WITH A CANINE GOOD CITIZEN CERTIFICATION!
step 2
Verify you meet United Therapy Dog requirements.
United Therapy Dogs require that any therapy dog candidate be at least one year old. Unfortunately, newly adopted dogs are unable to take the Therapy Dog (TD) exam.
You are required to prove ownership of your dog showing 6 months or longer before you are eligible to schedule your Therapy Dog (TD) exam.
They also require that your dog has a current rabies vaccination and current dog license, and your dog is free of ticks and fleas.
Some of their Member Agencies may require a bi-annual fecal check or that your dog is not on a raw meat diet.
They also require that all dogs pass both the CGC and TD evaluation on a slip, flat buckle or Martingale collar or a standard body harness with the leash attaching to ring on the dog's back (no jump harness or pull harness is permitted).
Their acceptable equipment requirements are the same as the AKC's CGC candidate requirements.
step 3
Application to AKC
How to Earn the Title: Qualifications
To earn an AKC Therapy Dog™ title, you and your dog must meet the following criteria:
- Certified/registered by an AKC recognized therapy dog organization.
- Perform the required number of visits for the title for which you are applying. For your convenience in helping you track your visits, you can use the Therapy Dog Record of Visits Sheet.
- NOTE: A VISIT IS ONE DAY PER FACILITY/AGENCY.
- FOR A SINGLE FACILITY: As an example, if you see multiple clients over a 2 hour time period on the same day, that is ONE VISIT. [In a hospital, you visit Mr. Jones, Ms. Smith, Mr. Roberts, Ms. White, this is ONE VISIT, not 4 visits].
- For each day/date at a facility, no matter how many clients one sees, this counts as 1 visit. If you take a break and return to the same facility on the same day, this counts as ONE VISIT.
- For MULTIPLE FACILITIES: Example: You do therapy work on your day off. In the morning, you go to an assisted living facility. You take your dog home at lunch to rest. In the afternoon, you go to a school. THIS IS 2 visits, no matter how many clients you saw per facility.
- AKC Therapy Dog Distinguished (THDD). Must have completed 400 visits.
- AKC Therapy Dog Excellent (THDX). Must have completed 200 visits.
- AKC Therapy Dog Advanced (THDA). Must have completed 100 visits.
- AKC Therapy Dog (THD). Must have completed 50 visits.
- AKC Therapy Dog Novice (THDN). Must have completed 10 visits.
- The dog must be registered or listed with AKC.
All dogs are eligible to earn AKC Therapy Dog titles, including purebreds and mixed breeds. To earn an AKC Therapy Dog title, dogs must be registered or listed with AKC and have a number. This includes any one of these three options:
- AKC Registration Number (purebreds with registered parents)
This is often known as the “AKC papers” provided to a dog owner by a breeder. If you have received a registration paper from your breeder or previous owner you can register online. - PAL Number (purebreds not registerable)
PAL is Purebred Alternative Listing. PAL (formerly called ILP) is a program that allows unregistered dogs of registerable breeds to compete in AKC Performance and Companion Events. PAL dogs include the many wonderful purebred dogs who may have come from shelters or rescue without AKC registration. - Canine Partners Number (for mixed breeds or non registerable)
Used by mixed breed dogs (and dogs otherwise not registered with AKC such as some purebreds from other countries). A special Canine Partners Therapy Dog Enrollment Form is available for mixed breed Therapy Dogs needing to obtain a dog number in order to receive their Therapy Dog Title.
Contact K9 Titles via phone or text
Contact us to get started towards your Therapy Title
CONSIDER MOVING ON TO MORE TITLES AND CERTIFICATIONS WITH AKC & K9 TITLES !