The Reading Room • Family Dog Guides
AKC Therapy Dog: Turn Visits Into Titles
Therapy dogs do some of the most meaningful work in the dog world — visiting hospitals, schools, nursing homes, and disaster sites, bringing comfort to people who need it. AKC's Therapy Dog program recognizes that work with official titles.
Here's the key thing to understand: AKC doesn't certify therapy dogs. Certification and training are done by independent therapy dog organizations — AKC recognizes their work by awarding titles based on documented visits. So the path is: get certified by a recognized organization, do the visits, document them, apply for the title.
Six levels, from Novice (10 visits) to Supreme (600 visits). Every visit counts — and the dogs doing this work tend to be the steadiest, kindest animals you'll ever meet.
Earning this title? Create your free ThePetAdvisor account — log it, track your dog’s progress, and find testing near you.
Requirements
- Certification: your dog must be certified/registered by an AKC-recognized therapy dog organization. AKC maintains the list — check it before you start training with any group.
- Visit counts by title: Novice (THDN) – 10 visits; Therapy Dog (THD) – 50 visits; Advanced (THDA) – 100 visits; Excellent (THDX) – 200 visits; Distinguished (THDD) – 400 visits; Supreme (THDS) – 600 visits.
- What counts as a visit: one day per facility. Visiting four patients in one hospital on one day = one visit. Morning at assisted living + afternoon at a school = two visits.
- Documentation: visits must be logged with date, time, location, and a facility staff signature — or certified via your organization's records, a certificate/wallet card showing 50+ visits, or a facility letter on letterhead.
- AKC number required: registration, PAL, FSS, or Canine Partners number so the title can be recorded.
Test items can be updated by AKC — confirm the current list with your evaluator before test day. Source: AKC official page.
How to earn it
- Step 1: Start with CGC-level manners — most therapy organizations require equivalent skills before they'll evaluate your dog.
- Step 2: Choose an AKC-recognized therapy dog organization and complete their certification process (evaluation, training, supervised visits).
- Step 3: Begin volunteering — hospitals, schools, libraries, nursing homes. Log every visit with date, facility, and staff signature.
- Step 4: When you hit a title threshold (10, 50, 100, 200, 400, or 600 visits), submit the AKC Therapy Dog title application with your documentation and fee.
- Step 5: Keep going — the titles stack, and the work matters more than the letters.
Find testing near you
Many conformation dog shows offer CGC, Trick Dog, and Fetch testing right on the show grounds — sometimes you can literally walk up ringside, pay the fee, and get evaluated the same day. Check the premium list for any show you’re attending, or ask the show secretary. Training clubs and stand-alone test days run year-round too.
Frequently asked questions
Does AKC certify therapy dogs directly?
No. Certification is done by independent therapy dog organizations that AKC recognizes. AKC awards titles based on documented visits after certification.
How do I find an AKC-recognized therapy dog organization?
AKC maintains a list of recognized organizations on akc.org. Start there — requirements vary, so compare a few.
What counts as one visit?
One day at one facility, regardless of how many people you see. Two facilities in one day = two visits.
Can any breed be a therapy dog?
Yes — all breeds and mixed breeds. Temperament matters far more than breed: calm, friendly, steady, and comfortable with strangers and novel environments.
How long does it take to earn the first title?
Novice (THDN) needs just 10 visits — many active teams reach it within a few months of certification.
Do therapy visits have to be through the certifying organization?
Check with both your organization and AKC's current rules — documentation requirements are specific, and it's worth getting them right from the start.
Track your dog’s Family Dog journey
Log every title, watch the progress bars fill, and never miss a testing opportunity.