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Achieve Comfort -

Therapy Dog and Emotional Support Animal Training

Emotional Support Animal Training

Emotional Support Animals are a specific type of working dog very different than service dogs or therapy dogs. Emotional Support animals do NOT have public access rights (they can not accompany their owners into stores, restaurants or other non-pet friendly buildings) but when accompanied by a doctor or therapist's note they can be granted access to non-pet friendly housing as well as airplanes and hotels. Emotional Support Animals provide comfort to their owners, who are being treated for a diagnosed medical or mental illness. They are not task trained but do serve an important job.

There is currently no required training for an Emotional Support Animal; however it is highly recommended that your ESA is able to complete and pass a CGC evaluation as well as be trained to handle travel on an airplane and navigation through airports and hotels.

Achieve Obedience will not task train or provide training for public access for an ESA; however we will provide a specially designed 8 week course which includes a CGC examination and special training for airports, airplanes and hotels. To enter this program you must already have a doctor's letter as well as a successful Request for Reasonable Accommodation.

This is an 8 week course and the cost is $800. 

Therapy Dog Preparation

Therapy Dogs have an important job providing comfort and companionship to individuals in stressful times, such as hospital patients, nursing home residents, and children in foster care. Therapy Dogs are individually certified, insured and licensed through outside agencies such as Therapy Dogs International and Therapy Dogs Incorporated, among others. Achieve does not register, certify, insure or employ therapy dogs, however we will be glad to help you train your dog to the standards of your chosen agency, allowing you to take the test and certify with the program. Price for this package greatly depends on the amount of training the dog requires, and ranges from $350-$1000.

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