DFW’s Leading Therapy Dog Training Professionals
Hilton Butler, Your Locally Trusted Therapy Dog Trainer
Dogs can be so much more than your best friend. Therapy dogs have undergone special training to provide comfort and support for those with mental illnesses or in anxiety-inducing scenarios. These dogs will live with you and are trained to be gentle, compassionate, and friendly. Hilton Butler offers unrivaled therapy dog training to families throughout the DFW area. We’ve been providing effective training classes for dogs of all breeds and ages since 2005. Reach out to learn more about our therapy dog training programs.
Overview of Our Training Program
Our training program starts with the basics. We’ll work with your dog to lay the foundation for therapy work while training them to follow basic commands such as come, sit, and stay. We’ll also socialize the dog to ensure they always react gently and kindly. The last part of basic training involves leash training. This helps the dog understand their limit while keeping them focused on what it should do versus everything around them. Once completed, we’ll work to improve their leash skills to include off-leash training. Lastly, we focus on encouraging a compassionate and welcoming demeanor. A therapy dog’s primary role is to provide needed support and comfort to others, and they often work with professionals such as social workers.
Discover the Importance and Benefit of Therapy Dogs
The importance of therapy dogs cannot be understated. Research has shown that with the help of therapy dogs, individuals can control their anxiety and better control emotional outbursts while improving their overall mood. Therapy dogs are attentive to their owner’s needs and emotional state while providing unconditional love. Further, therapy dogs are commonly used as part of animal-assisted therapy, which is a therapy designed to improve someone’s social and emotional functioning. Here are some additional benefits of the therapy dog training program:
- Teach Social Skills – Therapy dogs draw people together, which can help individuals socialize and grow.
- Reduced Stress – Dogs are known to reduce stress levels. This is especially helpful for individuals with depression or other stress-related issues.
- Lessen the Impact of Loneliness – A therapy dog is an unwavering companion who will be with you through every step.
- Improve Confidence – This is especially true for children. For example, reading to a dog is easier than reading in front of a class. With enough practice, a child can build confidence to interact with and speak in front of others.
- Lowered Blood Pressure – Studies have shown that when you pet and hug a therapy dog, your heart rate and blood pressure decrease.
How Therapy Dogs Make a Difference
Simply put, therapy or comfort dogs are for others’ emotional well-being. They provide unwavering support to an individual’s mental health by being there for the individual when needed most. Therapy dogs offer unconditional love, which has proven therapeutic benefits for people facing challenges. Further, patients diagnosed with issues such as depression, bipolar disorder, or even PTSD benefit from living with therapy dogs. One of the most significant areas therapy dogs can make a difference is when interacting with children going through medical concerns. These dogs are known to reduce stress and anxiety, allowing the child to undergo medical treatments easier.
Why Choose Hilton Butler?
Since 2005, Hilton Butler has been family-owned and operated. We strive to help bad dogs become good and good dogs become better. Our team believes helping individuals and their families is as important as the dog. When you choose us, you can expect to work with a team dedicated to helping the entire family, not just the dog. We’ve maintained a family-oriented way of thinking, which has led to our success. Our training programs will create a stronger bond between the dog and its owners while instilling the necessary skills to be a successful therapy dog. While we offer boarding and in-person classes, we also offer in-home training. This helps the dog navigate a familiar environment while establishing good habits.
Take Advantage of Our Therapy Dog Training Program
A therapy dog will be there for you when you’re going through stressful or anxiety-inducing moments. They also provide unwavering support and comfort. We train therapy dogs to work alongside their owners to help them navigate their daily life, whether that’s school, hospitals, or even walking around the block. Hilton Butler takes pride in helping families find relief because, to us, families are just as important as the dog. When it comes down to it, our bottom line is that we want to make it easy for people to get the support they need throughout our training programs. We also provide Hyperactive dogs, aggressive dogs, and Personal protection dogs training. Don’t hesitate to reach out to learn more about our therapy dog training programs.