A Therapy Dog brings joy and comfort to those who need it most

NBC News – July 20, 2018

New research reveals how much the therapy dogs themselves truly enjoy and benefit from the act of performing their work with people in need. NBC News reports on the story, and reaches out to Heather Gillihan, owner of Zoom Room Trophy Club, for her expertise. Her dog training center located near Dallas has an especially strong contingent of graduates of the Zoom Room therapy dog program, many of whom are working actively in the community, serving diverse populations. Heather was asked what kind of temperament makes for the ideal therapy dog.

“You want a dog that absolutely loves people…. You want a dog that just really wants to be with people. You can work with that and teach some of it, but it does come down in part to nature,” says Heather. And the reporter continues, “Your dog will definitely need to go through a certified training program to work with the general public. You can get started by signing up with a local training facility, like Zoom Room, which may recommend a series of basic obedience trainings before getting started with a therapy training program.”

Read the full coverage: NBC News