Although therapy dogs don't need special classes to do therapy work, they do need to be friendly and under control.

The American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) class offers a strong foundation for training a therapy dog (www.akc.org). The CGC program is designed to promote responsible pet ownership and shows your dog can be well mannered both at home and in public.

For specific rules and requirements for testing an registering your dog as a therapy dog, contact either of the therapy dog registries listed below.