Documenting Visits

To earn the AKC Therapy Dog title, you and your dog must have completed at least 50 therapy visits. These visits must be documented with time, date, location, and a signature of a staff person at the facility (e.g., school, hospital, etc.). This documentation can be achieved by submitting one of the following –

1. Therapy Dog Record of Visits Form (you may use the AKC form or one of your own), or,
2. Certificate or wallet card from a certifying organization indicating the dog has made 50 or more visits or,
3. Letter from the facility (nursing home, school, hospital, etc.) where the dog served as a therapy dog. Letters must be on facility letterhead. Contact information for verification purposes should include facility name, address and contact person's name, phone number and/or email address. For a sample letter, click here.