Eight new therapy dog teams certified at Madras training facility in Madras is adding a therapy-dog program to train handler-and-dog teams to visit hospitals, assisted living facilities and schools.

The initiative aims to expand mental health resources in the community by preparing dogs and handlers to work alongside counselors and caregivers in settings where emotional support can help patients and residents engage with treatment and daily life. Benefits of Therapy Dogs in a Mental Health Institution are known for their ability to reduce stress by lowering cortisol levels and increasing oxytocin release, which ultimately boosts endorphins and enhances mood.

“There’s a lot of programs for our kids, but not a lot of mental health resources,” said Will O’Daniel, owner of WAK-9 training, describing the motivation behind the new program. Increasing demand for therapy animals across U.S. communities reflects a national trend.

Training will pair handlers with dogs and include practical elements designed to replicate real-world visits. According to organizers, dogs will go into the counselor’s room, and the kid will come in with the counselor and us present, and they’ll get the crying to the dog’s shoulders, a setup intended to let handlers practice calming interactions in controlled environments. The presence of therapy dogs can enhance social connections, communication, and trust, which are vital elements in therapeutic settings.

The Evaluation and Certification Process for Therapy Dogs – Carrara will provide the final testing for certification, ensuring teams meet the standards required for visits to hospitals, assisted living facilities, and schools. Heather Wingate, a dog therapy tester and observer with Alliance Therapy Dogs, said handlers must balance reading their dogs with engaging people: “You have to watch your dog read your dog, but you also have to be as friendly as what your dog is and be able to chitchat and connect with people as well.” To train a dog as a therapy animal, it is essential first to ensure that the dog is at least one year old, healthy, and has a calm temperament suited for human interaction.

Local handlers described the work as part training and part outreach. “It’s just being willing to go out and say, I like to give that a try with my dog, contacting someone like, well, getting that training, getting that reassurance that yes, you can do this, and then going out and sharing yourself and your dog with the community, because it really does make a difference in people’s lives,” said Adrienne Tall, a dog therapy handler involved with the program.

The program builds on WAK-9’s existing training work in the region and will draw handlers from nearby communities, including Bend. Organizers said the practical, team-based approach is intended to give both handlers and dogs confidence before they begin visits in clinical and care settings. Handler-and-dog teams not only provide emotional support but also serve to alleviate anxiety and depression, common challenges faced by many clients in these environments.

Program coordinators emphasized the importance of the handler-and-dog relationship. “We’re looking for a handler and team relationship,” O’Daniel said, noting that handlers must be comfortable interacting with people while their dogs remain focused and calm.

Officials and volunteers involved with the effort described scenarios that mirror counseling sessions, with handlers, dogs, and clinicians cooperating so children and other clients can connect without feeling overwhelmed. Those practical drills are intended to prepare teams for the unpredictable emotions and situations they will face during real visits.

Community members interested in learning more about therapy-dog work and its role in mental-health support can find additional context about program models and local training efforts in reporting by Madras Pioneer, and general resources on therapy-dog roles are available from organizations such as TherapyDogs.

WAK-9’s organizers say the program is meant to be practical and community-focused: training, observed evaluations, and then deployment to partner facilities. Handlers who complete the training and pass the Alliance Therapy Dogs testing can begin visits that program leaders say are designed to support counselors and care teams.

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