Dynamic Dog Training & Paws From The Heart Certified Therapy program

09/04/2026

09/03/2026

Every Certified Therapy Dog Has a Beginning ❤️🐾
Long before a dog earns the title of Certified Therapy Dog, the journey begins with the basics.
They don't know where this path may eventually take them or whose life they may someday touch. In the beginning, the goals are simple: learning good manners, building confidence, practicing obedience, developing impulse control, experiencing new environments, and learning to trust and work as a team with their handler.
Little by little, those experiences build something much bigger.
They learn how to remain calm around unfamiliar people. They practice walking politely through busy places, ignoring distractions, respecting personal space, and looking to their handler for guidance. They experience different sounds, surfaces, equipment, movements, and situations that help prepare them for the unexpected.
Eventually, all that training and preparation can lead to therapy dog evaluation and certification.
But certification isn't where the learning ends.
A certified therapy dog continues training, practicing, gaining hands-on experience, and strengthening the partnership with their handler throughout their working career.
Then comes the most meaningful part — putting those skills to work.
They may walk into a hospital, school, nursing home, library, airport, workplace, or community program never knowing which person might need their quiet presence that day.
Every certified therapy dog you see working today started at the beginning.
One lesson.
One experience.
One accomplishment at a time.
And somewhere along that journey, a dog and handler become a team capable of making a difference in ways they may never fully know. ❤️🐾
The certification may be earned on one day.
The making of a great therapy dog happens over a lifetime.

09/03/2026

🐾👑 DOG FUN FITNESS — TRIAL RUN WITH QUEEN VIOLET! 👑🐾
Today I decided to trial some of my new Dog Fun Fitness ideas with a very special training partner— beautiful, adoptable Violet, who has been patiently waiting a long time for a home of her own at the West Warwick Animal Shelter.💜
Violet and I have been working on her loose-leash walking, and she does really well wearing her PetSafe 3-in-1 harness. Today, we took those skills and added some fitness and fun!
We started with some fast walking, and every time I stopped, I asked Violet to sit. Apparently Violet did not receive the memo explaining WHY stopping suddenly meant she should sit. 😂 She looked at me like, “Lady, we were just walking. Make up your mind.”
Next came our version of dog parkour! Violet did some fence jumping, rock jumps, and other fun outdoor obstacles that got her thinking and moving.
Then came the hill.
The assignment was to walk quickly up a small hill together.
Violet: ✅
My old-lady butt: ❌😂
We'll call that one a work in progress—for ME.
During our adventure, we spotted a woman walking two dogs, which gave us the perfect opportunity to switch from physical fitness to mental fitness. We worked on engage/disengage, helping Violet notice the dogs, check back in with me, and continue making good choices.
That's one of the things I love about this type of training. Fitness isn't only about running and jumping. We can combine cardio, strength, balance, obedience, impulse control, confidence and real-life training into one outdoor adventure.
By the end, Violet and I were both tired, happy and pretty proud of ourselves. 🐾
But there was still one VERY important activity left...
👑 THE QUEEN VIOLET PHOTO SHOOT! 👑
Harry and I bought Violet a brand-new Queen Violet costume because, obviously, every queen needs the proper wardrobe.
And Violet?
She understood THAT assignment perfectly. 😂👑💜
This girl has been waiting so patiently for someone to finally see what we see—a fun, smart, beautiful dog with so much potential who deserves a family and a home of her own.
Today she wasn't just an adoptable dog waiting.
She was my training partner, my Dog Fun Fitness test pilot...and, as always, our Queen Violet. 👑🐾💜

09/03/2026

Now that fall is right around the corner, we are putting together this outdoor course. The date is to be announced soon and it will be held on Sunday mornings at local parks in the Kent County area. Time is 10am.
🐾 DOG FUN FITNESS
Outdoor Fitness • Dog Parkour • Obedience • Teamwork
Dog Fun Fitness is a one-hour outdoor fitness class where dogs and their handlers exercise together. The program combines walking and cardio, canine conditioning, dog parkour, and practical obedience.
Every activity can be modified for puppies, adult dogs, senior dogs, different breeds and different fitness levels.
THE 60-MINUTE FITNESS PLAN
10 MINUTES — WARM-UP WALK
We start with an easy fitness walk to safely get everyone moving.
Dogs practice:
Loose-leash walking
Heel
Sit at stops
Changes of direction
Slow, normal and brisk walking
Attention to the handler
15 MINUTES — CARDIO & MOVEMENT
Handlers and dogs pick up the pace with short, fun exercises.
Activities can include:
Brisk walking
Short jogging intervals for appropriate dogs
Walking hills or gentle inclines
Figure-8 patterns
Weaving around cones
Fast-to-slow transitions
Stop-and-go obedience games
Recall between two points
Senior or lower-fitness dogs can walk instead of jog and take additional rest periods.
15 MINUTES — DOG PARKOUR
We use safe outdoor features and portable equipment to create a fun parkour course.
Dogs may:
Step onto low platforms
Put front paws on an object
Walk over poles
Go around trees or cones
Walk between obstacles
Go under safe obstacles
Step over low obstacles
Practice controlled turns
Balance on appropriate stable surfaces
No dog is required to jump. Obstacles are adjusted to the dog's age, size, confidence and physical ability.
10 MINUTES — STRENGTH, BALANCE & BODY AWARENESS
Slower, controlled movements help dogs learn how to use their bodies.
Exercises may include:
Sit-to-stand
Down-to-stand
Backing up
Controlled stepping
Paw targeting
Weight shifting
Slow turns
Balance exercises
Walking over ground poles
5 MINUTES — OBEDIENCE FITNESS CHALLENGE
Now we put the dog's brain and body to work together!
We rotate through: Heel • Sit • Down • Stay • Come • Leave It • Wait • Focus
Skills are incorporated into movement rather than practiced by simply standing in one place.
5 MINUTES — COOL DOWN
We finish with a relaxed walk, slower movements, water break and time for the dogs to settle before leaving.
EVERY DOG WORKS AT THEIR OWN LEVEL
This isn't about which dog is the fastest or strongest. Dog Fun Fitness is about movement, mental stimulation, confidence, obedience and having fun together.
Exercises can be made easier or more challenging depending on the individual dog. Puppies, adults and seniors can participate at an appropriate level.
DATES: To Be Announced
TIME: To Be Announced
INSTRUCTORS: Susan Parker, Harry Parker
🐾 GET FIT. GET OUTSIDE. TRAIN TOGETHER. HAVE FUN!