Transform Compassion into Action with Your Therapy Dog
Empower your dog to support healing through trauma-informed care.
Why Healing Paws?
The Healing Paws Program combines professional training, trauma-informed principles, and the therapeutic power of dogs. Our unique Paw + Heart + Neuroconnect approach teaches handlers to deliver compassionate, safe, and evidence-informed therapy dog interventions.
- Paw: Strengthen the human-animal bond that builds trust and safety.
- Heart: Cultivate empathy and emotional connection with clients.
- Neuroconnect: Learn the science behind emotional regulation and nervous system support.
Who Should Join
The program is ideal for:
- Mental health professionals wanting to add therapy dog work to their practice.
- Dedicated dog owners passionate about making a difference in their communities.
- Organizations seeking trauma-informed therapy dog programs for clients.
Program Highlights
- Certified Training: Professional, nationally recognized certification for handlers and dogs.
- Trauma-Informed Approach: Learn how to support clients’ nervous system regulation safely.
- Hands-On Learning: Practical exercises for your dog and real-world therapy scenarios.
- Community & Support: Join a network of certified therapy dog teams across Canada.
How It Works
1. Enroll: Apply online to join the next cohort.
2. Train: Participate in structured modules on therapy dog behavior, client safety, and trauma-informed care.
3. Practice: Implement your skills with guidance and feedback.
4. Certify: Complete the program and receive your official Healing Paws Certification.
Start Your Journey
Become part of a professional network of therapy dog teams making a meaningful difference.
- Apply Today → secure your spot
- Contact Us → ask questions or request more information
Meet the Therapy Team
Healing Paws Program
At the heart of the Canine Compassion Certification: Healing Paws Program are dedicated therapy dog teams who bring compassion, calm, and connection to communities across Canada. Each team reflects our Paw + Heart + Neuroconnect philosophy, supporting emotional well-being through the healing power of the human-animal bond.
Emerald
ESA Handler | Healing Paws Therapy Team
Emerald is a compassionate and dedicated Emotional Support Animal (ESA) handler who believes deeply in the power of animals to support emotional healing and connection. With a warm and thoughtful approach, Emerald ensures that every therapy dog visit is trauma-informed, respectful, and centered on the well-being of the individuals being supported.
Her calm presence helps create a safe environment where people feel comfortable interacting with the therapy dogs and experiencing moments of joy, comfort, and emotional regulation.
Together with Ebony and Ivory, Emerald participates in community outreach visits supporting individuals, families, residents, and first responders.
Ebony
Therapy Pup | Calming Companion
Ebony is a gentle and affectionate King Charles Cavalier × Poodle therapy pup known for her calm and soothing energy. She naturally senses when someone needs quiet comfort and is happiest when sitting beside someone who needs a moment of peace.
Ebony’s Therapy Strengths
- Calm and nurturing presence
- Excellent at providing quiet emotional comfort
- Gentle interactions with children and seniors
- Strong ability to help individuals relax and regulate their emotions
Ebony’s loving nature makes her especially wonderful during visits where people may feel overwhelmed, anxious, or emotionally stressed.
Ivory
Therapy Pup | Playful Connector
Ivory, Ebony’s sister, is also a King Charles Cavalier × Poodle and brings a playful and joyful energy to the therapy team. While Ebony offers calm comfort, Ivory often helps spark smiles, laughter, and conversation.
Ivory’s Therapy Strengths
- Playful and uplifting personality
- Naturally social and engaging
- Encourages connection and interaction
- Brings smiles and positive energy to group settings
Ivory’s cheerful spirit helps break the ice and encourages people to open up, making her especially wonderful during community visits.
Ebony & Ivory – A Perfect Therapy Pair
As sisters, Ebony and Ivory work beautifully together. Their complementary personalities create a balanced therapy experience:
- Ebony provides calm, grounding comfort
- Ivory brings joyful engagement and playfulness
Together they offer a powerful blend of comfort, connection, and emotional support, helping individuals feel seen, safe, and supported.
How Therapy Dogs Support Nervous System Regulation
Therapy dogs do more than bring smiles—they can actively help regulate the nervous system, which is central to trauma-informed care. The human-animal connection offers physiological and emotional benefits that support emotional well-being, stress reduction, and resilience.
The Science Behind the Calm
Interacting with a therapy dog can:
- Lower stress hormones like cortisol, helping the body move from a state of fight, flight, or freeze to calm and alert.
- Increase oxytocin, the “bonding hormone,” which promotes trust, safety, and social connection.
- Slow heart rate and breathing, creating a calming effect on the nervous system.
These responses help individuals feel safe, seen, and supported—a key principle in trauma-informed care.
Trauma-Informed Benefits
In trauma-informed practice, therapy dogs can:
Provide grounding during emotional dysregulation
Gentle touch, eye contact, or simply being present can help someone feel anchored in the moment.
Offer safe co-regulation
Dogs naturally mirror calm energy, helping individuals regulate their own emotions through shared presence.
Encourage mindfulness and body awareness
Petting, brushing, or playing with a dog encourages noticing sensations in the body, helping people identify and manage stress or anxiety.
Support emotional processing
Non-judgmental canine companionship creates a safe space for expressing feelings, reducing shame, and improving resilience.
Healing Paws in Action
Our therapy pups Ebony and Ivory, alongside ESA handler Emerald, demonstrate these principles in every visit. Whether visiting a community organization, supportive housing, or first responders, they help participants:
- Calm racing thoughts
- Reduce physical tension
- Experience connection, joy, and emotional regulation
By combining Paw + Heart + Neuroconnect, the Healing Paws Program ensures that every therapy dog interaction is intentional, safe, and trauma-informed, providing both emotional and physiological support to those who need it most.
🐾 With therapy dogs, calm is contagious—and healing begins with a gentle paw and a compassionate heart.
Community Impact: Healing Paws in Action
At the Canine Compassion Certification – Healing Paws Program, we believe therapy dogs have the ability to create meaningful moments of connection, calm, and emotional support in communities.
Our therapy pups Ebony and Ivory, together with their ESA handler Emerald, have been warmly welcomed at several community organizations where their gentle presence has made a lasting impression.
Supporting the Community at Operation Sharing
During their visit to Operation Sharing, Ebony and Ivory brought smiles, comfort, and moments of calm to individuals experiencing difficult circumstances. Their presence created opportunities for connection, conversation, and emotional relief during a time when compassion matters most.
Bringing Comfort to Residents at Indwell
At Indwell, residents were delighted by the affectionate and calming energy of Ebony and Ivory. Many residents shared how interacting with the dogs helped them feel more relaxed and connected, demonstrating how therapy dogs can foster emotional well-being and community engagement.
Supporting First Responders in Woodstock
Ebony and Ivory were also welcomed at the Woodstock Police Service, where they offered a calming and uplifting presence for officers and staff. First responders often work in high-stress environments, and the therapy dogs provided a brief but meaningful opportunity for relaxation, connection, and emotional reset.
Through visits like these, the Healing Paws Program continues to demonstrate the powerful role therapy dogs can play in supporting trauma-informed care and strengthening communities across Canada.
Interested in ESA support for personal mental health needs? Learn about our Ontario ESA Program.
