Therapy Dogs and Model Dogs: How Your Dog's Hidden Gifts Can Heal Others with Susan Hartzler

Prefer video? Watch on youtube.

Therapy dogs visit hospitals, schools, and nursing homes — but what does it actually take to build that kind of partnership with your dog? Susan Hartzler has been doing therapy dog work for 26 years, and in this conversation, she shares what she's learned about helping dogs and their people bring comfort, connection, and healing to communities. It's a glimpse into a world most of us only see from the outside — and a reminder of just how much dogs give when we learn to work alongside them.

WHAT YOU'LL LEARN

The difference between service dogs, emotional support dogs, and therapy dogs — and why understanding those distinctions matters if you're considering any kind of working role with your dog

How to recognize whether your dog has the temperament for therapy work, and what training foundation they need before stepping into hospitals, schools, or other settings

Why therapy dog work is as much about the human as it is the dog — and what it takes to be a calm, present partner at the other end of the leash

What happens when a dog intuitively knows what someone needs, and how to follow your dog's lead rather than override it

The science-backed benefits of spending time with dogs — from lowering cortisol to calming panic attacks — and how to tap into those intentionally, not just accidentally

How Susan taught her dogs to wear hats and sunglasses (and why that skill actually matters in therapy and modeling work)

What it's like when your dog becomes both a therapy dog and a professional actor — and how those two worlds surprisingly overlap

A FAVOURITE MOMENT

"He actually knew what each person needed, and I was just kind of his facilitator at the end of the leash." — Susan