Therapy Dogs. Real Impact.
Your donation to The Golden Paws Foundation helps us select, train, and prepare exceptional Golden Retrievers to bring comfort, support, and hope to children and adults affected by trauma.
Who We Are
The Golden Paws Foundation is a non-profit organization that trains golden retrievers as therapy dogs. Golden retrievers are found to be the top choice for therapy work because they are quick learners, extremely tolerant and highly empathetic in nature.
Our golden retrievers offer more than therapy as they bring warmth and kindness into the lives of people they are trained to support. They are trained to form a strong bond with their handlers while offering compassion and emotional support which makes life a little easier. We provide services all over Arizona to behavioral health agencies.
How We Help
We select and train therapy dogs in a positive environment and then hand them to our partners so that they can make a great impact through their unconditional affection.
Select
Selection of the right therapy dog begins with understanding the nature of service it is going to provide as well as the personality of the dog. Those who meet our standards, Friendly, intelligent and calm around people, are chosen.
Train
Once selected, we train our dogs according to the high standards of safety and quality of life. They are trained to develop excellent manners to remain relaxed in new situations like children tugging their fur and strangers who want to hug or pet them. We focus on creating an environment where they can flourish and develop reliable behavior.
Place
We work with clinics, behavioral health agencies, schools, retirement homes, assisted living facilities and nursing homes. We also partner with people facing difficulties in dealing with stressful situations.
Heal
Research supports the evidence that mental health challenges and psychiatric disorders respond well to therapy dogs. Therapy dogs heal people as they have the ability to alter body chemistry and ease physical pain. Interacting with a therapy dog releases happy hormones which lowers stress. Being near a therapy dog can settle the physical signs of panic as it can lower high blood pressure and reduce a fast heartbeat.
Our Mission
To provide exceptional, well-trained Therapy Dogs that bring comfort, connection, and positive change to everyone they encounter.
Through thoughtful training and care, we prepare our Golden Retrievers to share their gentle nature in meaningful settings. Our goal is to create lasting human-animal connections that encourage smiles, ease moments of stress, create an unconditional bond, and bring companionship to individuals, families, and communities.
The Golden Paws Foundation, Inc.
Know the Difference
People confuse the two all the time. Both matter — but they do very different jobs.
What we train
Obedience trained and screened for its ability to interact favorably with humans and other animals. Its purpose is to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, and disaster areas.
Often confused with us
An animal trained to do tasks for a person with a physical or mental disability. Those tasks must be connected to how that person functions — the dog supports, assists, or mitigates the person’s impairment.
Who We Help
Studies show that therapy dogs are equally helpful in limiting mental as well as physical pain because of their ability to alter body chemistry. They can provide a gentle distraction from discomfort, offer a safe connection and ease loneliness. Therapy dogs make us learn about the power of helping others through simple gestures like showing up and listening to others. We work with people living with
Meet the Dogs
Certified therapy dog — vest, badge and Paw 0001 tag.
A regal presence and a gentle heart.
Waiting by the office door.
Learning the work, one session at a time.
Rainbow tie on, ready to greet.
Toys and books for the people he is on his way to see.
If you would like to book an appointment for therapy, simply visit our Contact page and fill out the appointment form. Once we receive your request, our team will get back to you within 24–48 hours to discuss the next steps and schedule your appointment.
Want to make a difference? Visit the Donations page from the menu above and follow the provided links to make your contribution. Every donation helps support this amazing cause and makes a meaningful difference in the lives of those who need it most.
Thank you for being part of our mission.
Press & Recognition
From the Chicago Cubs training field to Phoenix evening news, our teams keep showing up where comfort is needed.
Thank you for making Wrigley feel so welcome!
Continue readingSince the 1980’s, there have been significant advances in the field of animal assisted therapy and the use of therapy dogs.
Continue readingPHOENIX — Don’t let his size fool you!
Continue readingJoin the Mission
