Animal Assisted Crisis Response (AACR) is “the utilization of certified canine-and-handler teams assisting in crisis interventions to support the psychological and physiological needs of individuals affected by, and responding to, crises and disasters in complex, unpredictable environments.”(Tedeschi & Jenkins, 2019) Those with proper advanced skills, training, and certifications can implement AACR work safely and effectively (Bau, 2013).

Crisis Canines of the Midlands has designed a training protocol to guide new teams from ground zero through the entire certification process. Through a partnership with Anna Childs of Adelhorst Kennels, we are able to provide the resources to help new teams achieve their goals.

Level 1 group weekly classes (8 weeks) – basic commands and temperament assessment

Level 2 group weekly classes (8 weeks) – fine tuning basic commands, obstacles and distractions, agility course introduction, temperament testing with dog and human interaction in varied situations

Level 3 group weekly classes (4 weeks) – Academy prep training to ensure all benchmarks are met or exceeded prior to Academy

Private lessons or group classes for commands specific to therapy dog work:

  • Introductory one on one lesson during onboarding to teach basic handling language and set expectations
  • Vest lesson to teach what is expected when vest is on vs. off
  • Family lesson to help all members of the handler’s household understand basic commands and structure of training.
  • On-site Department lesson, so that the dog’s work “family” understands that their appropriate interaction with the dog is critical to the dog’s success in the program
  • Canine first aid, health and wellness training
  • Canine behavior and body language course

AKC Canine Good Citizen certification at all levels

Crisis Response K9 Academy: Academy training provides a specialized training experience for the first responder world – preparing teams to be ready to respond with little to no notice, providing a calm, comforting presence in the face of intense emotion, grief, and even chaos. Upon successful completion of the Academy, graduates are certified by Master K9 Trainers, and are officially authorized to be deployed by their agencies.