Trained with patience.
Shared with love.
The Golden Paws Foundation, Inc. is a non-profit that trains Golden Retrievers as therapy dogs for behavioral health agencies, clinics, schools and care homes all over Arizona.
It started with one golden and a lot of love.
What began as a family of golden retrievers grew into a foundation. We saw how a soft head on a lap could calm a frightened child or brighten a long hospital day — and we knew we had to share it.
Experts have found that mental health challenges and psychiatric disorders respond well to therapy dogs — including depression, bipolar disorder, autism, ADHD, PTSD and even Alzheimer's. Today our certified goldens visit the people who need them most, at no cost to them, thanks to donors like you.
The Golden Paws Foundation, Inc.
Promise, mission & heart.
“To provide quality trained Therapy Dogs that make a difference.”
Our promise & goal
We train dogs to give comfort to people in need — patients, seniors, students and families — in every kind of facility we visit.
Safety first
Every dog is health-checked, insured and certified, and every visit is led by an experienced handler.
Free for those in need
Donations cover training, care and travel, so the people we visit never have to pay for comfort.
Education
We give talks on the benefits of therapy dogs to schools, agencies and community groups.
What is a therapy dog?
People often mix up therapy dogs and service dogs. Here's the difference.
Therapy dog
- Gives affection and comfort to many people
- Visits hospitals, retirement & nursing homes, schools and hospices
- Helps in disaster areas and moments of crisis
- Friendly, calm and loves being petted
Service dog
- Trained to do specific tasks for one person
- Lives and works with their handler full-time
- Protected for public access by the ADA
- Should not be distracted while working
How a golden earns the vest.
Every dog on our team follows the same path — with lots of treats and patience along the way.
S.T.A.R. Puppy
Early socialization and the AKC puppy program build a confident, happy pup.
Canine Good Citizen
CGC, CGC-A and CGC-U titles prove good manners at home and in public.
Therapy certification
Supervised visits and evaluation lead to official therapy dog certification.
Making a difference
Regular visits earn AKC Therapy Dog titles — Novice all the way to Supreme.
Be part of our story.
Every certified therapy dog starts with a donor who believed in them. Help train the next golden.