As Demand for Therapy Dogs Grows, New Book Helps More Dog Owners Answer the Call Award-winning writer Susan Hartzler shares practical guidance for building successful therapy dog teams in new book Teaming Up with Therapy Dogs: Skills to Build Healing Partnerships

OXNARD, Calif., July 16, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — From hospitals and nursing homes to schools, libraries, courthouses, and more, therapy dogs are providing comfort to people during some of life’s most difficult moments. Award-winning writer, therapy dog trainer, evaluator, and longtime volunteer Susan Hartzler draws on 26 years of experience to help readers build successful therapy dog teams in her new book, Teaming Up with Therapy Dogs: Skills to Build Healing Partnerships (McFarland). The book offers practical guidance for developing successful therapy dog teams while dispelling many of the myths surrounding therapy dog work.

“One of the biggest misconceptions is that therapy work is all about the dog,” Hartzler said. “In reality, therapy dogs are only one half of the team. The handler plays an equally important role in assessing situations, advocating for the dog, and creating safe, meaningful interactions for everyone involved.”

Teaming Up with Therapy Dogs pairs practical instruction with real stories from therapy dog teams nationwide. Readers learn how preparation, training, and a strong partnership between dog and handler create meaningful visits. The book also introduces Hartzler’s original Fairy Tale Skits—well-known fairy tales reimagined as interactive skits that combine simple canine behaviors with storytelling. Because they require no special props or equipment, they’re easy to perform in virtually any therapy dog setting.

Throughout her 26 years as a therapy dog volunteer, Hartzler and her dogs have visited hospitals, schools, libraries, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, colleges, and community organizations. Those experiences inspired her to write a book that prepares volunteers not only for certification but also for the emotional rewards and responsibilities of therapy dog work..

A growing body of research has found that interactions with dogs can lower cortisol, increase oxytocin, reduce blood pressure and heart rate, ease stress and anxiety, and improve overall emotional well-being. These benefits help explain why therapy dog teams are increasingly welcomed in hospitals, schools, libraries, courthouses, and other community settings.

Whether readers hope to volunteer in hospitals, schools, libraries, disaster response programs, courthouses, or other community settings, Teaming Up with Therapy Dogs: Skills to Build Healing Partnerships provides the knowledge and practical skills to begin that journey with confidence.

The book is available through McFarland Books, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and booksellers nationwide.

About Susan Hartzler

Susan Hartzler is an award-winning writer, therapy dog evaluator, trainer, and volunteer who has spent the past 26 years working alongside therapy dog teams. She and her dogs have volunteered in hospitals, schools, libraries, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, colleges, and community organizations, helping people experience the healing power of the human-animal bond.

She is the author of The Peace Puppy: A Memoir of Caregiving and Canine Solace, and I’m Not Single, I Have a Dog: Dating Tales From the Bark Side., which will soon be released as an audiobook.

Hartzler is also the creator of BlissDog, a Substack publication exploring the healing power of dogs and the human-animal bond. She also writes Paws on the Go, a blog featuring dog-friendly travel, canine health, product reviews, and adventures with her Australian Shepherds, Seven and Paige Turner.

For more information about Hartzler and her pack, visit susanhartzler.com.

She lives in Southern California with Seven and Paige Turner, who continue to inspire both her writing and volunteer work.

Media Contact
Susan Hartzler
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SOURCE Susan Hartzler