"I would like my dog to become a therapy dog"

Therapy dog work can be very rewarding. Training has an important role in preparing a dog for therapy work, however, a therapy dog candidate also has to have the right temperament for the job. Therapy dogs need to be confident, friendly and social with all types of people. While a therapy dog does not necessarily need to love other dogs, a therapy dog does need to tolerate other dogs and be able to work safely in close proximity with other animals. Therapy dogs need to listen to their owners and be well mannered in distracting environments. While some dogs enjoy working as therapy dogs, not all dogs are the right fit for this type of role.

There are different types of therapy work. Visitation programs, as the name indicates, basically includes visiting people who may be living in a residential facility for senior citizens, in a hospital, hospice or rehabilitation setting. Some therapy dog teams may work directly with a rehabilitation professional and a patient in appointments as part of the rehabilitation process. Not all therapy dog teams work in traditional settings, for instance, Hope Crisis Assistance Response Teams will go to the location where there has been an emergency or disaster and provide emotional support. READ programs are gaining popularity in schools where children read to therapy dogs.

It is important to understand that just as there are a variety of types of "therapy roles" for dogs, there are a variety of criteria and requirements. Programs each have their own requirements and in order for a person and their dog to participate in a program, they need to meet the specific program's requirements. The AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluation is often (but not always) one part of a program's evaluation process.

At Cooperative Paws LLC, our trainer, Veronica Sanchez M.Ed. CABC, CPDT-KA is uniquely qualified and experienced in the area of therapy dogs. She is familiar with the major programs and their evaluations, several of her own dogs have passed different therapy dog program evaluations including Therapy Dogs International and Delta Society Pet Partners programs. Additionally, she is an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, she was the Educational Program Coordinator for Paws Up Inc., an assistance and therapy dog organization, and was the founder and chair of the Human Animal Mutualism Divison for the International Association of Animal Behavior Consultants which focused on working animals including therapy dogs. Veronica can help owners identify whether therapy work is a good fit for their dog, identify training goals in working towards this objective and help clients prepare their dog towards this goal. She can set up assessment and practice opportunities around distractions including wheelchair work, as well as practice around other dogs as needed. Contact us to learn more.

Please note: Because "certification" for therapy work is always done by the specific program that the owner chooses to participate with, owners need to work directly with a therapy dog program to certify their dog.

Important: A therapy dog is not the same thing as a service dog. Please read to make sure you understand the difference.

learn more about therapy dogs:

Delta Society
Therapy Dogs International
Fairfax County Pets on Wheels

 

© 2012 Cooperative Paws Training and Behavior Consulting

sitemap