Therapy Dog

Prerequisite is All FIVE of OUR Programs to include Basic, Advanced, Group Obedience, Off Leash Obedience and the Canine Good Citizen Program.

The below cost already includes the aforementioned prerequisite pricing.

Therapy Dog Team Skills

Working or volunteering with a therapy dog is enormously rewarding. You need to be aware, though, that the complex relationship among you, your animal companion, and those whom you visit will require some special skills. First, evaluate the temperament of the potential therapy dog. Then, you will need to know some of the basic requirements and ways to prepare yourself and your dog. A Therapy Dog team will have some form of evaluation [Jim uses the Canine Good Citizen Program] to determine if the team possesses the temperament, aptitude and skills for visiting-but before you reach the formal evaluation stage, it will be helpful to know some of the foundation skills that all organizations and facilities expect.

Canine Talent and Skills

The dog must be willing to initiate contact with unfamiliar people and have good social skills and manners. He or she should be able to offer documentation of good health and freedom from parasites, Reflect cleanliness and appropriate grooming including teeth and nails, Function well around equipment such as wheelchairs, walkers, and respiratory devices, Demonstrate basic obedience commands both with and without distractions, Greets people politely (without jumping or mouthing), and calmly accepts petting from strangers, Remains well controlled around other dogs.

Preparation

Building and maintaining confidence and trust is the most important preparation for a team. Strong socialization is also very important, followed by acclimatization to unusual sounds, sights, and odors. Among your preparatory activities, you need to learn canine body language and recognize signs of stress in your dog. Introduce your dog to unusual sights, sounds and smells encountered during therapy dog visits. Take your dog to places where there are a lot of people, such as commercial areas and parks - socialize, socialize, socialize Find out if there is a visiting group in your area that you can join and "shadow" a team as they visit. Ask to visit, without your dog, one or more of the facilities where you are interested in volunteering with your dog. Try to sense the environment from your dog’s perspective. Network with established teams.

COST: $2000 - $5000, TBD