Behavior Tip of the Month

By Carole Beck Schatz

Could Your Dog Qualify as a Therapy Dog?

QUESTION

My puppy loves everyone and someone said she would make a good Therapy Dog. What does that involve?  

ANSWER:

Therapy Dogs are usually pets who are specially trained to accompany their handlers into hospitals or convalescent facilities. They bring a smile to patients' faces and ease the loneliness and isolation. Stroking a pet lowers stress and blood pressure. Patients remember their own pets and share stories and memories.

To qualify as a Therapy Dog your dog must be:

  1. Very social
  2. Obedient
  3. Polite, friendly and calm
  4. Biteless and forgiving even if petted too roughly or hugged
  5. Confident, stable and not fearful of new sounds and sights
  6. At least one year of age

If your dog can do all of the above, you should look for a good Therapy Dog class. Big cities have them. Also go to www.AKC.org and click on CGC, Canine Good Citizen. Most Therapy Dog national organizations require your dog to pass this test. It evaluates basic good manners, obedience, stability, aggression and fear. Most obedience clubs give the test as do private trainers and Petsmart.

Joining a National Therapy Dog Organization is very important since you will then have liability insurance to cover you and your dog in the facility. Some national certifying organizations are:

Delta Society Pet Partners Programs
289 Perimeter Rd.
East Renton, WA 98055
www.DeltaSociety.org

Therapy Dogs Inc.
PO Box 5868
Cheyenne, WY 82003
(877) 843-7364
www.Therapydogs.com
                                  
Therapy Dogs International, Inc.
88 Bartely Rd.
Flanders, NJ 07836            
(973) 252-9800
www.tdi-dog.org

Do you want to help other people? Does your dog have what it takes to become a Therapy Dog? If the answer is yes, you and your K9 will give a lot of joy and receive a great amount of satisfaction as well.

Carole Schatz, CPDT Certified Pet Dog Trainer
Best Friend Behavior Counseling and Training
San Diego, Ca.
619-460-6888
www.sancarlosvet.com and click on "Behavior Tips"

"Positively teaching pets and their people since 1977"

Do you have a question for Carole? You can reach her at the email address listed on her resume. Perhaps she will use it in an upcoming article on this Web site.