A Dog Training
How do I go about training and certifying a dog to be a therapy dog?
Hopefully in the near future, my fiance and I are looking to get a puppy and I have always wanted to be able to go into hospitals, especially childrens hospitals, with my dog and give those kids a better experience.
We’re looking to get a Lab, Boxer, or German Shep. (Unless something else comes across out paths.) We live in SE Wisconsin, right around Milwaukee.
So basically, I’m looking for any and all information I can get about Therapy Dog Training and certification.
Therapy dogs are not certified. They are tested, registered, and insured to go with its owner to visit facilities like hospitals and nursing homes to cheer up patients. Note that like other pets, therapy dogs are only permitted where they are invited. You still have to have permission from the hospital to visit, so it pays to check with the facilities you would like to visit and see what they require. Some will only accept therapy dogs registered with a specific organization.
The top three therapy dog organizations in the U.S. are:
Delta Society http://www.deltasociety.org
Therapy Dogs International http://tdi-dog.org
Therapy Dogs Incorporated http://therapydogs.com
Each has it’s own test and registration requirements, and each provides liability insurance for its members.
Therapy dog registration is based primarily on temperament. The obedience requirements are minor: walk on a loose leash, sit, down, and come when called all on a plain buckle collar are about it. For most well-behaved pets, an eight week course would be sufficient to prepare for a therapy dog test.
You can use the sites listed above to look for clubs, classes, evaluators and tests near you. If you are unable to locate a class nearby, you could try Delta’s home study course.
Jump Through- Clicker Dog Training
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