Become a Therapy Dog
Becoming a therapy dog is a wonderful way to bring joy and comfort to people in need. Many therapy dogs are able to visit patients in hospitals, nursing homes, and other care facilities. They can also visit with people who are homebound due to illness or injury.
Therapy dogs provide emotional support for the people they meet, which can help those people feel better about themselves and their surroundings. The unconditional love that therapy dogs provide can also help comfort people who are grieving or struggling with mental health issues like depression or anxiety.
Therapy dogs can be trained by anyone who has a love for animals and cares about making others happy. They do not need to be certified or registered as therapy dogs in order for people to benefit from their presence; however, many organizations will require proof of training before allowing someone’s pet into their facilities for visits with clients or residents.
Becoming a therapy dog is not easy. You have to be patient, and you need to be willing to learn new things. Therapy dogs must be able to listen, follow directions, and perform tasks that their human handlers give them. If you want to become a therapy dog, here are some steps you can take:
- Take obedience classes with your dog. Obedience classes will teach you how to train your dog for basic commands like sit and stay. This will help you learn how to communicate with your dog in order for them to obey your commands when they’re out in public with other people around them as well. This is important because if your dog does not obey your commands then it could cause a problem for someone else who may be using the same space as you two at that time (such as an elderly person trying to walk through an entrance way).
- Practice going through doors with your dog by yourself first before bringing anyone else along with you during this process; this will help both of you get used to having another person there while walking through doors together because they might bump into each other while trying to go through those doors so it’s best if both parties involved do this together before bringing another person along with them.
How To Become A Therapy Dog
Therapy Dog Certification
Therapy dogs come in all sizes and breeds. The most important characteristic of a therapy dog is its temperament. A certified therapy dog must be friendly, patient, confident, gentle, and at ease in all situations. Therapy dogs must enjoy human contact and be content to be petted, cuddled, and handled, sometimes clumsily, by unfamiliar people and to enjoy that contact. The medical community has shown empirical evidence of the benefits of therapy dogs, which reinforces the need for them. In this article, we will discuss some of the training requirements and location restrictions for therapy dogs.
How Do I Get My Dog to be a Certified Therapy Dog?
Household pets that are trained by the family, require no specialized therapy dog training, therapy dog certification, registration, or documentation. Dogs must be well mannered and under the control of their handlers at all times. Some dogs get formal training from training schools, others are well trained at home by their handlers. At the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, the process is as follows:
Step 1: A certified therapy dog must be a friendly dog. Any mix or breed can be trained to provide comfort and affection to people in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, mental health institutions, airports, and many other settings. Dogs must be at least one year old to become a therapy dog.
Step 2: A tester/observer in your area test you and your dog. This test includes a handling portion that tests your dog’s basic good manners, demeanor, and handling skills.
Step 3: After the handling portion of the test, you and your dog are supervised by a tester/observer during three visits with residents of medical facilities. Upon successful completion of these visits and submission of your application paperwork, you and your dog may become a Therapy Team!
Can a Certified Therapy Dog Go Anywhere?
Unlike service dogs, certified therapy dogs are allowed in places where all dogs are allowed and in places that specifically allow therapy dogs, like those hospitals, schools, libraries, etc. that have therapy dog programs.
There are no special rights for therapy dogs which would that allow them to accompany their owners into a business establishment. Since hotels, motels and campgrounds are businesses, therapy dogs are considered pets and must follow policy.
A well-mannered, well-behaved dog that enjoys meeting people can become therapy a dog and make a difference in the lives of those that need them. To learn more about how your dog can become a therapy dog or the ways in which you can lend support, visit our new member’s page here.
