Becoming a Therapy Dog? (shepherd, aggressive, training, children)

[JennLoggans]

Hi, I want to get my dog into therapy work. He has no training but I know he would be great. My, father owns a campground in Abingdon, Va and I work there. Banjo is there everyday with me and greets everyone who comes in the office. He also likes to walk around the campground meeting other dogs and people. He especially loves children and lets them hang on him or bury him in the sand box. He has never bitten, or acted aggressive to anyone. He is 4 yrs old and ever since he was just 8 weeks has been around people at the campground. The first 5 months we had him he pretty much was walked constantly by every child in the campground. I think he would enjoy visiting other people that need a little doggy love. He doesn't give kisses though. He has never been a big kisser and the closest you will get from him is a wet snoot on the side of you face. He is a German Shepherd mix and weighs about 60 - 70 lbs depending on the season. During the summer he gets more of a work out because of all the people and kids to visit. I have been looking for a class or organization local to me to get some more information and was wondering if there is anyone that could point me to a good site or someplace to get the information I seek.

Thanks for any help.
Jenn

[ablau]

I've been interested in pursuing this also. The closest thing I've found was a local agility training center that gives therapy dog classes. You have to complete basic obedience courses with the dog first, and then you can take the therapy classes and get certified. I'd link to you, but it won't help much since it's in CA and you're in VA. But maybe that's a starting point, to find an agility place and see if they offer specialized classes. A place like PetSmart that does the very BASIC training won't cut it for this, most likely...

[Katie1]

For Information & Classes & Tests Therapy Dogs

[JennLoggans]

I found this wile looking for places close in Virginia. It basically says that for the state of Va I just call the place I want to go and if they say ok, I just show up.

http://www.playfulpups.com/virginia_therapy_dog_training.htm

[ShelbyGirl1]

I can not get your link to work...so can not view what they have to say.
But you can help your dog before test day. First....he must be able to sit and stay, no matter what kind of distractions are around him...loud noises, bouncing balls, kids, cats...you name it, they will test his reserve.
He must be able to leave food, or anything that falls in front of him alone...This is a big must...for his saftey..in leaving any meds, etc that might fall in a hospital type setting.
For us...they dressed a guy in a gorilla suit and came up behind me and grabbed me....my dog was not to react in an aggressive manner...thankfully he didn't...but only because I gave him a command to stay and lots of "it's oks".
Something that is very helpful, is attending basic dog training classes and then going on to get his CGC....Canine Good Citizen....
Good luck! It is quite rewarding and you will meet lots of wonderful people and their animals.

[JennLoggans]

He knows sit, lay, roll over, speak, leave alone, shake, and catch. We are working on the stay. Sometimes he will , sometime not. He has no problems with people coming up to him and hanging all over him. There have been many times when someone (mainly children) have come up and giving him a choke hold hug and he just sits there with a silly happy face on till they are finished. The only other thing is the cat. He doesn't want to hurt them he just really likes to love on them. He will chase them but every time he has managed to get one he just picks it up with a soft mouth and takes it somewhere to lay down with it and lick it. I think he thinks they are moving toys. He does the same thing to rabbits.

This is from the site that is linked above. This is all it has on it too.

Virginia Therapy Dog Training

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[kansas sky]

In my area, this is the organization that you go through to get your dog certified as a therapy dog. I think they're nation-wide.

https://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=183

[maggiekate]

If you have a well behaved dog, some nursing homes will welcome you even b4 you have this training.
What helps, is the dog does get to see a wheelchair, and people get to see a dog! My 2 never did the training, however, we would visit nusing homes. All they did request was shots to be current, and then
they would have some rooms where people wanted a visit! One dog, just had this inner sense about
people she would visit. However, when a resident would drop food, she did take it. Or they would just give it to her. They each had there favorites there to see!

[ShelbyGirl1]

Originally Posted by maggiekate

If you have a well behaved dog, some nursing homes will welcome you even b4 you have this training.
What helps, is the dog does get to see a wheelchair, and people get to see a dog! My 2 never did the training, whwever, we would visit nusing homes. All they did request was shots to be current, and then
they would have some rooms where people wanted a visit! One dog, just had this inner sense about
people she would visit. However, when a resident would drop food, she did take it. Or they would just give it to her. They each had there favorites there to see!

There is a huge Ins. risk with this. Both for the owner of the dog and the nursing facility. By working with an org. one is covered by there Ins. I wouldn't even think of walking into a place without coverage these days! A simple scratch could cause a very large lawsuit.

[Katie1]

Your dog takin Anything Is not Healty for the dog Thats why they & you need the training. & as Shelby said your dog scraching any would can be dangerous & a lawsuit. A Simple scrach on a dibetic can cause loss of limb!