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  • Therapy work

    How does one become involved in training a dog to do therapy work?
    Does the dog have to have a certain personality, can these things be trained? Is there a resource I can check out that explains things?
    My little Bogartsigpic

  • #2
    http://www.akc.org/dogowner/training/therapy/index.cfm
    *Jennifer*
    Member GDC of Mid-Florida
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    • #3
      http://tdi-dog.org/ The program Phin is involved in is through TDI.

      There is also Delta Society... http://www.deltasociety.org/

      I'm sure there are others, but those are the two main ones I know.
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      • #4
        In Canada, most therapy dog work is through St. John's Ambulance, so look into that. I don't know if the other organisations posted in this thread serve Canada, but I don't think so. A great start would be to take as many obedience classes you can with a force-free school and definitely look into the Canine Good Neighbour certification for starters. CGN is offered by the Canadian Kennel Club and information about it is online. Many training schools offer a CGN prep course as well (we do, if you're willing to travel to Toronto - I'm sure there are some in Durham Region too).
        Katie & Scarlett
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        • #5
          Originally posted by Meatos View Post
          In Canada, most therapy dog work is through St. John's Ambulance, so look into that. I don't know if the other organisations posted in this thread serve Canada, but I don't think so. A great start would be to take as many obedience classes you can with a force-free school and definitely look into the Canine Good Neighbour certification for starters. CGN is offered by the Canadian Kennel Club and information about it is online. Many training schools offer a CGN prep course as well (we do, if you're willing to travel to Toronto - I'm sure there are some in Durham Region too).
          In SK it is only available through St. John's Ambulance. Moose just passed his last month (not that we didn't visit the care home without it... but I wanted it official).

          I think a respectful, low to medium energy, friendly as can be dog is your best bet. Moose is a low energy Dane who has never met a stranger and who puts human attention far ahead of anything else (even food). He has put his head on a table to allow someone to pat him right next to a plate full of cookies and he could have cared less that cookies were there.

          That's not to say that a high energy Dane couldn't be a therapy dog... but it would take a ton of impulse control work.

          I would start young and get them as socialized as you possibly can with numerous different people. The therapy dog test here is pretty well the exact same as the CGN test. Get them used to loud bangs, shuffling feet etc. (all things included in the test). From a young age teach them that you decide who they can visit with.... don't let them drag you up to every person since in the test they have to sit next to you and ignore another person and another dog who meet you.

          I find doing the Therapy dog work so rewarding for both Moose and I. And when I'm working and pick up a patient... they've given me hell when Moose hasn't come and visited that week so I think they like it too
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          Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
          Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
          Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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          • #6
            Thank you everyone, and thank you meatos and tmedic for the Canada specific information.
            I'm interested in learning more about the therapy work because I rally think it would be very rewarding for both of us. Ive been looking for a new place to volunteer, so I thought this would be a great opportunity.

            HOWEVER, reading all I have right now.. and still cant tell if bogie will be cut out for this kind of work. He's a friendly dog, and not super high energy, and he does listen well to me.. But he's just a puppy so I still need to learn more about his personality to see if i think this would be right for him.

            The thing that is throwing me off a bit is that he is friendly to strangers, he's not really afraid or nervous of anyone (except when the vet takes him in the back room, he's not such a fan of that), he will gladly accept loving from anyone willing to give it.. But if I'm not around, he's not comfortable. It's like he's happy to meet new people if I'm there, but he doesn't want to do it on his own (I've touched on this separation stuff in other posts). For example, in his puppy class, when we "pass the puppy" he just wants to constantly look around to see where I am, to make sure I'm not going anywhere almost.

            So I guess we will see, and time will tell.. I'm going to keep reading about it, and keep taking the training classes, and hopefully Ill be able to gauge it better in a couple months.
            My little Bogartsigpic

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            • #7
              Well, if you guys are a therapy team then you'll always be together when you're taking classes, doing your testing, and doing therapy visits. So if he's just looking for you, it's not the worst thing in the world.

              One of the requirements of the CGN however is leaving the dog in the testing room with the evaluator for three minutes while you stand outside, completely out of sight. The dog is allowed to bark/whine a few times but beyond that it must not show signs of prolonged or excessive stress. The requirements for the actual therapy testing might be more stringent (I don't know what they are) - perhaps a longer time period and less tolerance for some signs of stress.

              So work on that. Work on making him okay with being away from you. Puppies usually grow into behaviours, not out of them, but you'll have a better sense in a few months as to whether or not he's cut out for that sort of work regardless. Have you talked to your trainers about it?
              Katie & Scarlett
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              • #8
                My neighbor was always looking for a walking buddy but I always seem to be working when she wants to go. I offered Moose to her so she had something to do while walking. Moose loves going for walks with her. Maybe you can find a neighbor who will take him for a walk every now and again. It's good of they can be away from you. Heck even Nitro who is scared of most ppl will happily go on a walk with Ciera my neighbor


                Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
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                Nitro- Female Mastiff x Dane - July 3, 2010 - July 27, 2013 (RIP Sweet Girl)
                Moose - Male Great Dane - June 3, 2011
                Rush - Male Great Dane - April 8th, 2015 (MBPIS MBPIG Can. GCH Group Placing Paquestone's Intense Rush)

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                • #9
                  Meatos, no I haven't spoken to my trainers yet. I just figure it was too soon, especially since I myself cant even tell yet if he's right for it or not. At the place where we are taking the training they do have several advanced training classes for when he gets older, so I'm looking forward to taking those and seeing where things go.

                  For now, I'm going to get him used to being away from me for short periods of time.
                  My little Bogartsigpic

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                  • #10
                    Even if he never becomes a working therapy dog, the training is valuable. You should start training now. Here is a recent thread about therapy dog training - there are links to other discussions in this thread as well.

                    http://dolforum.com/forum/showthread...hlight=Therapy

                    Logan & I have alot of fun, it's very rewarding- I laugh, cry, and everything in between. Logan is extremely attached to me & is still a wonderful therapy dog.
                    "I don’t care if a dog is 150 pounds or 10 pounds, and whether the issue is leash manners or biting visitors. There are no dogs who need a heavier hand—there are only trainers who need more knowledge and a lighter touch." Suzanne Clothier
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                    Rocky & Emma
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                    • #11
                      The best therapy dogs must first have the correct temperment. Many Danes qualify right there as they tend to LOVE being loved on.

                      My therapy dog was exposed to as much as I could get him around from day one. I let countless people love on and play with him. I worked his obedience in as many places as I could take him. My only regret was not testing him sooner for the job, because we both love visiting.

                      Other than basic mannors, a great thing to teach a would be therapy dog is to greet people on command. Teaching them to "go say hi" to new people should start as soon as you can. Even if they never become therapy dogs it is still handy to learn, as most people want to greet/pet your dane.

                      Follow up with your local Therapy Dog registry and see what age the dog needs to be, what vaccines/heath testing they require, and what skills the dog must know/pass to become a therapy dog. The younger you start the better these behaviors will stick. Best of luck.
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                      "Show me your dog, and I will tell you what manner of man you are."
                      ~Capt. Max von Stephanitz
                      Anubis CGC (RIP) , Cheza CGC, Schwarz Frost von Lichtefeld CGCA THD TDIA, Steele Gunner Goatsbane CGCA, and Professional House Dog Oliver.

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