Training
your
dog
to
be
a
therapy dog can
be
so
rewarding.
Your dog will love his new job. There are many dogs that are well
suited for this position in life.
- Your dog does not need to be a pure bred fancy
dog--a mixed breed dog that has a good personality will bring joy to
those he visits.
- He needs good manners and his coat needs to be
clean.
Don't bring your dog to a facility if his coat is matted and
dirty. If you don't bathe him yourself, then take him to a groomer.
- Make sure the toenails are clipped, so as
not to scratch furniture or
skin.
- A dog that is going to be petted and hugged
needs to be sweet
smelling. It's also good to brush your dog to get excess hair that
might be shed.
- Many dogs have hair that does not shed
and are good for people
with allergies to hair--like Yorkshire Terriers.
- There are other
wonderful dogs that do not shed, but even if your dog sheds his coat,
that does not disqualify him from being a therapy dog. Just do some
extensive grooming before he makes his rounds.
You and your dog
may need a refresher course in
manners and dog behavior training.
- You may chose to train your dog
yourself at home.
- You need to make sure that your dog understands
basic
commands of sit,stay,come,down and some hand signals from you.
- You want to make sure your dog has the proper
temperament to be a
therapy dog. He can't be nippy or barky and he must love being petted
and hugged.
- He can't be wary of strangers, as he will be
meeting new
people.
Going to an assisted
living
facility can be stressful for both you and your dog the
first couple of times. You may want to visit the facility without your
dog at first to get the feel of the place, so that you know your way
around. Meet the staff and possibly some of the residents to see who
will welcome your future visits. You need to know the entrances and
exits that you and your dog are welcome to use.
Also, find out where your dog will be
allowed to go and relieve himself. Always take some doggie bags with
you to clean up behind your dog so
that
you
will
be welcome to come
back in the future.
As your visits will probably take a couple hours,
be sure to have water and maybe a little food for your dog. After all,
all this visiting takes a lot out of your dog!
There may be an outdoor area like a covered porch
where several of the residents might be able to gather to meet you and
your dog. This works nicely for those residents that are in
wheelchairs.
You will need to know if anyone is afraid or allergic to dogs. You
don't want them in an uncomfortable situation, but you also don't want
to place your dog in an uncomfortable situation either.
The Joy of Giving
There will always be a certain amount of stress
each time you visit with your therapy dog,as there will be new
residents to meet.
As long as your dog is comfortable in this
situation, the smells of the facility and different noise levels will
not be a concern.
You will get to know many residents of these
facilities if you visit on a regular basis. It will mean so much to
those who are confined and have not enjoyed dog companionship in a long
time.
If you have the companionship of your dog on a
daily basis, can you imagine how much you would miss that if you
suddenly couldn't have your dog with you anymore? That's why therapy dogs play such an important role.
You will both be greatly rewarded.
So, if your dog needs a little
extra training, it's
time
to
start., so you can start bringing
some joy back into the
lives of these people living in these nursing homes or rehabilitation
facilities.
Let's start spreading some
joy!
Train
your
dog
to
be
a great therapy dog!
