Therapy dogs are a unique means of rehabilitation for children with special needs. The use of therapy dogs – is aimed at solving the problems of social adaptation and integration of children with disabilities. This direction has a rich history but came into use relatively recently and is actively developing.
It is most effective in combination with other rehabilitation and medical measures. Training with therapy dogs is not a cure! However, now the question is “Can you use a Cane Corso as a therapy dog?”.
Well, generally Cane Corsos are good service dogs. This good service dog is known for its services and this breed is also recognized as a guard dog. Cane Corso service dog is extremely loyal. But when it comes to becoming a therapy dog, can these large breed dogs like Italian Mastiff breeds become a proper emotional support animals?
Let’s find out below. However, we dig deeper, at first, let’s learn what it means by a therapy dog.
What Is A Therapy Dog?
Therapy dogs, with their owners, visit places like nursing homes, hospitals, and schools to assist improve the lives of individuals in difficult circumstances. In case you register your canine companions as therapy dogs, they can cheer up an ill patient or may become a companion to a lonely elderly person.
Therapy dogs also help kids who are suffering from depression, personality traits, or anxiety by providing a comforting effect. The main job of such a dog is simple – it allows distraction, provides communication, and shows love to individuals who are experiencing difficult times in their lives.
Working dogs like Golden Retrievers or Cane Corso puppies may also be used as therapy dogs with basic training.
Can I Use My Cane Corso As A Therapy Dog?
Have you ever wondered if your Cane Corso could make a good therapy dog? You may know a nursing home where your Cane Corso could bring much-needed joy to the lives of its residents but aren’t sure how or even where to start. If you have ever wondered what steps you need to take to register a therapy dog or what it takes to train one, keep reading this article.
Since the job of therapy dogs is to spend time with those who need it, it does not require any advanced skills. However, treatment dogs must have basic obedience skills, be very sociable, should have a natural tendency, and communicate well with outsiders.
Some organizations of therapy dogs need their “participants” to pass the American Kennel Club (AKC) test. In some cases, these dogs will need to be desensitized to make sure they don’t freak out in situations involving loud children or hospital equipment.
Some organizations of therapy dog enrollment provide training classes to those who are needy, but this is quite rare. You may have to take care of the training of the service dog yourself by providing your own direction or enrolling it in separate courses. Listed below are the training courses your pet will likely have to take to become a therapy dog:
- Training course “Dog is a conscious citizen.”
- Basic as well as intermediate obedience exercises.
- Desensitization training. This includes training in unusual situations as well as loud noise environments, and acclimatization in hospitals and also other specialized backgrounds.
For the precise requirements, get in touch with the organization where you intend to register your dog. They can direct you to training sessions or a therapy dog trainer in your neighborhood. However, make sure your dog is a purebred one by buying one from a reputable breeder.
What Difference Between A Service Dog And A Therapy Dog
It is important to understand how a therapy dog differs from a service dog. Service dogs live with the people they are trained to serve and provide highly specialized services such as accompanying the blind or assisting people with disabilities.
Service dogs are rigorously trained to perform their duties effectively and are allowed to be anywhere their companions are, including restaurants and airplanes.
Therapy dogs, although they have special access to the premises where they are invited, do not have unlimited access like service dogs.
A service dog must learn proper leash walking while a therapy dog must learn to comfort patients. However, both the therapy dog and the service dog shouldn’t have any health issues. Dogs with disabled veterans can’t perform such a task. Moreover, these dogs must be highly intelligent to get public access.
How You Can Register Your CAne Corso As A Therapy Dog
You must first register with a therapy dog organization before you can use your Cane Corso dog as a therapy dog. Once registered, the organization will give you access to workspaces where you and your dog can work. For a list of nearby therapy dog registration organizations that have been approved by the AKC (American Kennel Club), check your local phone book or visit the AKC website.
Once you have verified that your Cane Corso meets all the requirements for therapy dogs, you (or who will be the dog’s handler) and your puppy will need to be assessed by this organization. The assessment is usually done face-to-face with a bunch of other possible volunteer teams in a nursing home or hospital setting. Your Cane Corso service dog may have to pass the following tests:
- Execution of the “lie down”, “stand up” and “sit” commands.
- Meeting & greeting new people.
- Visit the patient.
- Can walk and talk with the patient properly
- Execution of the commands.
- Treats patients with good nature and temperament
- Your dog should have all the basic vaccinations, including parvovirus, distemper, and hepatitis.
- Reaction to kids and unusual situations.
- Your dog must have received all necessary rabies vaccinations according to the schedule set by the veterinarian.
- Entrance to the object.
- Meeting another dog.
- The dog should have had its annual veterinary check-up no more than 12 months ago.
Remember that you’ll be judged along with your protection dog. The assessor will pay special attention to how the owner and the dog interact as well as how well they get along and function as a unit. If the assessor is pleased with both your work and that of your dog, you can both be recognized as a therapy team.
Some organizations, such as TDI, offer restricted registration according to remote evaluation if a therapy dog organization does not perform assessments in your neighborhood. You must submit certificates of successful completion of the fundamental and intermediate levels of obedience training in addition to a statement from the etiquette school outlining their evaluation of your dog’s disposition to be taken into consideration.
A letter of reference from a vet and also a letter of permission from the place that you intend to visit—both written on that organization’s letterhead—are additional requirements. Therefore, using this method, your Cane Corso can even defend a helpless person in a wheelchair.
FINAL WORDS
Although the procedure of training as well as registering therapy dogs is quite complicated, it can be a great experience for you as well as your puppy, not to mention the advantages that people in need of help will get from interacting with your dog.
So, if you are concerned about whether you can use a Cane Corso dog as a therapy dog or not, the answer is here. With proper training, even your Cane Corso can become a therapy dog.
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