A therapy dog works to make people happy, but before you can begin taking your pet to see people who might use a smile, you need to do a lot of work and get certified by a therapy dog program. Therapy dogs brighten people’s days and offer consolation to people in their communities. So, let’s learn more about therapy dog training.
Here’s a breakdown of therapy dog training, the key benefits, and what to keep in mind:
What is a Therapy Dog?
- Therapy dogs provide comfort and emotional support to people in need.
- They visit hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and other facilities, offering affection and companionship.
- Unlike service dogs, they aren’t trained for specific tasks and don’t have the same public access rights.
Benefits of Therapy Dogs
- Lower Stress and Anxiety: Interacting with therapy dogs can reduce blood pressure and release calming hormones.
- Improved Mental Health: Therapy dogs help manage symptoms of depression, PTSD, and other conditions.
- Social Skills: Beneficial for children with autism or social anxieties.
- Physical Benefits: Petting and interacting with a dog can improve fine motor skills and encourage movement.
Therapy Dog Requirements
- Friendly and Calm: Dogs must be approachable, non-aggressive, and enjoy human interaction.
- Healthy and Vaccinated: Therapy dogs work with vulnerable populations, so good health is vital.
- Basic Obedience: A foundation of good manners is essential for controlled visits.
- Certification: Most facilities require accreditation from organizations like the Alliance of Therapy Dogs or Therapy Dogs International.
The Importance of Training
- Socialization: Exposing your dog to diverse people and environments builds confidence and prevents anxiety in unfamiliar settings.
- Advanced Obedience: Ensures your dog listens reliably, even with distractions.
- Role-Playing: Practicing real-world scenarios with handling and commands prepares your dog for visits.
- Certification Testing: Passing a reputable organization’s test proves your dog has the necessary skills and temperament.
Training Options
- Self-Training: Learn training techniques and practice with your dog. This is suitable for experienced dog owners who are confident in teaching their pets.
- Professional Training: Choose a qualified program specializing in therapy dogs. This can offer more structured guidance and support.
Where Therapy Dogs Work
- Nursing homes and hospitals
- Schools and libraries
- Mental health facilities
- Airports (for stressed travelers)
- You can even initiate your program in your community!
Key Takeaway
Therapy dog work is a fulfilling way to share your dog’s love and bring joy to others. Remember these considerations:
- Your Dog’s Suitability: Not every dog is cut out to be a therapy dog. Be honest about your dog’s temperament and comfort levels.
- Your Role: Being a therapy dog handler is equally essential. You must be responsible, communicative, and an advocate for your dog.
- Prioritize Your Dog’s Well-Being: Always put your dog’s comfort first. Please don’t force them into situations they find stressful, and take breaks as needed.
If you and your dog have the right temperament and enjoy helping others, therapy dog training can be an enriching experience!
What is a Therapy Dog Training?
Therapy dogs make people feel better and make their days happier for those they help in their communities. Studies show that pet therapy is helpful. When teams of pet therapists visit individuals going through challenging circumstances, their mental and emotional health improves in a quantifiable and beneficial way.
The phrases “therapy dog” and “service dog” differ despite their frequent interchange.
Therapy dogs are trained to visit places such as hospitals, long-term care facilities, treatment centers, and schools, offering humans comfort and affection.
Although they get basic obedience training, therapy dogs are not taught to carry out any necessary activities for the individuals they assist. The fundamental distinction between therapy dogs and service dogs is this.
They don’t focus on any one area of services in particular. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) also restricts therapy dogs’ access to the general public. They are only permitted into spaces that they have been invited to enter. The primary purpose of a therapy dog is to help and soothe others, not only its handler.
Therapy dogs are occasionally used by professionals, such as social workers and psychotherapists, to assist their clients. When appropriately trained, any dog can serve as a therapy dog.
What Is The Work Of Therapy Dogs?
Therapy dogs offer consolation and company to individuals with various ailments and impairments. These animal companions are frequently asked to assist people while they are going through difficult circumstances.
A therapy dog is beneficial to many therapeutic programs, including animal-assisted therapy. This could entail engaging in activities with animals that have the potential to improve mood, foster greater social connection, and even lessen anxiety and sadness.
In addition to their therapeutic benefits, therapy dogs are frequently cherished by community members who help individuals of all ages.
What Are The Types Of Therapy Dogs?
Studies have indicated that the use of therapy dogs is beneficial for several mental health issues. It has been seen that patients with dementia, PTSD, depression, and autism all benefit from the encounter. A therapy dog can fill a variety of roles, including the following:
- Disaster Relief Dogs:
Disaster relief dogs assist in providing consolation and compassion to individuals who have experienced violence or trauma. In addition, they have assisted in offering comfort to those affected by natural catastrophes like Hurricane Katrina and the 9/11 attacks.
- Animal Assisted Therapy Dogs:
An additional form of therapy alongside physical and occupational therapies is animal-assisted therapy. It can be used to assist people to manage their condition’s symptoms by easing pain and reducing anxiety.
This type of treatment is based on the tie between humans and animals, a peaceful and helpful relationship that can develop when they interact. A PLOS One study discovered that even a 10-minute visit from a therapy dog reduced pain levels in ER patients.
- Reading Therapy Dogs:
These friendly dogs have received specialized training to assist kids in improving their reading abilities in school. When anxious kids read to a dog, they are greeted by a kind, understanding companion who can help them become more confident and self-assured.
- Facility Therapy Dogs:
These canines will primarily be employed by facilities such as assisted living facilities. They have received training in caring for senior citizens and improving their spirits.
These patients frequently have mental health issues or may be afflicted with diseases like Alzheimer’s. Seniors who have pets in their lives can benefit enormously emotionally and cognitively from the relationship. These dogs can also assist in settings for education and rehabilitation.
The Common Characteristics that Therapy Dogs Should Have:
While any dog can become an emotional support dog, some requirements must be met before being called a therapy dog since they work with the public!
- Friendly:
The dog’s friendliness is its most noticeable feature. They must think it is more fun to lick than to bite. They must never lose their cool towards people and be comfortable with strangers handling them in all parts of their bodies. Although you can’t always control how other people treat your dog, you still need to be in control of your dog!
- Healthy and Vaccinated:
Ensuring your dog is well-vaccinated, in good condition, and fixed is crucial because they will meet people in various unfamiliar settings.
- Explorative:
A dog should be happy to explore its surroundings and not get unhappy if it has to leave the house.
- Confident:
The dog has to get along with new people above everything else when it comes to new experiences and odors. A scared dog is a surefire way to end badly. A fearful dog is sometimes mistaken for an aggressive dog by people.
- Disciplined:
Although the dog will receive therapy dog training, they must exhibit a foundation of discipline, feel at ease accepting orders, and feel like pack members. This is related to thinking of yourself as an authority.
- Quiet:
While we adore it when our dogs exhibit excitement upon our return, yelping and roaring are inappropriate for a therapy dog. They should remain calm and silent even if they may be instructed to “speak” on order.
“Understanding the nuances of effective training techniques is essential for any learning process, for humans or animals. In pet care, Dog training is particularly vital as it shapes obedient behavior and fosters a bond between the pet and its owner. Programs like those offered at Brain Training for Dogs provide in-depth insights and practical approaches to dog training. Their methodologies emphasize mental stimulation beyond the basics, ensuring a well-trained and mentally agile pet.”
Which breeds of dogs make the best therapy dogs?
Although therapy dogs can be of any breed or age, not every puppy is suited for this unique role. Generally speaking, the ideal dogs for this function are submissive, serene, gentle, gregarious, and not easily overwhelmed.
Therapy dogs also need to feel at ease when being touched, often by numerous hands at once.
It is a point to watch your pet’s behavior in various situations where they interact with people of all ages as you consider whether they would be a good therapy dog. Even if your pet is well-mannered and sociable, watch for signs of stress, such as retreating or unusual panting.
Teamwork is necessary when working with therapy dogs in the community, so it’s just as crucial to ensure you know what to expect as a handler as it is to ensure Fido can handle the job.
Establishing connections is crucial to the job, so therapy dog handlers can count on having many conversations. If the mere mention of a small conversation makes you want to hide and run, you might want to think about finding something else to do with your dog.
What advantages come with training a therapy dog?
Anybody who loves dogs understands how much a dog’s company can brighten one’s day. Becoming a therapy dog trainer turns you and your dog into a team whose primary goal is to uplift and cheer up the community.
Therapy dogs not only offer emotional support to the people they visit, but they also have numerous health benefits. According to the American Kennel Club, human interactions with therapy dogs have been demonstrated to lower blood pressure, reduce anxiety, and raise endorphin levels.
Furthermore, research indicates that the benefits of therapy dogs outweigh those of other pets regarding endorphin and oxytocin levels!
How do therapy dogs become certified?
A therapy dog must be a year old or older to become certified. Additionally, they must be recognized and approved by a respectable association like Therapy Dogs International or the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Their immunizations also need to be current.
To be accepted by specific organizations, a dog may also need to complete the Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, a two-part program designed to improve your connection with your dog.
Your dog might also need to meet specific requirements for their collar and leash to pass the certification exam for therapy dogs. The tester might suggest further training if your dog exhibits excessive shyness or barks/jumps.
From an early age, a therapy dog needs to be correctly socialized. As socialization is essential to therapy training, you should begin socializing your dog as soon as possible. This entails regularly introducing your dog to new people and environments while maintaining a calm and polite demeanor, particularly between the ages of 3 and 16 weeks.
Take care not to overburden your dog with attention. Concentrating on building a solid, positive bond with your dog is best. A good therapy dog should be kind, patient, and self-assured. They ought to have pleasure in interacting with their owner and other individuals.
What to do after therapy dog certification?
To help your pet feel at ease, you can offer a few house visits to people you know before starting formal visits. In this approach, you may introduce your pet to various individuals and circumstances and learn how your pet might assist those who require therapeutic support.
While some pets may bring amusement through stunts and a cheerful attitude, others may love to be touched and loved. Although not required to obtain the Therapy Dog designation, these optional visits are a great way to get experience.
You can start seeing patients with participating organizations as soon as your pet passes the handling exam and gets the all-clear from your certifying organization. Your certifying organization will usually oversee the initial visits. After that, you’ll be allowed to go on your visits.
The AKC certification process for therapy dogs involves 50 visits. Ensure you maintain thorough records of every visit, including staff signatures from all visited institutions, for certification purposes. You can utilize this helpful form from the AKC.
Your certifying organization may provide a range of classes to assist your pet in learning therapeutic skills, and frequent treatment sessions will enable your dog to put these skills into practice.
Often, a patient needs a pet to sit quietly beside them and offer genuine assistance. It would help if you looked for various scenarios to provide your pet with a wider variety of experiences and better prepare them than fifty visits to the same place or with the same patients.
Your pet will probably be accepted into more settings and might even be asked to visit with other therapy dog teams in the area if they have the AKC Therapy Dog Title. If you would like to pursue other titles, you can keep track of visits to obtain Advanced (100 visits), Excellent (200 visits), or Distinguished (400 visits).
These, however, are entirely voluntary and shouldn’t impact your pet’s ability to get therapy.
What is the perfect age to start therapy dog training?
Other than being at least a year old, there are no restrictions on age or breed. So, your puppy can become a therapy dog if it is older than a year, regardless of breed.
Training guarantees good behavior and makes them more at ease with people and other dogs when young. In this manner, you can ensure that your dog remains robust and healthy by correcting any issues. They’ll also need to have the most recent vaccines.
Therapy Dog Training Tips
A few requirements must be met before therapy dogs can start visiting people who could use some canine company. Take into account these five pointers when you train your dog to perform this crucial task:
- Get ready at an early age:
Get to work on basic obedience training for your dog even before he turns one year old. Reinforce positive behavior to make it stronger. Get their immunizations up to date. Regularly expose children to amiable strangers.
Make sure your pet can maneuver around obstacles in your home with skill; this will come in handy when your pet has to get past wheelchairs, medical equipment, and other such objects.
Before becoming certified, a good therapy dog must demonstrate proficiency in every skill listed on the AKC Canine Good Citizen test, also known as the CGC test.
- Assess your pet’s abilities:
Select an accrediting body and prepare your dog to fulfill its particular standards. While passing a therapy dog test isn’t the end of the process, it is a prerequisite before you may try to bring your pet along for therapeutic interactions.
- Attend training sessions:
If you need more assistance, consider enrolling in some formal therapy dog training programs.
Obedience exercises such as sitting quietly, walking on a loose leash, behaving politely with strangers, and socializing with other dogs will be ingrained with the assistance of dog trainers. Your pet needs these items to eventually become a certified therapy dog.
- Pay a visit to those in need:
You can volunteer as a certified therapy dog owner after a few accompanied visits.
See where you and your pet partner may spread happiness and optimism to people most in need by contacting your area’s hospitals, retirement homes, mental health centers, and community centers.
Your pet can earn more official AKC therapy dog titles as you accrue more visits.
- Take a risk with the company:
To obtain a license to handle therapy dogs, you must go to specific locations while your pet and you are being observed. If your dog can recreate every skill assessed in an actual situation, someone from the therapy dog organization that conducted your test will confirm this.
How To Train A Therapy Dog
Now that you know the certification process for therapy dogs, let’s talk about training your dog to become a therapy dog. There are two approaches you might take to training a therapy dog.
A therapy dog can be professionally trained, or you can train yourself. To help you decide which is better, we’ll go over the distinctions between the two below.
- Self-training
Some owners train their dogs alone because hiring a professional therapy dog trainer can be costly. Self-training is an excellent choice for owners who are more self-assured in their training abilities and do not require expert assistance.
Acquiring knowledge of the ten fundamental commands is an intelligent starting point if you want to train your dog to train itself. Positive reinforcement techniques are employed in the training of therapy dogs. To better prepare your dog for real-world situations, you may also utilize rules for role-playing.
- Professional training
You can register your therapy dog in professional training classes if you’re not convinced you can teach it yourself. By searching for “therapy dog training near me,” you can locate reputable training programs. All that matters is that your dog will receive first-rate training from a trustworthy supplier.
Do your homework on the training organization, study reviews, get advice from facilities that employ therapy dogs and other dog owners, and ask questions before enrolling in any courses. Selecting the ideal training program for your dog is essential.
Where can I take my therapy dog?
You will eventually learn where your pet feels most comfortable and where you can have the most significant impact. Nursing homes, hospitals, clinics, and rehabilitation centers are great places for your therapy dog to find a home.
Medical institutions are a popular destination for therapy dogs. Therapy dogs are frequently invited to educational events as well.
Dogs may form unique connections with children in early reading programs and other educational settings, assisting them in gaining confidence and reaching significant milestones. These days, several airports even provide therapy dog visits.
Make your own if there are no chances in your area for therapy dogs. Administrators should be informed of the advantages of canine therapy, which can help with everything from mental illness to chronic pain.
Dogs make excellent friends for kids who are reticent in social situations, have trouble expressing themselves verbally, or show anxiety readily.
You may be motivated to train other dogs or discover that your pet is remarkable and would make a fantastic service dog. The satisfaction of serving as a therapy team volunteer is unmatched, no matter what.
You’ll meet people and dogs that will become lifelong companions and provide a much-needed service to the people in your neighborhood.
Your pet will grow more loving, dependable, and sympathetic as you build a stronger bond with them. When you and your therapy dog share your strength and dedication with the world, there is more than enough love to go around.
Conclusion
It’s a fine ambition, but most people want their dogs to be therapy dogs so they can help other people. To ensure the dog has a good experience when introduced to new things, some people forget that they must always serve as their advocate.
Never push your dog to do anything against their will; always respect their responses to new experiences. Instead, encourage your dog to try new things.
