[nagdu] Registering my dog as a certified therapy dog?

[Julie J.]

Lea,

I looked into doing therapy work with my first dog.  She would have been 
very good at it.  anyway there are various organizations that 
train/certify for therapy work.  I'm thinking the Delta Society is one 
of the larger ones.  You might check with the hospice or the other dog 
handler to see what is in your area. Lyn on this list does therapy work 
and I'm sure  would be happy to share experiences.

Have you talked with the guide dog program you are attending about 
wanting to do therapy work with your dog?  That's important.  Not all 
dogs are suitable for the work.  Therapy is different than guiding.  The 
base behavior expectations are similar, but the personalities of the dog 
may differ a bit.  For example I like a guide who is pretty aloof, not 
wanting to visit every new person he meets.  He would not make a good 
therapy dog.  Many guide dogs are quite happy to meet and greet new 
people, so that could work out well.  I think you would also want a 
fairly calm dog.  You definitely don't want a bouncy, overly excited dog 
greeting medically fragile folks.  Anyway just some things to ponder.

Oh, the CGC is the Canine Good Citizen test.  You can read about it on 
line.  The therapy program you go through will most likely want you to 
complete this test.  It shouldn't be any problem for your guide to pass it.

The hospice program sounds really good.  It is so refreshing to find 
organizations like that, that welcome everyone openly and honestly.

Julie




On 4/24/2012 6:05 PM, Lea williams wrote:
> Hey, I am trying to figure out how to write all this without jumbling
> it all up, so sorry if I do.
>
> I am going to start working as a volunteer at a hospice. I will be
> going to a nursing home and hanging out with people who have a
> beginning case of demintchia. After a while the lady said she would
> like it if I went to the houses and hung out with the people to give
> the kids of these older people, a break and the chance to go places
> for a couple of hours. I am getting my TB scan this Friday and will
> take a couple of classes the middle of May. They know I am going to
> get a guide dog in June and are excited to meet my dog. There is a guy
> who has a therapy dog and they want to put up a picture of my dog with
> the therapy dog in the office. They are so opened up and excepting
> with me being blind. They really seem to be making a huge effort to
> give me as much of an opportunity as anyone else there. One of my
> biggest fears of working has always been the discrimination of me
> being blind. I know that I might face some with the other people there
> but I am ok with that.
>
> So anyways, to get to my point...
> The idea was brought to me about registering my dog as a certified
> therapy dog and letting it help me with therapy at the nursing home.
> What are your thoughts about this and how would I go about doing it?
> My dog is going to go with me, no matter what, so I figured doing this
> could only help rather than hurt but this is where I would love your
> input of the matter.
>
> Also, I have more recently been told that I could register  my dog as
> a CGC dog. I think that means, K9 good cemariton or something like
> that? I would have to go double check that email.
> Thanks.
>
>