I offer therapy dog training workshops – both beginner and advanced – at The Collared Scholar in Northampton, MA. It’s a great training facility. I love the space – not too large, not too small. The floor is covered completely with a matt-like surface – no slipping problems for the dogs. And, the acoustics are great so no one has a problem hearing. This past Sunday, I had a terrific class of beginners. All the dogs and owners showed great potential and most plan to register for the upcoming advanced class.
I really enjoy teaching people the skills and techniques I’ve acquired over my 19 years of visiting. It’s such a fun class to teach – everyone gets involved interacting with various types of equipment you’d find when visiting a healthcare facility. We set up mock scenarios and work through them with the dogs. James comes to the beginner workshop, dressed in his therapy dog vest and ID badge. He’s a great model – and enjoys every minute of it! What a sport!
The advanced workshop builds on the skills and techniques taught in the beginner class, introducing more advanced techniques and setting up more complicated scenarios to work through. The focus of a visit is making it possible for the patient to pet or feel the dog’s soft fur and to promote movement and conversation. Participants leave the class with the skills needed to make this happen – and have learned that both ends of the leash are at work while visiting.
After participating in both workshops, dog and owner are well-prepared and ready to be evaluated as a therapy dog team, and, hopefully, will become members of Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. We’re always looking for more volunteers to service the growing number of facilities throughout Western Massachusetts requesting our services.
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