Questions?

You have decided that you do want to get your dog certified to be a therapy dog – and you understand the benefits involved with having your dog certified (see post:  Why do I need to get my dog certified?) – so, your next question is:  How do I get my dog certified?  This often has people puzzled.

There are two main ways to go about this…  you either join one of the national organizations such as Therapy Dogs International or Delta Society or you join a local organization such as Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. The two national organizations mentioned above are well known – and as one training instructor said to me, Some people are looking for the prestige of being a member of a national organization.  Certainly, if that’s what you’re after, then national is the way to go.  Bright Spot is a small organization serving Western Massachusetts.  There are many such local organizations all over the country – just google therapy dogs and your area and you’ll come up with what you’re looking for.  These small organizations are hands-on groups; they’re right there to assist you; perhaps mentor, instruct, and advise.  I started as a member of Therapy Dogs International, quite frankly because that’s the only one I had heard of – and this was before the widespread use of the internet (way back then!) – and I was a member for 9 years before becoming involved with a local MSPCA group, and then founding Bright Spot.

Anyway, there are lots of options…  google the groups…  see what they have to offer their members.  I know I’m bias, but Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. offers its members a lot for a nominal membership fee.  Once you’ve zeroed in on the therapy dog group that interests you, then check out their requirements for getting your dog certified.  Every group is different in the way they go about this procedure.  There is no one answer that fits all.

Having your dog certified as a therapy dog through a registered therapy dog organization holds special benefits for the dog’s owner.  The prime benefit that comes with membership in an organization is volunteer liability insurance.  When I started visiting with my first certified therapy dog back in 1992, very few dogs were allowed in facilities of any type.  But, if dogs were allowed to visit back then, that meant any dog – certified or not.  Things have changed a lot in 18 years…   on the plus side, the positive effects therapy dogs have on folks in healthcare facilities and educational programs have been recognized and appreciated, on the negative side, lawsuits of all types have increased causing concerns about liability to develop.  When speaking to an insurance broker, I was informed that anything to do with dogs is ranked #2 on the risk factor; risk of fire being #1.  Facilities and programs are conscious of this situation and most require that a visiting dog be certified through a registered therapy dog organization and carry liability insurance through that organization.

Beyond this, belonging to a local or national therapy dog organization will offer additional benefits.  Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. offers a very generous membership package including:  liability insurance, official Bright Spot dog vest, T-shirt, ID badges for the dog and owner, membership handbook, list of visiting opportunities, monthly members e-newsletter, and the annual Bright Spot News, as well as member support.  Check with your local or national therapy dog organizations to find out what benefits they offer – but of utmost importance, be certain that membership includes liability insurance.  You are responsible for your dog – if there is an incident, it is you who will be sued.  Don’t take chances!

The answer to this question is more complex then you might expect.  People come to me all excited.  They’ve read about the volunteer therapy dog program at the hospital and want to visit there with their dog.  Or they want to visit hospice patients with their dog; or participate in the children’s Reading to Dogs Program at the public library.  All of these, definitely, are great places to visit, but when making the decision as to where you and your dog will do your visiting, BOTH ends of the leash must be considered.  Take the hospital program mentioned above…  a quiet and especially well-controlled dog is needed for this type of medical environment.  Patients are in the hospital because they are sick.  The dog needs to be extremely adaptable to this setting.  And, the human volunteer must attend special training, then annual retraining, to volunteer at the hospital.  The hospice setting is similar, as far as the dog goes; for the person, there is extensive training before you start – and the knowledge that the person you are visiting definitely is at the end of life.  This can be tough – and not for everyone.  As far as working with children,  I caution people about the high liability risks involved when working with children.  You want to be certain that your dog won’t ever get startled by a child’s sudden movement, turn and bite the child.  Your dog should definitely have been raised with children in the home or highly socialized around children.  The perfect match is one that works for YOU and for the DOG.  You’re a TEAM!

As an evaluator, I make recommendations to folks after I have evaluated their dog, based on my observations of the dog’s personality, controllability, predictability, and level of interaction with the residents we visit.  Bottom line, you must be honest with yourself as to your dog’s talents, limits, likes and dislikes.  You want this to be an enjoyable experience for both of you.  One that you’ll never want to stop doing.  Select your place wisely – and if it’s not the right fit for you and your dog – try a different environment and age group.

Bright Spot Therapy Dogs, Inc. has over 50 facilities (a wide variety of programs and populations) requesting our services.  There are many places in your area where you and your dog can visit.  Joining an organization such as Bright Spot will offer guidance in making your selection.

Not just nursing homes…  When asked once to be the speaker for the monthly meeting of a civic organization, the person calling me said, We’d like to hear about what it is that you do with your dogs in the nursing homes.  I responded by saying that we visit in lots of other places besides nursing homes.  The caller was so surprised.  The slideshow I presented at their meeting with 44 photos of our volunteers visiting in a variety of settings and with all age groups, was quite an eye-opener.  This caller is not the only one who didn’t realize how widespread the use of therapy dogs is today.  People inquiring about doing this work themselves with their dogs have had the same impression.  Do I have to visit in a nursing home? is not an uncommon question.  The value of therapy dogs interacting with people has become far more widely appreciated and accepted since I started visiting in the early 90’s.  Studies bear out the mental, as well as physical benefits of using therapy dogs in both healthcare facilities and educational programs.  You’ll see therapy dogs in school classrooms, children’s reading programs in libraries, hospice, rehab centers, hospitals, senior centers, and mental health facilities, as well as nursing homes and any other place therapy dogs can be of help.

If the sign in the store window reads Service Dogs Only, then your dog – whether he’s wearing his therapy dog vest or not – is not allowed in the store.  Your dog is welcome wherever the sign reads Dogs Welcome.  In other words, your dog, as a certified therapy dog doesn’t have any special rights in public places.  He does have special rights in healthcare facilities and eduational institutions where a dog is welcome only if he has been certified through a therapy dog organization.

The misunderstanding comes when people confuse the terms Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs.  They are not synonymous.  Simply put, Service Dogs are trained to help their owners; Therapy Dogs are trained to work with their owners to help others.  Therapy Dogs are visiting dogs that make scheduled visits to healthcare facilities, assist in educational programs, and anywhere else that therapy dogs can help others.

This is one of the most frequently asked questions.  Just the other night, while attending a gallery opening, the conversation with a group of folks turned to my work with therapy dogs – once again the breed question came up.  If one were to take a census of our Bright Spot therapy dogs, one would come up with more – you guessed it – Golden Retrievers, followed by Poodles (all sizes), then Cavalier King Charles Spaniels.  However, from my 13 year experience evaluating dogs for this work, I’ve had 2 out of every 3 Golden Retrievers not pass.  Either they simply weren’t ready for therapy work (meaning they showed promise, but needed lots more training) or they weren’t cut out for the work.  Again, in my experience, all the poodles I’ve seen have been great, but 1 out of every 2 Cavaliers were timid and would withdraw from touch.

Today, I evaluated my first Newfoundland. Boy, did he win everyone over!  What a show stopper!  He had staff coming out of their offices and residents coming out of their rooms in their wheelchairs and walkers.  The perfect therapy dog moment occured – lots of conversation was generated and a great deal of movement.  Everyone wanted to pet this friendly fellow!

Really, I’ve seen many breeds, including mixed breeds.  Just like people, some are suited for this work, others are not.  I need to see a dog that is happy and wants to be there.

As interest grows in the field of therapy dog visiting, the need for instruction has evolved.  There are skills and techniques used by the handler and dog while visiting with patients, nursing home residents, children in educational environments, hospice patients, and other settings that, if learned ahead of time, can be very helpful and make visits more enjoyable for all involved.

Two years ago, I saw the need arise for such instruction and developed beginner and advanced classes designed to help those ready to embark on this type of volunteer work with their dogs.  After having run the classes for two years, I’ve found that those who have attended are far more prepared for a therapy dog evaluation.  They know what to expect.

The beginner class focuses on what makes a good therapy dog, and the beginner’s first and second steps in the training process.  I start my classes by asking the participants the following three questions:

1) Has your dog ever shown signs of aggression?

2) Is your dog predictable?

3) Is your dog totally controllable?

The answer to #1 MUST be NO.  A dog simply can not be a therapy dog if he or she shows signs of aggression toward people.  This question must be answered honestly by the owner.  You are responsible for your dog at all times and are liable for his or her behavior.

The answer to #2 MUST be YES.  You, the dog’s owner, must be able to predict that your dog won’t bite someone, won’t bark incessantly while visiting a facility, won’t have an accident on the carpet when he or she gets excited, won’t jump up on someone’s lap uninvited or lick a patient’s face.

The answer to #3 is where the training comes in…  we help teach you to train your dog to be totally controllable.  This is your job.  If you want to do this type of volunteering, you must work with your dog until you feel he or she is completely under your control.  It’s really not work, it’s FUN!  This is what builds the bond between you and your dog.  A well-trained dog, is a happy dog.  Dogs really want to please you.  They want to know what’s expected of them by their owner.

Training starts with socialization.  Socializing your dog is the most important thing you can do, whether you plan to do therapy dog visits or just want a happy, well-adjusted companion that’s not aggressive or timid when family and friends come to visit.  See full discussion on socialization in:  How best to prepare your puppy to be a therapy dog.

With the understanding that socializing your dog – puppy or adult – is key to building a successful relationship with your dog, and it’s something you do continuously throughout your dog’s life, we then move onto Basic Training.

The basic obedience commands of:  sit, down, stay, come, heel must be solid – REALLY solid.  This is where the training starts… and hopefully, you’ve already been working on these before coming to this class which focuses on the skills and techniques used in therapy dog visiting – which are beyond these basic commands.  PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE – all the time.  Not just 20 minutes a day.  Put your dog in a down-stay in front of his food dish, then tell him he can have it.  Have your dog sit-stay before he can go through the open door.  Take daily walks with your dog in heel position.  This is not an exercise walk, this is a controlled walk-at-your-side walk.  Make all this fun.  And, don’t forget the treats, plenty of them.  Your dog will LOVE the attention and direction you are giving him.  When you feel you are ready to head out for a therapy dog evaluation, these basic commands must be solid.  Your answer to question #3 – Is your dog totally controllable? must be YES.