Therapy Dog Training
Professional Therapy Dog Training In Aurora, CO!
Are you interested in training your dog to be a therapy dog? Lori can help at any point in the process! While the requirements can differ slightly between organizations, generally you’ve got to take the following steps to get your dog recognized as an official therapy dog:
- Your dog has to be friendly in all types of situations and usually over a year old.
- You and your dog need to be observed by a tester (usually a trainer). The tester will be making sure your dog knows basic commands and is overall well behaved.
- In some cases, the tester may need to see you and your dog in a real-life therapy situation.
Wherever you’re at in the process, Lori can help. Whether your dog needs help with basic commands or if your dog is ready to be tested, give Aurora Family Dog Training, LLC and call today!
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Therapy Dog Basic Requirements
Because therapy dogs will be working in so many different situations around many types of people they have to naturally be calm, friendly and not easily frightened. Been hospitals with busy people and loud equipment to schools with rambuncious young children therapy dogs have got to be comfortable with it all.
There is no specific breed or size requirement for a therapy dog. Friendliness and temperament are what’s most important here!
Your dog needs to be ready for just about any type of handling situation including:
- Touching of the paws
- Touching and grabbing of scruff and tail
- Direct eye contact from strangers
- Hugging
- Loud places and loud people
What Commands Does My Dog Need To Know?
We suggest that your dog meet the same standards as the AKC good canine citizen test. When it comes time to test, the trainer will expect your canine to know most of the following commands:
- Walking on a leash without pulling
- Sit and down
- Come and stay
- Gently taking a toy or treat
While your dog should know basic commands, the most important part again is how comfortable they are around strange situations.
Can I Take My Therapy Dog Anywhere?
Therapy dogs don’t have the same kind of privileges as service dogs. That means that therapy dogs can really only go to the same places as other dogs or in places that they’re specifically invited into.
However, therapy dogs have the opportunity to make an impact on the lives of the young, elderly or sick.
How Can I Get Started?
If therapy dog training sounds like a good fit for you and your dog then the first thing you need to do is work on some basic commands and start putting your dog in different situations. Lori, our head trainer can help with both, but if you’d like to get started on your own we recommend starting with somewhere like the Home Depot or Lowes.
These businesses allow dogs in their partially outdoor areas and are a great opportunity for your dog to get exposed to some unique situations.
When you’re ready, Lori can act as the tester/observer and guide you and your dog through the next steps.