With the pandemic winding down, hospitals, nursing homes, and schools are now easing visitors entering buildings. When the pandemic started many of these facilities restricted visitors and volunteers from entering. With these restrictions, many therapy dogs and their handlers had to suspend their weekly visits. Therapy dogs provide comfort to people who are anxious, sick, grieving, or lonely. The Perfect Pup, LLC is now offering a “Perfect Therapy Dog” class. Our article this week will answer the question: can my dog become a therapy dog?
What does a therapy dog do?
A therapy dog can lend attention and comfort to people who are facing physical or emotional problems. Contrary to popular belief, they are not service dogs or emotional support animals. A therapy dog and their handler may commonly visit nursing homes, hospice facilities, schools, hospitals, and even prisons. If you have a friendly and well behaved dog, the pup might be an excellent candidate to become a therapy dog.
The benefits of therapy dogs.
Therapy dogs can help lower blood pressure, heart rate, and anxiety. In a school setting, therapy dogs can help promote better interactions between students and teachers. They also help students improve memory and problem-solving skills. Therapy dogs can have a calming effect on children with autism. Many children with autism feel overwhelmed in environments such as classrooms. Studies have shown that children with autism that play with therapy dogs feel more at ease in the classroom and help them feel more social. Therapy dogs also benefit from the therapy they do. Studies have shown that rates of endorphins and oxytocin are higher in dogs than engage in therapy.
How to tell if your dog can become a therapy dog.
If you are considering training your dog to become a therapy dog, one of the first things you can do is determine its true temperament. Does your dog really enjoy interacting with new people in different situations? When it does interact with people, does it have a calm demeanor? Many dogs act calm and friendly at home, but they may act differently with new people and places. The dog must also have patience because many therapy sessions involve the dog calmy sitting next to the human while it is getting pet. The best way to start your therapy dog training early is to start them out with basic obedience training. Most beginning training allows the dog to become accustomed to new noises, places, smells, and other humans.
What requirements does my dog need to become a service dog?
Any place that you bring the service dog will require your dog to be vaccinated, well-groomed, and have a certificate of health from a veterinarian. You will have to get professional training to test your dog with the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test. Our facility also teaches the dog to pass The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dog Test. These tests involve exploring to see if the dog knows basic commands such as sit, stay, down, come, and leave it. The dog must also greet humans and other animals in a friendly and calm way. Children may also produce loud noises such as excited squeals and the dog must be able to react calmly to situations like this. Many organizations also require the dog to be at least one year old because puppies may be too excitable to be effective therapy dogs.
Contact us today to see we can answer the question: can my dog become a therapy dog?