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        Starting with  a new puppy?  Enroll in a good obedience class.  Socialize your dog as much as possible.  Take an AKC Puppy and also AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluation.  Both are good measures as to your training progress.  Your dog must be at least one year old to evaluate with most Therapy Dog Organizations.  There are several organizations that will evaluate and register your and your dog as a team.  Good places to start: Pet Partners, Alliance of Therapy Dogs,  and Love On A Leash.  

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         You must be a registered canine team with a therapy Dog organization.    Insurance for visits sponsored thru Whatcom Therapy Dogs is covered by your registering therapy dog organization.  As a WTD member, you are responsible for maintaining  current registration.  Proof of registration is required. While conducting visits thru WTD, your  dog must wear a vest or bandana representing your registered organization.    WTD also has quarterly business meetings.  As a member, one meeting a year is required to attend

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What a makes for a great Therapy Dog?  

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• Is comfortable being crowded by a group of people

 

• People-oriented/sociable, friendly and confident

 

• Will initiate contact, stay engaged, make eye contact, and allow their behaviors to be re-directed

 

• Is able to cope with stressful situations

 

• Knows how to respect personal boundaries; doesn’t jump up on people

 

• Is non-aggressive towards animals and people

 

• Is comfortable being touched, at times awkwardly

 

• Is controllable, predictable and reliable

 

• Well-mannered interactions with other animals

 

• Reliable despite distractions

 

• Able to be cued from different positions

 

• Able to disregard food or toys on cue, i.e. with a “leave it” command

 

• Comfortable around health care equipment

 

• Dogs which have been trained to aggressively protect and/or been

 

• encouraged to bite, even if it is a component of a dog sport (e.g., Schutzhund), are not eligible.

 

• Dogs must be at least one year old and have lived in the owner’s home for at least six months before evaluating.

 

          Your dog must have good foundational obedience skills including a reliable “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “come when called” and “leave It”. Your animal should be able to walk at your side with a loose leash.   Precise obedience skills are not required, however the handler must have control of their animal while visiting. You will need to work on being observant, appear to be working as a team, anticipating your animal’s responses, behavior and positions, and redirecting, as needed.

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