# Therapy Dog [Day One]



## Okie2 (Aug 23, 2010)

Today was the first of what I hope is many such days that Maggie, my 4 and half year old GSD, and I will visit the various Nursing Homes, and or Children’s Hospitals in our area.
It all started a few months back, with our annual visit to Maggie’s vet. He had suggested that Maggie would be an excellent candidate for Therapy Dog work, so I took his advice and contacted our local chapter of Delta Hearts of Gold/Pet Partners. What followed was an all-day class/workshop to get me certified and then a few weeks later Maggie’s evaluation.
Back to today….Friends, let me tell you it is certainly very rewarding to see the happy faces of people all too use to being shut in, without family to see them (in some cases), of those that have memory lost, when you dog walks into the room faces light up. The people are not looking at you, but your pet partner and if I may brag….Mag’s showed her best….setting in front of each and every person/client and shaking hands with them. What I saw, above all the smiling faces, was people who really appreciated the animal being there for them. When I left with Maggie I really thought the two of us had made a difference. When Maggie got home she crashed……… :laugh: 
I certainly recommend the Therapy Dog program, if you have the time to give.


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## ksotto333 (Aug 3, 2011)

How wonderful, what a great way to share your Maggie with others...


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## Mrs.P (Nov 19, 2012)

Awesome! So glad you and Maggie can bring such joy to others


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## madis (Dec 21, 2013)

That's wonderful! We got our pup with therapy work in mind! He's only a baby but he has a sweet, gentle nature about him. I've heard great things about pet partners, that's who we will probably go through. 


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

Congrats.....you guys will love it! 


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

congrat`s, very rewarding


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## Okie2 (Aug 23, 2010)

Madis, I certainly recommend the therapy dog program for you and your "baby". If you want pointers/suggestions on getting to that point.....send me an email [[email protected]] 

Too all others thank you for your kind words. 

An added note: Last week I made a trip to a local nursing home....without Maggie....and with another certified couple and their pet partner, just to get an idea as what to expect, before I took her (Maggie) today. One room contained a man and his wife, both in need of the nursing facilities....when the man saw the couples dog, he began crying....my heart just sank to the bottom of my stomach. I was sold on the program.


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## madis (Dec 21, 2013)

Okie2 said:


> Madis, I certainly recommend the therapy dog program for you and your "baby". If you want pointers/suggestions on getting to that point.....send me an email [[email protected]]
> 
> Too all others thank you for your kind words.
> 
> An added note: Last week I made a trip to a local nursing home....without Maggie....and with another certified couple and their pet partner, just to get an idea as what to expect, before I took her (Maggie) today. One room contained a man and his wife, both in need of the nursing facilities....when the man saw the couples dog, he began crying....my heart just sank to the bottom of my stomach. I was sold on the program.


Thank you! I will definitely be in touch! 


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## llombardo (Dec 11, 2011)

I know when we go there are so many that had to leave their dogs behind and are so sad about it, but being able to touch a dog again brightens their day. I was also surprised at how many of them have owned shepherds in the past.


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

madis said:


> Thank you! I will definitely be in touch!
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


My daughter had to stop visiting one wing the hospital we visit with Millie.... She is vet emotional and when two elderly lady's were crying and thanking us for sharing our pets....my daughter lost it and was crying with them! She now stands outside of that wing. :-( 
It really does being so much joy to them!!! 
What you are doing is such a wonderful way to give back! 


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## Msmaria (Mar 2, 2013)

I agree it is rewarding. How nice of you to share Maggie and yourself. I wish u the best of luvk and many rewarding days ahead.


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## pmlacey (Mar 21, 2012)

Thanks for Maggie's encouraging story! I have a 2 year old male GSD who I believe also has a very sweet and tender disposition and have considered therapy work for him as well. Being an ex-physical therapist and a current volunteer at nursing homes, I know far to well the benefit of touch for the elderly…. that of the human and canine kind. You have challenged me to go beyond the "what if" and look into making this a reality. Thanks for the example.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

wow, it only took 1 class and 1 day to become
certified as a service dog?


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## madis (Dec 21, 2013)

doggiedad said:


> wow, it only took 1 class and 1 day to become
> certified as a service dog?


This is for a therapy dog certification.


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## doggiedad (Dec 2, 2007)

yes i got it, therapy dog. 1 day and 1 class is all it
takes to become a certified handler and to have your dog
certified?



doggiedad said:


> wow, it only took 1 class and 1 day to become
> certified as a service dog?





madis said:


> This is for a therapy dog certification.


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## madis (Dec 21, 2013)

doggiedad said:


> yes i got it, therapy dog. 1 day and 1 class is all it
> takes to become a certified handler and to have your dog
> certified?


Sounds weird but yes, the handler part isn't the hard part, but I read through the dog eval test and parts of it look pretty tough. They pretty much put your dog in every type of distraction scenario and he/she needs to stay calm and focused. Our plan is to train Alvin all year then do a run-through at a local nursing home that gave us the OK to practice in their facility before doing the actual evaluation. 


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## Kaimeju (Feb 2, 2013)

I think "therapy dog" is still a rather broadly defined term. All it takes to become a therapy dog at our local hospital is a letter from the vet. But up in the city, you have to have the cert plus 30 hours supervised visitations. I guess this is a good thing because we don't have the funding to bring in Delta Partners volunteers to supervise.

Therapy work isn't something I could do, much as I would love to. My dog is a mush with people but you can't rely on her not to be a snarky jerk to other dogs. Even if we passed the test (which I think we could) I would feel like I was lying about her temperament.

Congratulations on finding a rewarding job for your dog! It's amazing the kind of emotions they stir in us. Will you have a "specialty" of sorts or trying different venues as things progress?


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## David Winners (Apr 30, 2012)

doggiedad said:


> yes i got it, therapy dog. 1 day and 1 class is all it
> takes to become a certified handler and to have your dog
> certified?


This isn't a service dog. I think you are getting the terms therapy and service confused.

The test is a temperament evaluation to be sure the dog will behave in a safe and proper manner while in the nursing facility.

David Winners


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## Okie2 (Aug 23, 2010)

Doggiedad, the Therapy Dog program requires classroom instruction, to include role play. The class is normally about 8 hours and you then receive a certificate of training. Now the evaluation for the pet--in this case--a dog, is quite extensive. The evaluation is two parts, one being the "Skills Test".... is an obedience test which includes numerous distractions--much like you would find in a hospital. The second part of the test is the "Aptitude Test"...during this test is to see how you the handler and the pet respond to possible situations such as, rough handling, overly exuberant and clumsy petting, angry yelling, being petted by several at once.......These are just a few examples of what is entailed.....once the evaluation is completed the handler and pet receive their score....the top score is "Complex", thus allowing you the handler and the pet, into more restrictive situations/hospitals wards.

The evaluation only takes about an hour, if all goes well. So the whole process is not that difficult. It takes about 2-3 weeks to receive yours along with the dog's id, then you are allowed to start the therapy work.

The big thing is the temperament of the pet....the more relaxed they are in some very demanding situations and how well you as a handler respond in kind, is how you are graded....not all pets receive the "Complex" rating/score the first time, and some even fail.

A Therapy Dog is not a "Service Dog", although the work that is done is a service.

Hope this helps any misunderstanding.......


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## Okie2 (Aug 23, 2010)

I should have mentioned.....that once you complete all the requirements, you then will be mentored by other seasoned pet partner teams. In our area there is no set time required for the mentoring process, which I believe someone mentioned earlier that 30 hours was required. However, it is too you and your pets benefit to watch others that have been there and done that...........if you get my drift......


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## Okie2 (Aug 23, 2010)

I see there is one other misconception with the "Therapy Dog" concept.

Most of the work that is done with our pet....is: Animal Assisted Activity, what is what we do each and every time go to nursing homes and certain hospital wards to see several people. On the other hand "Animal Assisted Therapy" is more restrictive normally requiring a professional, such as a social worker, doctor or human health provider. With Assisted Therapy there is usually a set goal(s) involved.

I hope more of you get yourself and your pet involved in such a wonderful program....


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## mcdanfam (Aug 27, 2013)

The group Millie belongs to....you have the evaluation, the test, once you pass the test....you are then evaluated and graded in three different hospital environments. After you pass those you are then cleared to send it paper work to receive tags and badge. 

They are tested on being around wheel chairs, crutches, walkers, falling people and equipment, other dogs, their obedience, being handled, rubbed all over, along with noise and people running past and around them. Along with many other things. All visits are made with the owner or handler that the dog tested with. 


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