# Therapy Dogs



## GSD Fan (Sep 20, 2010)

There's a story on Times News I just saw on my blackberry about Therapy dogs. I went to the link on my computer and it's not working. 

So, dogs not only reduce stress but help well being. I think therapy dogs should be used more often. I look at nursing homes, hospitals, etc and I believe a therapy dog every once in a while would help with recovery or health. 

So what are your thoughts on therapy dogs? Negatives? Positives?


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

I believe therapy dogs are extremely beneficial. Even to those who claim to not like animals. It has been proven that simply petting an animal, no matter if its a dog, cat, rat, can lower your blood pressure while you're petting said animal. Animals listen and never judge and they dont stab you in the back or lie to you or blab all your secrets. Sometimes people can only admit to animals that they are scared which in the long run helps with their recovery or final days. Who better to tell things to than someone you can totally trust? Therapy dogs/animals.... totally a good thing.


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

they are amazing! i've been in and out of the hospital for 5 years, and there was a yellow lab that came in once a month, it was so calming and i always looked forward to seeing him, as the one thing that bothered me most was being away from my dogs. I'm hoping to train my next puppy (a lab) to go to the children's hospital around here. I can't think of any negatives, really! maybe allergies lol.


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## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

When I was at the University of MN hospital for my kidney and my pancreas transplants (2 seperate surgeries) I got visits after a few days, from a Therapy dog. I had to go down the public waiting area to meet it both times. A lot of kids in a hospital setting cannot have much contact with a dog due to immunosuppresive medications or immunity problems.
I was only allowed to interact with the dog because I had 2 dogs and had been on immunosuppresive medications for quite some time prior to my surgeries.

It's a great idea and I loved it and I'm sure there are plenty of areas where you can go with your dogs.


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

in all honesty if Shasta wasnt showing that aloof side of GSDs, i would look into therapy work with her because she's so good with people but she's not one of those dogs who actually CARES about other people beyond us. She's friendly and tolerant but wouldnt make the cut for a therapy dog.


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## King&Skylar (Jun 3, 2010)

i was in the children's hospital on the oncology/nephrology unit, the dog was in the playroom and we'd all go there, there was lots of us that were aloud to visit


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## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

Therapy dogs ROCK! Especially when they go from the Schutzhund field to the nursing home without missing a beat....lets see a Lab do that!


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## CassandGunnar (Jan 3, 2011)

King&Skylar said:


> i was in the children's hospital on the oncology/nephrology unit, the dog was in the playroom and we'd all go there, there was lots of us that were aloud to visit


That's awesome. Gives you something to shoot for.
I'm sure a lot of hospitals have different rules.


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## Castlemaid (Jun 29, 2006)

My first dog, a Spaniel/Retriever mix was a therapy dog. Hospitals, schools for special needs children, retirement homes, and other organizations often welcome the visits. As to why they are not used more often, there are a few reasons for that: 

For one, people with therapy dogs are volunteers - so time and availability is a big factor. As many people on this board with therapy dogs can share, the dogs need to be evaluated, and must have rock-solid temperaments. And therapy dogs cannot just go anywhere, they need to be specifically invited to visit on regular hours. 

I know when I was visiting retirement homes and extended care units, it really lit up people and brought smiles to their face.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

KZoppa said:


> in all honesty if Shasta wasnt showing that aloof side of GSDs, i would look into therapy work with her because she's so good with people but she's not one of those dogs who actually CARES about other people beyond us. She's friendly and tolerant but wouldnt make the cut for a therapy dog.


Not all therapy dogs have to be a touch me feel me dog, depends on your dog, Max loves the physc ward, does his best work in there, could care less about the rest of the hospital and people, if I go to the VA hospital he likes hanging out in the lobby, just introduce her to different aspects of it, she might like to be with kids rather than adults


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## KZoppa (Aug 14, 2010)

ken k said:


> Not all therapy dogs have to be a touch me feel me dog, depends on your dog, Max loves the physc ward, does his best work in there, could care less about the rest of the hospital and people, if I go to the VA hospital he likes hanging out in the lobby, just introduce her to different aspects of it, she might like to be with kids rather than adults


 
the kids she would be perfectly fine with. She's all for loving on kids and giving kisses and getting kisses. adults she pretty much has that i dont know you so whatever attitude. But i dont know if I personally could handle it. I'm not very people friendly most days. Kids i could deal with because sad to say, sick kids tend to have more respect for people in general but i also get very uneasy in medical type places so it probably wouldnt be the best idea. After my c-section i was counting down the hours before i would be able to leave the hospital. Just not a place i handle easily and i wouldnt want that being picked up on by Shasta.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

KZoppa said:


> the kids she would be perfectly fine with. She's all for loving on kids and giving kisses and getting kisses. adults she pretty much has that i dont know you so whatever attitude. But i dont know if I personally could handle it. I'm not very people friendly most days. Kids i could deal with because sad to say, sick kids tend to have more respect for people in general but i also get very uneasy in medical type places so it probably wouldnt be the best idea. After my c-section i was counting down the hours before i would be able to leave the hospital. Just not a place i handle easily and i wouldnt want that being picked up on by Shasta.


Sounds like you a Shasta would be perfect in a reading program, check with you local library, you and Shasta go and sit with a child, and the child reads to the dog, kids that have trouble reading are in these programs, and there finding much progress in the Childs reading ability when reading to a dog, Shasta will like it, all she has to do is lay there


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## lanaw13 (Jan 8, 2011)

Would love to do therapy work with Osa….. tips? Suggestions?


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## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

lanaw13 said:


> Would love to do therapy work with Osa….. tips? Suggestions?


Solid basic obedience, and socialize, socialize, socialize your dog in as many circumstances/environments as you can make available......I think Dayna has had the advantage of living with five children, which I believe helps a great deal.

Another key....find someone like ken k to work with....a dedicated therapy dog volunteer, but a fellow lover of the GSD who understands the breed.

For any of you reading this, the level of satisfaction you can achieve performing therapy work is hard to describe in a post....I highly recommend it.

Best of luck,

Wayne


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## W.Oliver (Aug 26, 2007)

Interesting additional note....when Dayna and I completed our Therapy Dog certification....there was also a Pit-Bull completing her's....so any well trained, well socialized dog can bring joy to someone in the hospital!!!!


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## bianca (Mar 28, 2010)

My Molly is named after a Delta dog who would visit the spinal ward every fortnight. My husband was in there for 10 months and we both looked forward to her visits so much.

Eventually I would like to see if Molly has what it takes to honor her namesake and to that extent we are starting training with a Delta certifier in a few weeks  She is a bit um how shall I put it...boistorous perhaps though.


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## ken k (Apr 3, 2006)

W.Oliver said:


> Interesting additional note....when Dayna and I completed our Therapy Dog certification....there was also a Pit-Bull completing her's....so any well trained, well socialized dog can bring joy to someone in the hospital!!!!


That was Jada, she's a voltuneer there now, she such a loving dog and a big hit at the hospital


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

I've LOVED visits from therapy dogs whenever I was in the hospital


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

I am a FIRM believer in therapy dogs. I witness, three or four times a week, the value of their presence. ARA, BB and I are involved in reading programs at one of the inner city schools in our area. On Thursday, we visit a total of five classes one week and four classes the following week. Head Start Pre K program up to fifth grade. It's hard to describe the excitement on the part of the kids and the dogs during our visits. We leave the school at 12:30, head for home, switch from ARA to BB (or vice versa) and head for an area psychiatric center where we visit about 50 patients. On Tuesday we make the 70 mile round trip to visit a walk-in psychiatric clinic. After a couple of hours there, we visit a live-in home for psychiatric patients. There was a time when we visited an area hospital ER.

I'm often disappointed by the fact that therapy dogs are not considered to be "service" dogs. These dogs are almost bulletproof; don't kid yourself, this is a TOUGH job and if the dogs don't provide a valuable "service" I'm not sure what you call it. Yes I know, even TDI states on our ID cards that this dog is not a service dog. Regardless of that, if you have any thoughts of becoming involved with therapy work, check out one of the web sites (we're with TDI). Give it a try. Don't second guess your dog. Once you have competed your basic training and your dog has earned an AKC CGC consider following through with therapy training. You'll like it; the rewards are endless.


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## Lin (Jul 3, 2007)

EJQ said:


> I'm often disappointed by the fact that therapy dogs are not considered to be "service" dogs. These dogs are almost bulletproof; don't kid yourself, this is a TOUGH job and if the dogs don't provide a valuable "service" I'm not sure what you call it. Yes I know, even TDI states on our ID cards that this dog is not a service dog.


The difference is due to the public access rights, not because the dogs aren't working or performing a "service." Police dogs, SAR dogs, etc all perform a VERY valuable service! But the terminology is the way it is to keep things straight. 

Service dogs are service dogs because of the public access and housing, and it's because they are considered medical equipment that help the disabled handler to function. So its along the lines of saying you can't deny access to a wheelchair user because of the wheelchair. There are dogs who perform service tasks to assist a disabled handler in the home, and those are called skilled companion dogs not service dogs. 

Its nothing against therapy dogs, SAR dogs, police dogs, etc.


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## EJQ (May 13, 2003)

Lin said:


> The difference is due to the public access rights, not because the dogs aren't working or performing a "service." Police dogs, SAR dogs, etc all perform a VERY valuable service! But the terminology is the way it is to keep things straight.


 Yup, you're absolutely correct - it might be time to refine the terminology. What should we call all of the K9 Officer, SAR, and Therapy Dogs? Maybe "working" dogs.  :gsdsit:
:brrrwinter:HEY!! Where the heck is spring?!!!!!


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## Josie/Zeus (Nov 6, 2000)

Zeus was a therapy dog, he loved it and so did the people he encountered. I will never forget our experience at the nursing homes. We once visited a school for special kids, the kids loved him, his ears got pulled in all direction, his eyes got poked, he got rode on- he didn't care, he loved every minute of it. 

The folks at the nursing homes... some of them cried when they meet Zeus. Lots of them have had GSD's, the stories they have about their gs are incredible.


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## EchoGSD (Mar 12, 2010)

Therapy Dogs do wonderful things for folks who otherwise would be without canine interaction. Echo and Ruby are both certified; Echo doesn't visit much anymore because although she's very good (tolerant of strangers, not spooky at all), she doesn't really enjoy having strangers petting her. Ruby, however, loves it. She dances up to folks, loves to be petted, wags her tail the whole time. If a person is used to having canine companionship, and then that companionship is taken away (temporarily due to illness, or permanently due to having to relocate to senior housing, etc), having a visiting dog really helps folks to feel better, even if only for a short time.


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