Dear Trainee: Any dog can travel down the path to becoming a therapy dog. According to one of the certifying organizations, Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI), the “primary objective of the TDI dog and handler is to provide comfort and companionship by sharing the dog with the patients in hospitals, nursing homes and other institutions and wherever else the Therapy dog is needed. This is done in a way that increases emotional well being, promotes healing and improves the quality of life for the people being visited and the staff that cares for these people.”

Training and Certification

In order to have a suitable, well-trained dog you have to start with the basics. Enroll your dog in an obedience class. Here they will teach you and your dog how to master the essentials of obedience such as sit, stay, down, come and heel. A good foundation in these tasks will go a long way to becoming a good therapy dog. Remember you want to produce a dog that will listen and obey your commands every time. It is crucial in a place where an elderly person may need your dog to sit and stay in order to be loved.

After obedience classes then you can look for some certification clinics. What your dog needs to know for a TDI certification is a combination of the American Kennel Club Canine Good Citizen® test with a few additional tests such as how your dog is around wheelchairs and walkers and proficiency with the “leave it” command, especially around food.

Last November the Newtown Kennel Club held a CGC and TDI certification clinic at the Edmond Town Hall. To get an idea of the tests required to pass a CGC, such as the recall or being left alone with a stranger, visit the AKC website at www.akc.org and go to Life with Dogs and the Canine Good Citizen program. There will be links to find evaluators and to find obedience training classes in your area.

You can also visit www.tdi-dog.org for TDI’s requirements and benefits of membership. Associate members and their certified dogs get a photo ID, the “I am a Therapy Dog” collar tag and volunteer liability insurance. But remember the handler always assumes complete responsibility for their dog.        

Facility Visits

After you are satisfied with your dog’s level of control, she is ready to go on her first “official” visit. Each facility has its own regulations about therapy dog visits so call ahead and speak to the person in charge of their program. Program coordinators can give you additional tips on making for a successful visit.

Not all facilities require a formal certification from one of the therapy dog organizations. For example, according to Carl Anderson at Ashlar of Newtown, their therapy dog participants are called “visitors” and do not need official TDI certification. However, the dogs and handlers are required to visit with Anderson for an informal interview, even if they are card-carrying members of TDI. You must also bring with you proof of a rabies vaccine, yearly shots and a current dog license.

For more information about visits at Ashlar you can reach Carl Anderson in the Recreation Department at 426-5847.

When you bring you dog make sure she is clean, her coat is well groomed and her nails trimmed as patients and residents will be petting and holding the dog.

Making your dog a Therapy dog will not only make her feel good by meeting so many new friends who want to pet her, but the experience will bring added enjoyment into your lives as well.

Lisa Peterson, a breeder and exhibitor of Norwegian Elkhounds, is a Delegate to the American Kennel Club. Send questions to elvemel@aol.com or P.O. Box 197, Newtown, CT 06470.