Author Topic: Questions about Therapy Dogs  (Read 8592 times)

Offline Rocky's 'Rents

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Questions about Therapy Dogs
« on: August 08, 2005, 05:25:41 pm »
I was wondering how you qualify your dog to be a therapy dog? Are their classes? I know they have to pass some sort of test but how do you do that. I live in Southwestern PA and my Pyr is wonderful with people. He always waits for them to approach him and he is very gentle with all ages. I live in SW Pennsylvania and there are so many nursing and personal care homes here that I could take him to if he were registered as a therapy dog. Anyone have the 411?

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #1 on: August 08, 2005, 06:00:28 pm »
Here is some info on TDI (therapy dogs international)

http://www.tdi-dog.org/aboutus.html

TESTING REQUIREMENTS
 

AKC CGC TEST® / PLUS ADDED TDI REQUIREMENTS
* TDI Requirements are displayed in italics

Test 1: Accepting a Friendly Stranger
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to approach it and speak to the handler in a natural, everyday situation.  The Evaluator and handler shake hands and exchange pleasantries.  The dog must show no sign of resentment or shyness, and must not break position or try to go to the Evaluator.
 
 
The dog must be tested around medical equipment (such as a wheelchair, crutches, cane, walker, or other devices which would ordinarily be found in a facility) to judge the dog’s reactions to common health care equipment. At the discretion of the Evaluator, this part of the test may be included in any of the following tests: 2,3,5 or 9
 
 
Test 2: Sitting Politely for Petting
This test demonstrates that the dog will allow a friendly stranger to touch it while it is out with its handler.  The dog should sit at the handler’s side as the Evaluator approaches and begins to pet the dog on the head and body only.  The dog may stand in place to accept petting.  The dog must not show shyness or resentment.
 
 
Test 3: Appearance and Grooming
This practical test demonstrates that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined and will permit a stranger, such as a veterinarian, groomer or friend of the owner, to do so.  It also demonstrates the owner’s care, concern and sense of responsibility .  The Evaluator inspects the dog, then combs or brushes the dog, and lightly examines the ears and each front foot.
 
 
Test 4: Out For a Walk
(Walking on a Loose Leash)
This test demonstrates that the handler is in control of the dog.  The dog can be on either side of the handler, whichever the handler prefers.  There must be a left turn, a right turn and an about turn, with at least one stop in between and another at the end.  The dog need not be perfectly aligned with the handler and need not sit when the handler stops.
 
 
Test 5: Walking Through a Crowd
This test demonstrates that the dog can move about politely in pedestrian traffic and is under control in public places.  The dog and handler walk around and pass close to several people (at least three).  The dog may show some interest in the strangers, without appearing overexuberant, shy or resentful.  The handler may talk to the dog and encourage or praise the dog throughout the test.  The dog should not be straining at the leash.
 
 
Test 6: Sit and Down on Command/Staying in Place
This test demonstrates that the dog has training, will respond to the handler’s command to sit and down, and will remain in the place commanded by the handler (sit or down position, whichever the handler prefers).  The handler may take a reasonable amount of time and use more than one command to make the dog sit and then down.  When instructed by the Evaluator, the handler tells the dog to stay and walks forward the length of a 20-foot line.  The dog must remain in place, but may change positions. 
 
 
Test 7: Coming when Called
This test demonstrates that the dog will come when called by the handler.  The handler will walk 10 feet from the dog, turn to face the dog, and call the dog.  The handler may use encouragement to get the dog to come.  Handlers may choose to tell the dog to “stay” or  “wait,” or they may simply walk away, giving no instructions to the dog as the Evaluator provides mild distraction (e.g., petting).
 
 
Test 8: Reaction to Another Dog
This test demonstrates that the dog can behave politely around other dogs.  Two handlers and their dogs approach each other from a distance of about 10 yards, stop, shake hands and exchange pleasantries, and continue on for about 5 yards.  The dogs should show no more than a casual interest in each other.
 
 
Test 9: Reactions to Distractions
This test demonstrates that the dog is confident at all times when faced with common distracting situations, such as the dropping of a large book or a jogger running in front of the dog.  The dog may express a natural interest and curiosity and/or appear slightly startled, but should not panic, try to run away, show aggressiveness or bark.
 
Leave-It: The handler with the dog on a loose leash walks past food on the ground (placed within a distance of three feet) and, upon command, the dog should ignore the food. (Please note:  TDI does not permit the use of food/treats during actual therapy dog visits.)
 
 
Acclimation to Infirmities: This test demonstrates the dog’s confidence when exposed to people walking with an uneven gait, shuffling, breathing heavily, coughing, wheezing or other distractions which may be encountered in a facility.
 
 
Test 10: Supervised Separation
This test demonstrates that a dog can be left with a trusted person, if necessary, and will maintain its training and good manners.  Evaluators are encouraged to say something like, “Would you like me to watch your dog?” and then take hold of the dog’s leash.  The owner will go out of sight for three minutes.  The dog does not have to stay in position but should not continually bark, whine, or pace unnecessarily, or show anything stronger than mild agitation or nervousness.
 
 
Test 11: Say Hello
The TDI Certified Evaluator will test the willingness of each dog to visit a person and that the dog can be made readily accessible for petting (i.e., small dogs can be placed on a person’s lap or can be held, medium and larger dogs can sit on a chair or stand close to the patient to be easily reached.)
 
 
Additional Rules for TDI Testing
1.  Dogs must be tested on a plain buckle collar or harness.  Training collars, training harnesses, halties,
    or any other corrective devices are not permitted during testing or visiting as a TDI registered Therapy Dog.

2.  Greyhounds are not required to sit for tdi testing.
 
http://www.tdi-dog.org/tditesting.html

Offline Rocky's 'Rents

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #2 on: August 08, 2005, 06:35:34 pm »
Ask and ye shall recieve :).... Thanks for the info, you're awesome.

Offline brigid67

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #3 on: August 08, 2005, 06:41:33 pm »
Thank you for the info.  My daughter wants to make Willow a therapy dog.  We have a beautiful Newf, Sally, who comes to the hospital I work at - I just love her...she is such a great dog
Timmie

Offline Rocky's 'Rents

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #4 on: August 08, 2005, 07:07:44 pm »
Rocky, my husband is from Somerset County.  Where are you?

Tina
Tina,  We live in Belle Vernon, Westmoreland County, about 30m south of Pittsburgh. There are some beautiful places near  to take the dogs. Ohiopyle is one of our favorites. I'm sure your husband has been there.

Offline kildeskennel

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #5 on: August 09, 2005, 01:22:29 am »
There are "test out" sites here in our area that we can go to, Obedience training is a first, then Canine Good Citizen, the therapy Cert is a basic test of being around wheelchairs, lots of noises, like call lights from patient rooms, yelling patients, aggression in patients etc..with no agitation or skittish behaviors in the dog.   in our area it is a smaller community with one tester for therapy and we have a congested ammount of elderly and mentally ill so her test I think is more stringent than others from what i hear, but the dogs that actually pass and get to do therapy work are excellent!
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Offline newflvr

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #6 on: August 09, 2005, 02:19:35 pm »
When I took Cowboy for his test, it was all done at the same time:  obedience, Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog.  The tester was sponsered by our local Newf Club so all the members got to have their dogs tested first and then it was open to any one else.  The tester said the most difficult part of the test for any dog (so you might want to start training for it :)) was to walk over a wadded up kleenex and not only not touch it but not even look at it.  Most dogs are attracted to white objects and just can't resist picking them up.  I was lucky that we were toward the end of the Newf line so we could practice!  I'd never heard of that before.

Offline shangrila

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #7 on: August 09, 2005, 02:26:08 pm »
I would love to get zoey to be a therapy dog because she is so sweet I think she would be a great volunteer with sick kids or seniors, and she was perfect when I took her to meet some of my students at a special ed picnic. But I don't think she would pass the test - she loves attention so much she has trouvle ignoring people, and she would deffinately look at a kleenex (she wouldn't pick it up if i said 'leave it' but she would deffinately at least look at it).
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Offline Moni

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #8 on: August 11, 2005, 11:45:27 pm »
Thats my next mission for Tenchi, to get him Therapy Titled.  :)  He already has his CGC (as do Mojo and Faust).  He loves meeting new people and getting lavished on.  I occasionally take him down town and there is a group home who's porch is level with the sidewalk.  They always ask us to come over to love on him.  Wheelchairs and walkers don't bother him luckily. 

I think the main thing that we'd have to work on is the ignoring food, it catches his attention right away and he starts drooling.  lol  Maybe he'll need to wear a bib, do they make them dane sized?  Also can you teach a dog to not lean or wag its tail?   That thing is a dangerous weapon!  People are always amazed that we didn't cut his ears.  My reply, "Heck with those ears, they're soft and silky!  That tail however should've gone!"  ;)   (since I'm used to living with bobtailed aussies, it's taken getting used to!  lol)
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Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #9 on: August 12, 2005, 12:08:32 am »
When I took Cowboy for his test, it was all done at the same time:  obedience, Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog.  The tester was sponsered by our local Newf Club so all the members got to have their dogs tested first and then it was open to any one else.  The tester said the most difficult part of the test for any dog (so you might want to start training for it :)) was to walk over a wadded up kleenex and not only not touch it but not even look at it.  Most dogs are attracted to white objects and just can't resist picking them up.  I was lucky that we were toward the end of the Newf line so we could practice!  I'd never heard of that before.

Newflvr.... I dont know if you have read it here somewhere, but I actually knew that I wanted a mastiff that would be a good therapy dog, or at least have the disposition for it. So after we decided on bloodlines and all, we had close contact with the breeder, wanted not the alpha in the litter and not the one that was lowest, but somewhere in the middle range. Galahad is still a baby, but we have since day one, brought him with us everywhere he can go (and sometimes where he is not supposed to lol)

your info and tips about the testing and what to practice in particular is great information. Like the kleenex thing, I have spoke to a lot of people who have therapy dogs but noone have told me about that, hmmmm I guess they think if they had to go through it, I will have to lol......

BUT if you dont mind, dont feel like you would ruine the whole testing for me if you told me a few more "insiders"  ;) ;D

Marit
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Offline Jenn

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #10 on: August 12, 2005, 03:06:57 am »
Talon just completed the test to be part of the Pet Visitation program that is run by the humane society here in Hawaii. There were 12 individual mini-exams he went through. You can check them all out at the Delta Society web page. They will even send info to you about getting your dog tested. Try the Delta Society 1st then your local Humane Society. Good luck! And kudos to you for wanting to volunteer.

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #11 on: August 12, 2005, 08:12:58 am »
Thanks Jenn. I googled Delta society and found it. I will go through everything it says about it there.

Congrats to Talon........ what a good boy he is, and I think I read that Hawk is going to go in his paw steps too  :D

I got interested in therapy dogs quite a few years ago, when a friend of mine back in sweden worked in a hospital, in a ward for very sick children. I visited her one day and there was a couple of therapy dogs. I couldnt bring myself to walk out of there, it was sooooo amazing to see the impact these dogs had on the kids. Later when I moved here, my  husbands cousin had a dog they couldnt keep anymore, they managed to get him adopted to a home for elderly people. Also there I saw just how much the dog meant to the people who lived there.

Then when I started to talk to Mastiff people, and realized that quite a few of the therapy dogs are large and giant dogs, not too few are mastiffs, well that was when I decided that, the OEM I was looking for, had to be of a disposition that made him a good candidat for therapy work.

Thanks again for the info

Marit

ps. have you and Talon been out anywhere yet, if so where. Or if not, do you have any preferences where you want to take him?
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Offline newflvr

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #12 on: August 12, 2005, 09:19:43 am »
Hey Marit, I'm happy to help! 
The obvious stuff you've probably heard about:
The tester drops a metal tray with metal objects right near the dog.  They are not supposed to react.
The tester sits in a wheel chair and rolls up to the dog and gets right in his face.
The tester coughs or sneezes right in the dogs face (EWWWW!)
There is a tray of food right in the testing site that the dog should be able to ignore
The "old kleenex trick"!!
The dog should be able to ignore other dogs that may be on site (at the most a gentle sniff!)
The tester drops a metal "walker" or "zimmer frame" right near the dog
The tester grabs his fur and roughly pets him
The dog has to be clean, groomed and brushed for the test
The tester has a conversation with the handler and the dog should be at rest....not pulling or whining to go on

That's all I can remember at this point, but if anything else surfaces I'll let you know.

One of the cautions that the tester gave me was once we go out to health facilities to not allow anybody else to test him for suitablility.  Once they are certified, they are good to go.  Apparently, some people have actually abused dogs in "testing them for their facility".  If that happens you are to report them to TDI (Therapy Dogs International).  Your dog gets a very cool ID card that you get to carry and a plastic disc on his collar that identifies him:  "I AM A THERAPY DOG".  Cowboy wears his at all times.  Cowboy qualified in April and we still haven't been able to go to work since he's been having a rough time on his meds.  I think we've turned the corner though and were actually able to go out for a walk this morning!  YIPPEE!!!

Offline mastiffmommy

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #13 on: August 12, 2005, 10:18:02 am »
Thanks a lot newflvr..... That is a great help. Galahad is pretty cool so at least the way he reacts to things now, most of the stuff I think he will be fine with, the only problem I can see is the food lol..... we are working on "leave it" and "stay" with food on the floor, it is getting better but hehe we still have quite a bit of training to do before he is reliable.

I am sooooooo happy to hear that Cowboy is doing better. Do you think it is the meds. or have you changed his diet or what do you think it is that makes it better or worse? I am keeping all my fingers and paws crossed for him and you, so he will be all better and can go out and do some therapy work.

Did he get a vest when he graduated? I have seen therapy dogs with vests. And I also heard that it is easier to bring therapy dogs to hotels and other places that usually dont allow dogs, if thats true it is a real perk  :D

Marit
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Offline pndlake

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Re: Questions about Therapy Dogs
« Reply #14 on: August 12, 2005, 05:46:08 pm »
Hey, Niki will take her test in Sonora, Calif. on August 27th.  I have read all the material and it looks like a walk in the park for her because of her experience.  Nobody said anything about Kleenix, but I will practice with it.  This is TDI and they seem very nice.  They did not say anything about her needing to go to classes first.  All I have to do is give her the command "ignore" and she will look the other way.  WOW I don't mean to sound cocky - that could slap me in the face - so we will be practicing.
Wish us luck.

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