Because my dog loves childrenso much, I’m looking into getting him certified as a therapy dog so he can visit hospitals or schools etc. Have any of you done this and do you have any advice?
I’m going to call a few local hospitals to see if they have specific programs he needs to graduate.
I was walking my loaner labrador in a state park and a school field trip was on the same path. He was SO OFFENDED that the staff wouldn't let the kids pet him. He loves kids and tolerates anything from them!
There he was sitting calmly with his best labrador smile, wagging his tail and being the bestest boy and none of those 60 kids were allowed to come over and pet him. So rude. 😂
My boys are college-aged now, but whenever my Jacktese sees a group of elementary school age boys, he gets so excited. I think he still sees them as that age and is always looking for them when they are away at school. 😭😭
I did this with my dog at a local hospital. If you contact the volunteer coordinator there, they should information about how to get certified. Dynamo was a happy dog.
My last one was known for "the first dog this dog-wary child ever approached and petted" and "the first dog who got this frightened, over-reactive, new rescue dog to relax, interact and play a bit."
And he himself was new to walking freely, living in a house, meeting strangers. I loved him so.
It wouldn’t have surprised me at all if Canelo was neurotic AF. He had been homeless in Tijuana with a shattered leg when I got him. No clue what he went through as a street dog. But he’s the happiest, sweetest dog
I wish I could take “credit” but so much of temperament is down to just how they are
It makes no sense to me that he loves kids because they are chaos and he’s small but he genuinely wants to be part of the chaos and does not care AT ALL if a young kid pets him too hard or pulls his tail or whatever. He just VIBES.
I've thought about doing the same with PB. I would suggest getting his CGC (Canine Good Citizen) certification first, as that helps a lot with becoming a therapy dog
This is how I trained my dog. He passed CGC testing & the test administrator got me into a class for therapy dogs. It was over a decade ago but the hospital only cared about the CGC. I didn't work with kids but working with adult physical therapy patients in hospital was my dog's great joy.
The therapy dog who comes to my adults with disabilities group was just recertified through Pet Partners...which is a national organization, I think. The dog's human preferred this organization because they support mental health initiatives that others don't. Good luck!
He is such a happy and handsome boy!
My parents friends have therapy dogs, they went through a local certification program. I think it was through - www.therapydogs.com
Check with your local library and your local shelter too. Some of them have programs where kids can read to dogs, and they can tell you how to get certified.
I used to serve on the board of this nonprofit here in Central Texas that does exactly what you're describing. while I'm unqualified to offer any specific advice, you might email debi@ or place a call to her (you can mention me) and I bet she can help you out quite a bit.
www.thedogalliance.org
With my 'loves kids and people!' dog my first step was to get his Canine Good Citizen certification! That opens doors to nursing homes and rehab centers, which he LOVED. I would reach out to kids' hospitals and see what programs they work with already and see if you can hook up with them!
I have had some experience doing research with "Pet Partners," who place an emphasis on both animal and participant safety (e.g., making sure the work is not stressful for the dogs). IIRC there are regular (nationwide) handler evaluations, but as you noted, often hospitals have their own reqs.
There will be a volunteer or patient experience person or office that can help you. They’ll usually have specific programs that qualify and you have to be cleared as a volunteer, which can take a little time. For example www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/volunteer/pe...
I had two therapy dogs and volunteered with them for 10 years total. We worked with barkdogs.org. BARK specializes in working with children, helping them with reading a relaxed environment. I think Canelo might be perfect for that. Tessa, the poodle, and Lolly, the malti-poo, loved it. Good luck!
Yes! We got Holly certified as a therapy dog. It’s a long process. She has to pass three obedience classes, pass her Canine Good Citizenship test, then pass a really hard test with the local dog therapy organization. Totally worth it!
One thing you'll almost certainly need is documentation from your vet that he's up to date on all vaccines and has a clean bill of health. They should be aware of what's required for therapy dogs in your area.
