Dear Critter Corner:
I have been wanting to do therapy work for some time and would like to train my new puppy to become a therapy dog. Can you guide me in the right direction?
Pet assisted therapy can be very rewarding for all parties involved! It is important to remember that not all dogs are suited for therapy work but with a young pup you definitely will have the advantage to set them in the right direction.
One of the most important things is to be sure that your pup is properly socialized and has had positive exposure to all sorts of items. Therapy dogs are typically held to a higher standard and need to be rock solid. Most people think about their dogs getting along well with others dogs when they think of socializing their dogs. That is just 1 piece of the puzzle. You need to look at anything your pup may possibly encounter in their life and make sure that you are exposing them to those items in a positive way. Keep in mind that this is not a 1 and done type of scenario either, you need to expose your pup to several types of the same item.
Another very important item is to work on teaching basic manners early on. Some key behaviors for your pup to have under their belt would be loose leash walking, polite greetings, sit and down, leave items on the ground and to relax on a mat. You can work on teaching these to your pup on your own or through group classes.
If you are interested in the Peninsula Humane Society & SPCA’s Pet Assisted Therapy program, here are a few of the requirements. Your pup will need to have passed the Canine Good Citizen Test, taken our Temperament Test and be an active volunteer. If you would like more information on our program, please contact Marivic Dizon at [email protected].
We offer a wide variety of group classes and 1:1 training to get your pup ready to pass their CGC Test. Please check our website, www.phs-spca.org for classes or to schedule a 1:1 training session. If you have further questions, please contact our behavior department at [email protected] or 650-340-7022 ext. 667.