Therapy dogs are our personal pets that have been trained and evaluated to provide comfort, companionship and entertainment for those in need.
Therapy dog activities include
- Visiting area hospital patients along with family members as well as patients in hospice
- Provide respite to residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities
- Reading programs for children at libraries
- Visits at schools to promote well-being and educate students about therapy dogs
- De-stress days for college students during final exams
- Visits to the airports providing destress for passengers
- Present educational programs to local groups such as Brownies, Boy Scouts, Senior Citizens, church groups, etc.
- Participation in Pet Shows and Health Fairs
A therapy dog must
- Be at least one year of age
- If dog is a rescue, it must be owned for at least 6months
- Be good around other dogs
- Listen to their handlers
- Allow strangers to approach and/or pet
- Be under control by handler at all times
- Walk on a leash without pulling
- Tolerate strange noises and smells
- Not be afraid of medical equipment
- Not be afraid of people walking unsteadily
- Be current on all vaccines required by Alliance of Therapy Dogs
- Have a negative fecal test every 12 months
- Be clean and well groomed and have trimmed nails
Any dog of any breed or mix of breeds with these qualifications is a good candidate to be a therapy dog.
See Getting Started for more information on getting involved with your dog.