Pet Therapy

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pattymaine

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Does anyone here have their sheltie do pet therapy? I think I remember Chris does it? Anyone else?

I'm asking because I've signed up for a pet therapy class with Joey beginning on January 9. I think he'll be a wonderful pet therapy dog--he is so cuddly.
I'm really looking forward to it. I'd like to connect with others who are already doing visits with their pups to hospitals or nursing homes, just to hear your stories or get any tips on what to do or how to interact with patients.

Thanks! Happy Holidays, everyone!
 
Edan is a Therapy Dog. We work through Therapy Dogs International and Animal Friends (our local no kill shelter). Under TDI, we visit one of the local VA Hospitals. With Animal Friends we visit a small local retirement home. This keeps the two organizations completely separate for the sake of insurances.

Edan is GREAT as a Therapy Dog. Recently at the VA he curled up on the bed beside one of the vets who wasn't feeling well that day and cuddled for about 10 minutes. With another lady, also at the VA, he lay down on a chair so she could pet him easily. She wanted to keep my little guy. EVERYONE at the VA (nurses, doctors, etc.) were very impressed with how well behaved and calm he was in a strange environment.

At the retirement home, he curled up on the couch between two of the ladies. He was just a happy little boy. :smile2:

I do need to reach out to my contacts for both facilities very shortly. I was hoping to get back to both of them in December but it's just been too crazy. I've been running every night and weekend to get ready for the holiday. :(
 
I do therapy (Therapy Dogs, Inc.) with my chow mix, Capers. We started a little more than a year ago, when she turned 11 and we visit a nursing home every other Saturday and partner with “Eddie”, a 4 year old Great Pyrenees / Golden Retriever mix. Eddie is a gentle giant.

I’m envious of those of you that have smallish, cuddly dogs for therapy. They are clearly easy for residents that are bedridden to see / reach and interact with. Capers is 18 + ” tall / 30 lbs and while I can pick her up, I don’t often do so at the nursing home, as she has some arthritis and frankly doesn’t like being picked up. However, she loves people and going, as this is her special time with Mom and she gets loads of treats. One of her quirks is that she does not like for people to reach for or pat her head. I maneuver her around so that those in wheelchairs can stroke her back instead.

It’s a joy to see the faces of those that have had dogs (or a few in the rehab wing that still do) light up when they see you coming. The facility has a wing where a number of residents with Alzheimers live. One particular resident is always apprehensive when we approach --- to the point that she looks fearful. I remind her that she knows Capers and encourage her to “feel how soft she is”… and the transformation in the resident’s expression to smiling and laughing is always so amazing.

While the bathing / grooming prep for therapy does take some work, therapy is an incredibly rewarding activity.
 
Therapy

I don't do therapy with my dogs but my mom is in a nursing home and I bring my guys in all the time and I am asked to bring them into see some of the patients. Like last week I was asked to bring Sting (my wildman) into see a lady that was 103 years old.She was with it to. Sting was so calm and gentle with her and he laid right across the bed for a half hour while she petted him.I dont want to make them into therapy dogs because I just dont have time but I do like when they are so gentle with the older people.
 
Katherine said:
It’s a joy to see the faces of those that have had dogs (or a few in the rehab wing that still do) light up when they see you coming. The facility has a wing where a number of residents with Alzheimers live. One particular resident is always apprehensive when we approach --- to the point that she looks fearful. I remind her that she knows Capers and encourage her to “feel how soft she is”… and the transformation in the resident’s expression to smiling and laughing is always so amazing.
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It is amazing to watch the affect they have on people. Personally, I hate nursing homes but I've found that I'm able to put that aside with the knowledge that I'm bringing the residents a small gift of joy. The smiles on their faces and the light in their eyes, something many of them don't get on a regular basis, makes it worth while.

While the bathing / grooming prep for therapy does take some work, therapy is an incredibly rewarding activity.
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This is why I keep dry shampoo on hand. I don't want to over-bathe Edan but I know its important to make sure he's clean when he visits. I use the dry shampoo to clean his feet, belly, and poop chute area. I also do his claws two days before a scheduled visit so any rough edges from the grinding have time to smooth out a bit.

He always gets brushed the night before we visit with a quick touch up in the morning.
 
Yes, Layla is on the Walter Reed Therapy Dog Team. Bits and Annie are with St. Pete's Pets, visiting a nursing home, and Beckon has gone to the local rehab hospital.
 
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This is something I would like to get MMM into when he is a bit older. He is such an outgoing, good looking little fellow, sometimes cuddly (sometimes not, but he is young). He just has such a fine personality and is such a clown.

I will google groups in my area, but some questions:

Anything I should be training now besides his regular manners?

What are the special needs of bathing and grooming?

Chris, I noticed Layla has a nice jacket with patches, is there an accreditation that must be acheived before visiting or is that a group by group decision?
 
I'd love for Bailey to be a therapy dog. However, she can be a little standoffish, so I'm not sure if she has the right temperament for it. I'll have to wait and see when she turns 1 year old and if she is more interested in people. Right now she just wants to play with other dogs.

Jan, you can start by training him to pass the CGC test. I know TDI's test is very similar to the CGC test requirements.
 
We are big into doing Therapy.

Chloe visits a nursing home with my daughter once a month and does that through 4-H. She recently passed her TDI test, but we have not done any therapy work through that. She is just 15 months, so I am sure we will get more into therapy in the next couple of years.

My setter (who passed last year) was registered with Bright and Beautiful and was actually a critical care therapy dog, and would go to a children's hospital St. Joes in Paterson, and visited there. Cedar also worked with the families many many times after 9/11. He would go to Battery Park and soothe the families while they were waiting for news after 9/11 and also during the following years memorials. Cedar was actually highlighted in a dog magazine. I will have to dig that up and scan it. He was my big baby :cry:
 
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