Therapy Dog Training: How to Train Your Dog to Provide Comfort and Support
We know that dogs have a special ability to provide comfort and support to people in need. Therapy dogs are trained to provide emotional support and comfort to individuals in various settings, such as hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas. If you’re interested in training your dog to become a therapy dog, here’s what you need to know:
What is Therapy Dog Training?
Therapy dog training involves socialization and skills training focused on teaching dogs how to best support their companion. Therapy dogs are trained to provide comfort and affection to individuals and are certified to go to locations like hospitals, long-term care facilities, treatment centers, and schools. Therapy dogs are trained with basic obedience skills, but they aren’t trained to perform any essential tasks for the people they support. This is mainly where therapy dogs differ from service dogs. They do not specialize in any particular area of service.
How to Train a Therapy Dog
If you’re interested in training your dog to become a therapy dog, it’s important that you’re aware of what’s in store. Whether you train your dog yourself or sign them up for professional training courses, your dog should be social, friendly, patient, confident, and gentle. Here are some tips to help you train your dog to become a therapy dog:
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Socialize Your Dog: Socialization is key to training a therapy dog. Expose your dog to different people, places, and situations to help them become comfortable and confident in new environments.
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Teach Basic Obedience Skills: Therapy dogs should be well-behaved and obedient. Teach your dog basic obedience skills, such as sit, stay, come, and heel.
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Train for Distractions: Therapy dogs should be able to remain calm and focused in distracting environments. Train your dog to ignore distractions, such as loud noises and other animals.
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Practice Handling and Grooming: Therapy dogs should be comfortable with being handled and groomed. Practice handling your dog’s paws, ears, and mouth, and teach them to tolerate grooming, such as brushing and nail trimming.
Get Certified: Once your dog is trained, you can get them certified as a therapy dog. Certification requirements vary by organization but typically involve a temperament evaluation and a skills test.
Five Quality Dog Products and Services to Help
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Professional Training Courses: Consider enrolling your dog in professional therapy dog training courses. These courses are designed to teach your dog the skills they need to become a certified therapy dog.
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Therapy Dog Vest: A therapy dog vest can help identify your dog as a therapy dog and make them more recognizable to people in need of comfort and support.
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Treats and Toys: Treats and toys can be used as rewards during training sessions and can help keep your dog motivated and engaged.
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Temperament Evaluation: A temperament evaluation can help assess your dog’s suitability for therapy dog training. This evaluation can be done by a professional trainer or a therapy dog organization.
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Certification Services: There are many therapy dog certification services available, such as Therapy Dogs International and Pet Partners. These organizations can provide you with the resources and support you need to get your dog certified as a therapy dog.