Resume of a Therapy Dog

Therapy dogs come in all sizes, shapes, breeds, ages, gender. Knowing this, how do you determine the qualities needed for a successful career as a therapy dog? After all, each person visited will have different preferences. One person may be frightened of large dogs but quickly reach for that tiny Pomeranian. Another person may find a huge lug of a dog much easier to hug. A hyper-active child will need a very calm dog that he can lie next to on the floor.

Even the geriatric dog can find a place in therapy work. After all, some senior citizens will certainly be able to identify better with a slow-moving, gray-muzzled, slightly arthritic dog. And, just think what the courage exhibited by a three-legged dog can teach a paraplegic or someone struggling with a terminal illness.

The major ingredients for these situations are personality and temperament. Every therapy dog must be even-tempered, good-natured, and able to accept handling by strangers.

Preliminary Evaluation

Is your dog happy to be around people? Is this exhibited through expressive body language such as a wiggling body, wagging tail or “smiling face”?

If you answered yes to the questions above, your dog has passed the first test. Those two questions are essential and must receive an enthusiastic YES!!!

Now see how well you can do with the questions below. Remember, a “No” to these questions doesn’t necessarily mean your dog isn’t suited for therapy work. It will simply give you an idea of the things you need to work on.

Health

Is your dog’s coat healthy and free of parasites? Is her skin free of open sores? While very few diseases are transmitted between species, it is important to limit the risk of infection.

Does your dog accept bathing easily? You will need to bathe your dog regularly between visits. Heavy shedders can be a nuisance during therapy visits. This is more easily controlled with thorough brushing and combing immediately prior to each visit. Also, nails will need to be short (and rounded) to avoid accidental scratches.

Are you willing to have an annual veterinarian visit, complete with stool check? An annual stool check will give you a chance to detect and protect against many parasites. If your dog is exhibiting any form of abnormal stools or has any open sores, you should cancel all visits until the symptoms clear up

Are your dog’s vaccinations current? In addition to rabies and the usual annual vaccinations, it is important to protect against bordetella (kennel cough).

Obedience

Will your dog come to you reliably when called? Be sure to test this in high-distraction environments. Doing this at home, right before dinner time, is far different than breaking away from a romp with another dog when called.

How long will your dog maintain a down-stay while you walk to the other end of the room? There may be situations when you need to have your dog remain in a particular spot while a patient is moving around and you are not able to stand beside the dog because of room arrangements or logistics.

Is your dog able to greet someone while maintaining a “sit” rather than jumping up and down? Many people you visit may be frail or simply nervous about dogs. Your dog should respond willingly to affection while “sitting.” And she should never jump onto a lap or bed until given a command to do so.

Are you able to give commands in a quiet, calm voice? And, are you able to give corrections in a public-sensitive manner, without harsh handling?

Social Skills

Will your dog accept clumsy petting, wild gestures or loud voices by strangers? While the people you are visiting will not willingly hurt a dog, they may be inadvertently rough in their handling and your dog needs to remain calm with such touches. Test this at home by asking friends to interact with your dog in a variety of ways different from your usual handling.

Is your dog hand-shy? A dog that either backs away from an outstretched hand or responds in an aggressive manner should not be exposed to therapy work.

Is your dog secure away from your side and willing to approach a stranger on her own? People want to feel accepted and cared for by a dog and easily have their feelings hurt if that dog turns away from their touch.

Does your dog recover well from startling situations? What would happen if someone dropped a metal bowl or other loud object behind you as you are walking down the street? Give this a try. Your dog shouldn’t be expected to ignore the sound but should not bolt away. The ideal response is for the dog to look to you for reassurance that everything is OK then continue calmly with whatever she was doing before the “boom”. There will be many strange pieces of equipment in the various therapy settings and the dog’s confidence in the handler should enable her to remain calm around such objects as crutches, wheelchairs, gurneys, and other wheeled conveyances.

Will your dog respond responsibly around food? During a visit, your dog will often be exposed to food particles on the floor or tasty meal trays at nose level. Test this one at home. Sit in a comfy chair to watch TV and rest a cookie on your knee. What does your dog do? If she approaches the cookie, will she back away when you give a command such as “leave it”? If not, you need to start practicing this. It is essential for both the person you are visiting and for your dog’s own health that she not put anything in her mouth during a visit.

Is your dog willing to wear funny costumes? While this is certainly not a requirement, a therapy visit can get off to a delightful start when the dog walks into the room wearing a silly hat or festive cape. Holidays are the best times for dressing the dog up for visits.

Just like a resume you might prepare for yourself, your dog should be well-rounded in personality and temperament. Her greatest strength will be her enthusiasm and interest in people, as they will be her “clients”. No special skills are required, other than the ability to accept the leadership of her handler. Therapy dog work offers lots of “on the job” training.