What is Pet Therapy?

Does your dog seem to love people? Have you thought about sharing your dog with others who cannot have a dog? That’s what we do as pet therapy teams! We are looking for handler and dog teams that can work well together, and provide a safe encounter with children, adults, and the elderly. We have a local Tester/Observer for Alliance of Therapy Dogs, which provides testing, registration, certification, support, and insurance for members who volunteer with dogs to visit hospitals, special needs centers, schools, nursing homes, libraries, and other similar facilities.

Meetings: At Tri-State Kennel Club, we are all about supporting new teams as they prepare for this new activity! We have a monthly meeting of our therapy dog support group, where people with dogs too young, immature, or not yet trained come to learn more about how to prepare to take the test. We offer support and guidance to help those who are newly registered to get started and find facilities they really enjoy visiting. We also have seasoned teams that are looking to keep their skills fine-tuned and stay in touch with various visiting opportunities that come our way. So we have a variety of skill levels, which gives us a wide range of experiences to share.

We generally meet on the 2^nd Sunday of the month at the Tri-State Training Center, although sometimes we do a group visit at a facility. Check our calendar to be sure of the meeting location. Sign up for our monthly email reminders also. We also welcome members of other national registries as well.

Drop-in Class: This class is for people who wish to learn more about doing therapy work with animals.  The class will demonstrate how to work as a team with the dog when visiting people in hospitals, assisted living centers, nursing homes, etc. The class will cover skills like: how to interact with people, how to handle distractions, meeting various people who may be using crutches or wheelchairs and how to help recognize stress in your dog.

This class does not replace traditional puppy class or Beginner Home Manners, but provides orientation to visiting as a therapy dog. Most facilities expect therapy dogs to be registered with one of the national organizations that provide liability insurance for their members. Our local Tester/Observer for Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) who is also a member of TSKC, facilitates a workshop-style class to help prepare teams to take the test and do the three observations for ATD. You can find out more at the ATD website, http://therapydogs.com

This drop-in class is posted on the schedule, and costs $5 per dog when you attend. RSVP is requested.

How do I get started?

First, go to http://therapydogs.com and Click on JOIN > BE A MEMBER

Your first step is a background check, which costs $20 and is done online. It doesn’t take very long for this to be accomplished, usually only a few days.

Print out the “Download Paperwork” file and read it all. Then read it again! This document tells you everything you need to know. It includes a copy of the current test and other paperwork you need to do before you contact your local tester. It’s very important to note that there are many safety rules that must be followed in order to ensure the safety of our patients. A few of the common issues are as follows: Dogs must not ever jump on people (even tiny dogs) and must not paw at a patient as many elderly people have brittle skin that tears very easily. Dogs must walk nicely beside the handler, with a “loose leash”. That means the handler is not holding the dog back with the leash, but the dog is choosing to walk beside the handler without pulling or tugging. This is a skill that most often sends teams back to training class. We work on skills such as these in our meetings and drop-in training sessions to help new teams prepare for the test.

Your vet will need to fill out the Health form, which includes current rabies vaccination or proof of acceptable titer, a general physical exam, and a negative fecal test performed within the past 12 months. After that, you will set up a time with our tester to take the test! You can find Debbie MIller’s contact info from the ATD website if you search for testers in 64801 zip code. After you and your dog pass the test, you will do 3 supervised observations on 3 different days.

After you’ve completed the three visits, you are ready to send in your paperwork and payment to the office. When you have received the materials back, your dog is now a therapy dog!

Are Therapy Dogs considered to be Service Dogs?

There is always a lot of confusion these days about Service Dogs, Emotional Support Animals, and Therapy Dogs. The main difference is this: Does the dog perform a task for the handler that mitigates a disability? If so, the dog is a service dog. True service dogs are allowed public access and may accompany the handler anywhere the handler goes.

If the handler has emotional needs documented by a mental health professional and has written proof, the dog may be allowed to live in housing that generally prohibits dogs. These dogs are also allowed on public transportation. These dogs are called ESAs or Emotional Support Animals. ESAs are NOT allowed public access like service dogs. They are only allowed in housing that prohibits dogs, and on public transportation. This dog is not performing a task that mitigates the handler’s disability.

Therapy dogs have been screened by a nationally known registration organization, and trained to be well-behaved around the general public as well as other dogs, and are usually petted by the general public. This dog is not performing a task for the handler, but is being friendly with a stranger. This dog does not have public access rights and is not allowed anywhere except where allowed by the establishment, such as a nursing home, hospital, or library.

And, while there are many ways that handlers misrepresent their dogs to be something they are not, this practice is illegal, and causes much grief and issues for actual service dogs. If you see a dog peeing in a store, pulling on the leash, or growling or snarling at other dogs or people, you can be sure this is not an actual service dog. Service dogs, whether legitimate or not, that act badly can and should be asked to leave an establishment.