Canine Good Citizen and S.T.A.R. Puppy Program
Please click here to access all necessary information!
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Therapy Dog Program information
To Enroll:
Classes: Please contact A.I. directly. We run therapy dog classes as we have request for them. All classes are held at our Autumn Green Animal Hospital, Geneva, IL location.
Testing: Please continue reading below…
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What is a Therapy Dog vs Service Dog?
A Therapy Dog is different than a Service Dog.
A service dog is a trained and certified working dog in the community to accompany people with disabilities or medical conditions.
A therapy dog is trained and certified to provide affection and comfort to people in nursing homes, hospitals, retirement homes, schools, and so much more! There is no size or breed requirement, only temperament. A good therapy dog must be patient, kind, friendly, gentle, confident, and enjoy human contact. A therapy dog must be calm and relaxed in any situation.
Please note: A dog who passes the Therapy Dog test does *not* receive the same rights as a Service Dog. Those certifications require additional training & testing.
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Become a certified Therapy Dog Team!
Animal Intuitions has a therapy dog evaluator on staff. We have all the training options you need to take any age dog up through therapy certification! You can start with our puppy classes & S.T.A.R. Puppy Program through adult classes, followed by our Canine Good Citizen class & testing, and finally our Therapy Dog classes & testing.
K9to5 National Therapy Dog Registry is looking for the highest quality of dog teams.
K9to5 Therapy Dog Test is not a difficult test for well-trained dogs ready for therapy work, however the test is very thorough and may vary a little from other therapy organizations’ testing. The test is created upon the direct feedback given by hospitals, schools, nursing homes, assisted living homes, and other facilities that take advantage of the great benefits of therapy dogs.
Pre-requisites
–Cost: $25 goes to evaluator; $40 goes to K9to5 National Therapy Dog Registry
–A Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test is required before a dog can become a therapy dog. Please see the link above for more information about A.I.’s CGC classes and testing.
–Completion of an intermediate/advanced class such as Rally, CGC, Agility, Therapy, Obedience, etc or an advanced title from AKC.
–All vaccinations must be up-to-date and in good health. Must provide documentation.
–Must be at least 1 year old.
Other Notes:
–Equipment allowed: Flat buckle collar, harness, chainless martingale collar, & 4-6 ft leash (nylon or leather), verbal praise & petting.
–Equipment NOT allowed: No treats, no training aids, no flexi leashes, no chains, no pinches, & no prongs.
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The Therapy Test Skills
The same test must be performed 3 times in different medical locations. Recently, medical facilities that utilize therapy dogs have seen dogs calm in one facility and freak out in the next. By testing 3 locations, K9to5 is assuring across the board that the dogs entering with a K9to5 Certification will be calm and relaxed during their shifts keeping you, their staff, residents, and all visitors safe.
Test 1: Resource Guarding. Your dog should be comfortable with anyone being around or removing their food bowl, treats, toys, etc. The Therapy Dog Test will end for a dog that growls, snaps, or bites during the resource guarding test or any other part of the exam.
Test 2: Behavior/Body Handling. Your dog should be comfortable with being closely handled and touched including all parts of their body.
Test 3: Obedience. Your dog should be able to quickly perform obedience behaviors through your verbal or hand cues including wait, move to the side, leave it, stand, leash walking, down, walking slowly, etc
Test 4: Overall Visit: The dog handler is being tested just as the dog is. The therapy evaluator will be watching how the handler interacts with the staff, residents, other visitors, and their own dog. Things such as checking in, knocking before entering rooms, handling stress in the dog, approaching residents, & appropriate dress attire will be observed.
Please feel free to contact A.I. or K9to5 National Therapy Dog Registry if you have any questions at all!