Therapy Dog Training

Start: February, 11th @ 7 PM
Class size: 8 Dogs
Trainer/Evaluator: Shelley McLaren/Holly Leas
Cost: $350

⭐️Sign Up Here!

Therapy Dogs provide affection and comfort to members of the public, and Therapy teams volunteer their services at places such as hospitals, hospices, nursing homes, and schools where they interact with others. From working with a child who is learning to read to visiting a senior in assisted living, therapy dogs and their handlers work together to improve the lives of other people.

All Breed Obedience Therapy Dog Training:

This 8 Week Therapy Dog Class will prepare dog/handler teams for all facets of becoming a successful Therapy Dog Team including education, training, and skill building exercises. During the 8 week class handlers will learn about different therapy dog programs, as well as train to successfully test with ANY therapy dog organization. You will also Learn:

• Therapy Dog Socialization
• Dog Handling Skills
• Engagement Techniques
• Canine Body Language
• Working in the Wild & Public Engagement
• Therapy Dog Program Education & Certification
• Navigating Medical Equipment
• Obedience Compliance during Therapy Visits

Classes will be taught at our facility, or at public venues. We will offer evaluation and certification for the AKC Canine Good Citizen Testing series, CGC(Canine Good Citizen), CGCA(Canine Good Citizen Advanced), and CGCU(Urban Canine Good Citizen) for those teams that are ready.

Would my dog be a good Therapy Dog candidate?

Dogs that do well as therapy dogs are:

• Friendly, calm, and sociable.
• Comfortable around strangers, enjoy being petted.
• Relaxed in various environments.
• Patient, gentle, not easily startled by loud noises or activity.
• Welcoming to interactions, not just tolerant.

What else will you learn?

• Essential therapy dog traits, characteristics, and training.
• Advanced commands and behaviors for your dog.
• Importance of dog/handler team approach.
• How to be a good therapy dog handler.
• Reading your dog’s body language.
• Positioning your dog for safe, effective visits.
• Preparing your dog for visiting people in different facilities.
• Protocol, etiquette, and methods for handling various situations.
• Assistance with certification with an organization and what to expect of the process.

Class Prerequisites

• Dog is at least 6 months of age and has sound temperament with a demeanor that is friendly, calm, and sociable outside of the home.
• Dog must have lived with the handler for at least 6 months.
• Completed Basic obedience training (sit, stay, heel, come, down, leave it). Dogs must have strong on-leash obedience foundation skills; if your team is lacking in obedience skills, please reach out to schedule obedience classes with us.
• Completion of Canine Good Citizen Testing Series is recommended but not required.
• Fill out the Dog/Handler Enrollment form
  

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Shelly McLaren

An Expert in her field, Shelley McLaren, has worked as a certified Therapy Dog handler for 10 years. Shelley is an active member of Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs, Crisis Response Canines, International Critical Incident Stress Foundation(ICISF), and Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals(AAAIP). Jacks, a German Shepherd, is Shelley’s working Therapy dog flying all over the country assisting humans. A highly decorated partnership, Team Jacks’ was awarded the “Congressional Award” from Crisis Response Canines for Therapy provided to thousands of individuals experiencing trauma from critical incidents.

See her full profile HERE

Therapy dogs are NOT service dogs. Service dogs are specifically trained to perform tasks to assist their assigned person with a disability or impairment. A service dog is protected by the American Disability Act (ADA) and must be with their assigned person at all times. Whereas, Therapy Dogs do not have special access. It is unethical and may be illegal to attempt to pass off a Therapy Dog as a Service Dog for purposes such as flying, admittance inside restaurants, events, etc.