WANTED: 31 Therapy Dog teams to put smiles on faces!

[Leann Harris]

Hi All,

I just wanted to put the word out there there's a new therapy dog group that's starting up. While most of the time you need a certification such as TDI or Delta Society to start doing therapy dog work, we have a unique opportunity to get people in and trained without TDI/Delta certs and have never done therapy work before- but always wanted to try!  

We're looking for dog and handler teams who have their Canine Good Citizen Certificate (www.akc.org/events/cgc) . Our goal is for 31 teams in order to schedule one team a day, only repeating once a month. If you don't have a CGC but are working towards it,or already have TDI/Delta, please join us too! Once you have your CGC, we'll start with training classes at the facility that teach positioning, safety and walk you thru your first visits. Of course, we'll be working on the behaviors needed for great visits and continued certifications but all the while you can experience the joy of brightening someone's day! You do not need to be a social butterfly to do this- you just hold the leash and let your dog do the work. :)

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions and be sure to join A Paw A Day's email group ( www.APawADay.com) to find out dates and times.

This Wednesday the 27th we have a first time handler and dog training class at 6:30 pm for doodles who already have their CGC. Email me if that time works and I'll get you the rest of the information! We'd love to have you!!! We also have a class on this Saturday, the 30th around 10:00 am for those who would prefer a weekend.

Feel free to ask any questions!

Hope to see you there!

-Leann Harris

804-867-AARF

www.APawADay.com 

(and if you're a bored web designer, a pretty css file would really help!)

[Leann Harris]

The initial requirement is a CGC, which should imply the dogs don't jump on people and their owners have a good handle on training and such. The initial classes are at the facility but not with real residents until each dog proves they can handle the environment there. Once they show they are comfortable, each visit is supervised and in a group until they can "graduate" to individual visits. We're here to do alot of hand holding and training - especially since it usually takes longer to train the humans than it does the dogs ;)

[RoseAnn and Roger Fitch]

Thank you for starting this group. Max and I aren't quite to CGC level, yet, but we have been working towards that goal.

[Deb, Connor & Simon]

Leann, Connor is a certified therapy dog through TDI and participates with Caring Canines. My question concerns liability - will there be group insurance available? What facility will be doing training at? Will all dogs be personality evaluated prior to therapy dog training?

Thanks.
Deborah

[Leann Harris]

The facility has dogs onsite so they carry the insurance.
This is a group that hand holds you thru the training- people aren't willy nilly visiting without having graduated (see above comment)
Out goal is to get more people trained with help along the way, unlike how many of us learned on our own :)

[Leann Harris]

lol since I seem to be getting the same questions, lemme post some thoughts to help clear things up (hopefully):
- The reason I'm not posting the facility's name is that they asked me to not post it to something searchable- like websites and message boards. (You can search and find every post here on google). They do not, in any way shape or form, want to give out the impression that people can just show up with their dogs and it's ok. However, since they have a unique situation of already having resident dogs on site, they are covered which allows for our unique opportunity. You actually become a volunteer of the facility- A Paw A Day just covers the dog training aspect and coordination of visits.

- The insurance question. When you get your TDI or Delta cert, it comes with an insurance waiver. That's the reason for the cert- to say a dog has a good temperament and to have an insurance company back that. (How they actually do is another matter...) Whether CC wants to carry another one or not is entirely up to them, but Richmond is the first city I've ever been in that has groups which carry extra insurance. If you have your TDI or Delta cert, it is entirely the prerogative of the facility you are visiting as to what certifications are required in order to visit. You do not even technically need a group like CC to visit if you have certs, and sometimes even without anything! However, groups like CC are organized and have everything set up to make it easier for someone to visit. You just have to have already done all the training necessary to pass the TDI or Delta test and this is the information many people don't already have but want.

- That's where we come in. Maybe I should have named it A Paw A Day Therapy dog TRAINING AND HAND HOLDING group- lol. I can't tell you how many people I've heard over the years say "I think my dog would be great doing therapy work but I have no idea where to start." A Paw A Day is the place to start. :) No one steps in on the first day and gets to visit residents ( UNLESS you already have your TDI/Delta AND you are evaluated again. Certs don't always mean the dog is well behaved... people who know me know I am a stickler for owners who allow their dogs to have "wild head syndrome".) To get onsite , you need at least a CGC. Then we are in our own training room there for the initial handler training. The humans have already done a walk thru of the facility. Based on your dog's temperament and training they are evaluated in the class before any visit is scheduled. Your dog may love people but not all of them are cut out to do visiting. Some are only ok with group visits. Some may progress to individual visits. It will all depend on each individual dog.

- We also train the humans. There are plenty of misconceptions about what therapy dog work is all about. I've talked to people who have perfectly well behaved and loving dogs who think they can't do therapy work because the dog doesn't close doors for them. Therapy dogs do not need to be trained to a service dog task level- they are entirely two separate things, they just both happen to have dogs involved. :)

-As people progress I will be coordinating TDI and Delta tests with Aleta and Ann. I fully expect every single person who wants to do this will come up and be trained well enough to join CC and visit many more facilities. (Just don't forget your roots, ok? :)

- There is a painful lack of therapy dog teams in most cities in the U.S. There is an equally painful lack of concise resources to help match up teams who want to do this work and the information and training to allow them to go thru with it. I am hoping to try and bridge the knowledge gap and enable people to brighten the day of their fellow humans. I love training dogs for therapy dog work but I can only have so many dogs of my own. :) Facilities across the country need more teams to visit. I know that loving dogs and their owners are out there and I am just trying to play matchmaker between the two. :)

I hope that clears a few things up! Feel free to email me if you'd like to come!
Keep in mind- if you're experienced you also have the unique opportunity to help groom up-and-coming teams- please come join us too!

[Jazz & Jane]

This was exactly what I was looking for -- especially since I still work full time and needed something I didn't have to commit to every week, two weeks, etc. We've wanted to do this since Jazz got her CGC (last year).

We have completed our classes with Leann, and it was excellent ! We have also been on our first practice "trainer" visit to the facility. We still have some work to do, but we are on our way. It is a wonderful program and I encourage anyone that has the slightest interest to "try".

For those stuck in a "lul" after passing the CGC, this will keep your doodle on track and provide practice for TDI or Delta.

Thanks Leann !!

[Belinda Stevens]

Maggie and I took Seattle for her first "class" with Leann at the facility tonight. She was very professional and informative (thank you Leann) I highly recommend this if you do have your CGC and have been interested in or even just thought about doing some therapy work with your doodle. I'm looking forward to our next class. I have a feeling Seattle really will enjoy doing this type of work as opposed to coming to work with me where I think she gets too bored. Stella on the otherhand will pick going to work with me everytime!