Is every pet a "therapy" pet?

[Adina P]

I'm sure we all agree that pets, especially our doodles, are very therapeutic. But it seems I'm hearing of more and more people abusing the term "therapy" and using it as an excuse to get their pets privileges.

A few months ago a tenant in a property that Clark manages claimed the cat he had acquired (which came after the no-pet rental contract was signed) was a 'therapy' cat.

Recently a prospective tenant for a different property asked about pets. When she heard there was a no-pets rule, she also claimed her cat was a therapy cat because she was bipolar.

To me that's taking it too far and taking advantage of the system. Of course neither of these individuals claimed 'service dog' status and didn't seem to know the correct terminology, but SHOULD any pet owner be allowed to rent or enter a no-pets allowed property for any reason as long as they claim their dog is a service/therapy dog?

Shouldn't some certification be required? Should the dog actually serve a purpose (perform a service or needed task) beyond making the person feel good?

[fergie11]

That's so true. That's why I said the Therapy Dog thing would be a start. Does a Service Dog actually have to be trained for an individual disability - say "sight impaired" or hearing or autisim or something. Just curious.

[Adina P]

well, if it comes from a legitimate organization that trains for specific purposes then it is trained for those purposes. but, there is no requirement to prove that a dog has undergone any specific training.

[Adina P]

My opinion is that if someone really would benefit from/needs a service animal, then that animal should undergo credentialing in some approved form by a tried and true organization. The test for a therapy dog, in my eyes, is not rigorous enough for a service dog. It's not tough enough a test and obedience need not be very solid.

As to off leash --- I don't think service dogs are granted off leash privileges unless there are no leash laws in a city, but I can't be 100% positive on this. I'm actually for laws that give ANY dog who can pass rigorous obedience testing to be granted off leash freedom, service or not. Our city has no leash law, and our border collie Cass has been off leash reliable for 12+ years...I would want that privilege other places too...but now I'm off on a tangent.

Anyway, no Boo to you, just sharing my thoughts on the matter and trying to get a discussion going on what is fair to all and what is taking things too far.

[fergie11]

No Adina - I agree with you on all that. That TDI test is very simple in my mind and I hope a "service animal" would be much more rigorous. As far as that off-leash thing goes, I'm all with you on that too. I don't like leashes and I'm working very hard with my dogs to be good off leash - it's one of my most important things. - Open a discussion on that Adina or has there been one. It's so much fun to have a dog off-leash and have it be reliable. That's when you really have a friend with you. Dogs just smile much more when they're off-leash. Don't you think?

[Adina P]

I don't trust myself enough, don't trust my skills in training yet, to trust my dogs off leash. Except for Cass who is trained by Clark that has proven herself for over 10 years. But, I think it is entirely possible to have an off leash reliable dog. However, depending on who you talk to you will find many trainers who are against the idea because they always go back to the notion that "no dog is 100%." To me, that is a cop-out because I do know trainers who have dogs they take places off leash. granted these are trainers from the Internet on training forums. but they have an amazing track record.

Rosco started with me toward off leash reliability, but I got stuck and I think the different trainer would have absolutely gotten Rosco completely off leash reliable by now.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I have fostered 2 disabled police K9s who were both 100% off-leash regardless of environment, and it is truly a beautiful & wondrous thing to see. But they had a level of training far beyond anything that has been discussed here. K9 and Schutzhund training are a whole other ballgame. It would sure be a fantastic thing to strive toward, though.

[Adina P]

I think the average dog owner demands far too little from their dog (and themselves) when it comes to training--me included. And I think that has to do (in part) with the false dichotomy between having a "relationship" with dogs and having superbly well-trained dogs. I really do think it's a false dichotomy because dogs who are superbly well-trained and off leash reliable must have an excellent relationship with their owner in order to get that far in training. Merely being an anal, control-freak jerk does not you a happy, well-trained dog.

I think we dog owners can have both: excellent relationship of trust and respect and love AND that illusive superbly well-trained dog.

While I don't believe in that false dichotomy (so that's not what has kept Rosco behind) I blame myself for slacking. And, I pass the buck and blame the trainers who chose to live too far from me -- *grin*

[Kim]

I think a no-pet rule is a no-pet rule whether the animals are therapy pets or not. If it is an apartment building, other tenants in other apartments could be severely allergic - EVEN to therapy dogs.

[Linda,Yankee & Finn]

Service dogs too?

[Adina P]

A true, card-carrying service dog might be a reasonable exception. I don't think anyone's allergies are severe enough so a dog 2 apts down will cause that much problem any more than that dog would cause in a public area.

[fergie11]

I think making a person "feel good" is a very good reason that a pet should be allowed BUT that pet also has to be very well behaved - with very good manners and how would anyone know that without some kind of certification. I believe if you want your dog/animal to be considered a Therapy dog you need to have it certified and you need to have that certification with you. A teacher can't teach without certification that they are a teacher no matter how smart that person is.

[Adina P]

I was using the word interchangeably, but I still think when someone says "it's a therapy ___" it isn't enough because 'therapy animals' are not service animals. Rosco is a therapy dog and that's measures away from a service dog that was trained to a task AND should have impeccable obedience & manners.