Therapy Animals?

[fidgiegirl]

Anyone ever been into the therapy animal scene?

We have some at some of our schools, and they always have a therapeutic effect on me :)

DH and I would like to get a second dog this summer and I would like to be able to train it to do this kind of service work. But everything I've read leads me to believe that a successful therapy animal has to have the right personality, not just the right training.

Any advice? Certain breeds to look at? Organizations you've liked working with?

[peggy]

I don't know about breeds and organizations, but the neighbors dog, Duke, often visits us and it is very therapeutic to watch him frolic in the pond, playing like a kid and having the time of his life! I think his breed is an Australian something or other. Very handsome dog and friendly. As much fun to watch as a barrel of monkeys.
It's amazing how relaxing it is to watch him. It just calms me for some reason. I can certainly see how such a dog would comfort and aid someone who was nervous, anxious, or facing something bigger than themselves. What kind of service do you envision for a dog of yours? For whom?

[fidgiegirl]

I would like to visit nursing homes with a dog. Not sure why that's what I feel attracted to, since I work with youth in my profession, but maybe because my Grammy was in a nursing home and it was kind of depressing.

[treehugger]

I have 2 rescued racing greyhounds and one of them (based on his calm and gentle personality) would make an excellent therapy dog. We know several people with greyhounds who have gone through the training and certification to take their dogs into nursing homes, hospitals and schools as therapy dogs, and it's been very successful. Greyhounds are suited for this (many of them, not all; certainly not my crazy female hound) because they naturally calm and gentle, don't jump or bark, are trainable, and their coats stay very clean. They are also a great height for people in wheel chairs and hospital beds to pet.

Someday, when I have more free time, I would like to do this, but for now, I just admire from a far. It's wonderful when people take the time to perform this valuable service.

Sorry I don't have any specific resources to recommend. But some Googling for your area should turn up results of groups that train and certify therapy dogs.

Kara

[fidgiegirl]

You know, Kara, I consider myself a dog person, but have never met a greyhound! How funny. When I have an opportunity I will have to make sure I can meet one. Thanks for the advice!

[Rosemary]

Ramsey County Library has a therapy dog program, where the dogs come to the libraries and kids read to them.
I know that the local Animal Humane Society has training classes for therapy dogs and cats. Yes, therapy cats! I've actually contemplated seeing if we could do that with one of ours.

[fidgiegirl]

We have guinea pigs at one of our sites, and I believe they are trained/certified! The kids really love them. Heck, I really love them! Keep me informed if you do anything with your cat. Would love to hear about it.

http://www.animalhumanesociety.org/training/therapy-animals

Yes, I see they have classes for guinea pigs and rabbits. Which reminds me, we saw the funniest thing today - a man walking his rabbit on a leash. His HUGE rabbit. And she - Bonnie - didn't want to budge. LOLOLOLOLOLOL

[treehugger]

In high school, I had a house rabbit named Puppy. I "walked" him on a leash occasionally. Really, I stood in the middle of the lawn and he hopped around. He didn't mind the leash itself, but certainly never got the hang of going for a walk. :)

Kelli, you aren't alone in never having met a greyhound; we hear that comment all the time from people who stop to pet ours. Our adoption group has "meet & greets" every weekend here in the Bay Area to introduce people to greyhounds. We go to 1 or 2 a month. Our dogs love all the attention and it's nice to help find homes for new ones.

Greyhounds are especially nice to read to (http://www.librarydogs.com/GA_Lucy.html). (click me)

Kara

[iris lily]

My mom really enjoyed the visits from therapy cat in her nursing home. She was without verbal skills but could still pet the cat and make nonsense noises to cat. What was nice is that the person who brought her cat to visit would look for my mom if my mother wasn't in her room.

[fidgiegirl]

In high school, I had a house rabbit named Puppy.

Funny! My parents have a dog named Kitty! Off to check out your link . . .

[fidgiegirl]

My mom really enjoyed the visits from therapy cat in her nursing home. She was without verbal skills but could still pet the cat and make nonsense noises to cat. What was nice is that the person who brought her cat to visit would look for my mom if my mother wasn't in her room.

See, that's what makes me think it would be such a fulfilling service all ways around. The dog has a job, the owner (me) has an additional reason to get up off her (my) duff and train it, and the residents who enjoy the experience can have the opportunity.

[peggy]

I would think a cat would be very soothing. It's very therapeutic to pet a cat in your lap. We just never got in the habit of having pets because of my son's allergies. He hasn't lived at home for a very very long time. I suppose we should consider getting a pet! >8)

[Miss Cellane]

I'd start by contacting any organizations in your area that train or certify therapy dogs. They would have some insights into what breeds of dogs generally make good therapy dogs, training, etc.

I know that some dogs that are rejected as guide dogs for the blind can go on to become therapy dogs. The ones that are too meek and mild-mannered sometimes get trained as therapy dogs. (The ones that are too aggressive can go on to become search and rescue dogs, or police K-9 dogs.) So that's another avenue for finding an appropriate dog.

[Zoebird]

we had a therapy rabbit.

he had to go through a course (it was for us, really) at the senior center where we got started.

he would visit once a week and go and give snuggles. Because he was small, he could even go to the bed-ridden people and give a cuddle. He was exceptionally good at cuddles.

[Wildflower]

My MIL is in a nursing home. DH and I take our Pembroke Welsh Corgi to visit her and the other residents weekly. I can't tell you how much joy our sweet little dog brings them. :) She always does her routine of tricks for them and they just love it. And they love to pet her.

Lily hasn't been through official therapy dog training, but had obedience training (not Petsmart) and passed the highest level of classes just recently. If we wish we can get her certified as a therapy dog in the future and she can go anywhere then - schools, hospitals, etc., but for now we are content with visiting the nursing home and bringing some happiness to those suffering from Alzheimers.

As far as breeds that would be best as a therapy dog, I think it depends more on the individual temperament of the dog and not necessarily the breed at all. In fact, a mutt from the local animal shelter with a pleasant personality and the correct training would do just as well as any purebreed IMO. :+1:

[lizii]

My MIL is in a nursing home. DH and I take our Pembroke Welsh Corgi to visit her and the other residents weekly. I can't tell you how much joy our sweet little dog brings them. :) She always does her routine of tricks for them and they just love it. And they love to pet her.

Lily hasn't been through official therapy dog training, but had obedience training (not Petsmart) and passed the highest level of classes just recently. If we wish we can get her certified as a therapy dog in the future and she can go anywhere then - schools, hospitals, etc., but for now we are content with visiting the nursing home and bringing some happiness to those suffering from Alzheimers.

As far as breeds that would be best as a therapy dog, I think it depends more on the individual temperament of the dog and not necessarily the breed at all. In fact, a mutt from the local animal shelter with a pleasant personality and the correct training would do just as well as any purebreed IMO. :+1:

I used to take my dog, a Bichon Frise, to seniors' residences and hospitals. She gave many residents so much love and attention, it was delightful to see how much love she got from patients, and also how much she loved all the attention she got from the patients.

[artist]

I have two friends who are training their dogs for this. One is a black lab, the other a Golden retriever.

[fidgiegirl]

Oh you all!! I get so many warm fuzzies from all these stories. I hope we will have a dog that can do this work . . . we won't be getting one until summertime, and that's only if DH doesn't chicken out. :) But it helps to know if we want to do this to be on the lookout for one with a good personality.

I was picturing the therapy bunny snuggling up people, or the corgi doing tricks . . . sweet!!!

[iris lily]

oh I forgot, I used to take my own bulldog to visit my mom. She got lots of attention there because she WAS the Most Beautiful Bulldog in the World. Or maybe it's just because dogs get attention in the nursing home. But either way, she was a good girl, a senior citizen herself, and she was calm. But she wasn't a "therapy dog" she just went in to visit her grandmama.

[Zoebird]

I find that dogs and babies get a lot of attention.

At the local church where DS goes to the music time, there are about 12 of the oldest ladies I've ever met who come and volunteer there (they do the gardening there too. they are awesome. they are all over 90 and still pretty much live independently. rock on, seatoun grannies!).

Anyway, new moms come with new borns and let me tell you, those ladies dote on those newbies! It is the sweetest thing ever in the whole wide world of the whole wide universe!

I just think it's super special.

[Selah]

Funnily enough, I was just talking to my friend yesterday about this, who is a social worker at a number of rest homes in the area. She said her manager used to allow visits from therapy animals, until one person brought in a dog with fleas. The whole rest home got infested and the residents had to be moved so they could flea-bomb the place and treat all the bedding and linens. Now the manager only allows one parrot to be in the home, who talks a little but can't be cuddled. It even joins in when my friend is calling bingo numbers! :)

She said in other homes, people bring in snakes, lizards, rats, and all sorts of other unusual animals. Go figure!

[Kestra]

This is actually a great idea. Something I'm going to think about for myself. I'd like to get out there more and having the animal as the go-between would really help with my introversion. I wonder if any senior homes around here would allow rats, since that's the only pet I'm planning on. Harder to borrow someone else's. Definitely going to look into it more.