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Barnyard Buddies:  Certified Therapy Dog Training Programs  |
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bluebellequilts
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
Teresa
Georgia
USA
72 Posts |
 Posted - Aug 08 2010 : 8:36:23 PM
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My dog and I are almost through an advanced obedience course that will lead to a Canine Good Citizen certification. We've been invited to attend a therapy dog training program where my dog would be read to by individual elementary age students who have "earned" that privilege. The program is designed to help students improve their reading fluency and overall confidence. (As a librarian, this is right up my alley!)
The cost for the local reading program training is not terribly expensive, but I'm required to join one of the national therapy dog groups in order to participate in this program. I'm not sure about the cost and additional training commitment this requirement entails. If fellow FarmGirls have had any experience with this, I'd love to hear your stories. Thanks! |
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prariehawk
True Blue Farmgirl
2914 Posts
Cindy
2914 Posts |
Posted - Aug 10 2010 : 8:30:07 PM
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You might want to contact the Delta society, they have lots of info on therapy dog training programs. I do know that the training exposes the dog to such things as wheelchairs, and the dog has to remain calm in all types of situations. Our local library has a reading program which uses dogs but my dog is a bit too high strung to be a candidate. Hope your dog passes, the programs really mean a lot to the kids.
Cindy
"There is more to life than increasing its speed". Mahatma Gandhi
Visit my blog at http://www.farmerinthebelle.blogspot.com/ |
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bluebellequilts
True Blue Farmgirl
72 Posts
Teresa
Georgia
USA
72 Posts |
Posted - Oct 28 2010 : 6:34:21 PM
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***Update*** - And info to share with those who are considering registering their pets as therapy animals (NOT service animals).
We passed our Canine Good Citizen test; however, CGC is not required by therapy dog groups. Nice to have, but the certificate doesn't automatically exempt you from any additional training and evaluation that is required by the therapy dog group. Even if their test isn't as stringent as the CGC.
So far, I've completed the reading dog training class. My dog and I are scheduled to be evaluated as a team on Nov. 14th by a local examiner of the therapy animal group I've chosen to join. Assuming we pass the evaluation, I still have a written test to complete. Then,we have to shadow another reading dog team for several visits before we're assigned our permanent slot at the local public library. Hopefully, we'll be in place as an official team 1st Quarter 2011.
"Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole." - Roger Caras
Farmgirl #1357 |
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Barnyard Buddies: Certified Therapy Dog Training Programs |
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Certified Therapy Dog Training Programs
