[2rotties2luv]

In addition to the excellent advice already given, I would like to add - don't rush into this. Rotties are not mentally mature until sometime between 2 and 3 years old. Your 7 month old pup will undergo changes in his personality and other aspects of his temperment will become apparent as he matures. The cuddly sociable puppy can well become aloof and standoffish as he grows up.

Because of this, I don't advise rottie owners to attempt to make therapy dogs of their rotties before the age of 3 years. Use the time till then for obedience training, socialization and exposure to as many strange and unusual situations and environments as you can manage.

Dog owners that try to push their dogs into doing therapy work before they are mature and ready for it may find that their dog becomes so stressed that they begin to dislike the therapy work and even will begin to try and avoid the people that they are there to meet. Ii've seen it happen. I've been involved in dog therapy since 1999 - my first rottie was 5 when we started, and my second rottie was 4. They were both very sociable dogs with a calm and confident temperment - nothing much could rattle them - but even so, they would still occaisionally get stressed after a long session.

Please check out the Therapy Dogs International and the Delta Society websites - you will find lots of information there.