Is Your Dog A Therapy Dog ??

[pmgal]

Thankyou so much for your help! I need to take Vestabelle to the vet in a few minutes, but I saved the sites and will research it when I get back. I hope it is ok to add you to my buddy list? I just know she will be perfect for the job. And if she makes it then I guess she will no longer be available for adoption...;) Wonder if J is reading this...LOL I'll get back with you and let you know what happens or if I have any questions. Thanks again!
Sandi in VA

[2rotties2luv]

Sandi, I'm glad to be of help !! By all means add me to your buddy list. I'm here to answer questions as best I can for all those who aare interested in doing therapy work with their rotties.

Good Luck!!:)

Susan

[kekaufman]

If you see this there is a very active Therapy Training Program at Clemson University which is near Greenville, SC. I live too far from their to take advantage, I hope you will be relocated closer to Clemson to take their therapy dog training groups and outings.

LOVE the BASKET idea!

[fbkeays]

I have been encouraged to have both of my rottweilers used as therapy dogs. I am sure they would be very good at it, but I don't think I have what it takes. I am very shy and have trouble understanding the very young and the old. I feel awkward around the ill.

[RottiMomCT]

Well, as of 12:45 pm today, my NERR rescue boy Ben and I became certified a Therapy dog & handler team through Delta Society! I am SO proud of him! I have been wanting to get involved in Therapy work, and we are looking forward to our first session.

I always knew Ben would be a good therapy dog...he is always there when *I* need him, patient, loving and ready to give whatever he can to help ME feel better, and he has been a great comfort to those we have met along the way who have taken their Rotties to the Rainbow Bridge, and my Ben was the Rottie shoulder to hug and cry on, and ready to give a kiss to anyone that needed one.

SO, I can, and will, proudly state that my dog is now known (well, at least on paper) as NERR's Ben-TT, CGC, PP (Delta Society Pet Partner)...to me, he's just my 'bean'.

[kekaufman]

I think that is great, congratulations, you and Bean bring honor to the breed.

[CarolineS]

fbkeays,

I don't think any of us know how we'll react when we start out in this type of volunteer work. I had the same doubts as you. I've never had very much to do with seniors and I have quite a weak stomach, so I've always stayed out of hospitals, if at all possible.;)

I've got to say I've surprised myself at how much I enjoy it. To be truthful, most seniors in retirement homes who love dogs love to bend your ear about their past pets and you have to do very little talking. It's fascinating to listen to some of the stories. In the nursing homes, a lot of people we visit aren't always really cognizant that there is someone there with the dog. They don't want conversation, they're just happy to pat the dog. In the hospital I visit, we are always accompanied by a staff member because we go into active wards as well as chronic care. We are never, ever allowed to inadvertently stumble into the room of anyone too ill to visit.

In this line of work, when visiting a facility, you usually have a lot of territory to cover in your time there. I find that I very rarely spend more than five minutes with any one person (unless we have a special case who really needs more time with the dog). The conversation usually centers around the dog, "what kind, how old, what's her name" kind of thing. My dog knows some tricks, so she performs those and people enjoy it.

If this is something you'd like to do, don't let your shyness hold you back. You'll probably find, like me, that your dog breaks the ice and when you see how people respond, you forget you're dealing with a "patient" and just see them as another dog lover.

[2rotties2luv]

CarolineS, you summed it up very nicely.

I started visiting a residential facility for the elderly in mid-August. Each time, I visit with about 15-20 residents and stay about an hour. When they talk to me, they usually ask questions about the dog. They don't seem to remember well, so each time I visit, the same residents often ask the same questions over again. Many don't respond to me at all - they just want to pet the dog.

So far, NOBODY remembers MY name - most of the residents, however, remember my DOGS' names - go figure !!:D

[CarolineS]

I've gotten quite used to being known as the nameless appendage that just comes along to hold on to Maggie's leash.;)