Does anybody know where I could find information on how to train Porky as a therapy dog in hospitals or nursing homes?? Porky loves people and is very affectionate and gentle, so I thought maybe this would be a good volunteer activity for he and I to do together. We live near a children's home and a children's shelter so I thought we could definitely be used to help kids there. Porky learns very quickly so training him would be pretty simple. The problem is...I'm not sure how to train him for this and i don't know anyone involved in it around here that I could ask for help with this. Any advice on this topic would be great!!
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First of all I'll give you 2 thumbs up on wanting to do this.I think it's a wonderful idea.
I found some information in www.google.com;I put in therapy dog training and found some information.Try that.
I think its a wonderful thing to pursue! I have always thought my departed wheaton wire Hasen would have been a great therapy dog, because he just loved everyone! My Alex is a sweetie and seems to really love old people, I think he would be a great nursing home therapy dog. Best of luck with Porky, let us know what you find out.
I'm not sure, but I think Nikki's Lily might have done some therapy dog stuff. Maybe Nikki will post to confirm this.
Constnat socialization with people AND OTHER ANIMALS in strange situations is the key. Take Porky everywhere, even if it's noisy. Ask your doctor if he can come into the office and sit in the waiting room. This will get him accustomed to elevators, tile floors, and people with canes, etc. Hang out in the parking lot of a busy gas station--anywhere you can think of to expose him to new stuff and get him to learn that you are there and nothing bad will happen, no matter what sensory input he is getting.
I did this with Zuzu and she passed this part of therapy dog very well. Unfortunatley I did not socialize her very well with other animals, and this proved to be our downfall in therapy dog. She would be fine in the facility, with all the sights, sounds, SMELLS and people, but adding other dogs to the mix totally freaked her out. :runaway: After that, when I would take her to a nursing home by ourselves to visit a friend who was known to her, she associated all the sights, smells and sounds with freaking out--and consequently, we could no longer do therapy dog. Which really made me sad.