Any Therapy Dogs Out There???

[Kimber44]

Hi I was thrilled to find this thread tonight. My therapy dog Katie died last July, and I got Lily (my first yorkie; Katie was a standard poodle). Lily is in the middle of intermediate training at Pet smart and we are working on the Good citizenship standards. She will test in three months when she turns one. My plan is to take advanced training at petsmart and then I need the therapy part. I'm so excited to know some of you are through all this. Anyone know about Colorado programs???I'll check out the delta link.

[Izzy Princess]

Originally Posted by Kimber44

Hi I was thrilled to find this thread tonight. My therapy dog Katie died last July, and I got Lily (my first yorkie; Katie was a standard poodle). Lily is in the middle of intermediate training at Pet smart and we are working on the Good citizenship standards. She will test in three months when she turns one. My plan is to take advanced training at petsmart and then I need the therapy part. I'm so excited to know some of you are through all this. Anyone know about Colorado programs???I'll check out the delta link.

So sorry to hear about precious Katie..she will be forever in your heart. Now you have cutie Lily and she would be a fantastic therapy doggie. We have been doing therapy visits since 3/08 and likeing it very much. You can also check out TDI (Therapy Dog International) if you can't get a Delta test in your area.

Keep us posted on Lily!

[C101Yorkie]

I want Sapphire to be a therapy dog. I think she'd be good at it.

[LucyNTuckersMom]

I would love to take Tucker and possibly Lucy as well for therapy. My father was in a nursing home on and off for the last year of his life, and I took them every Saturday. they were both a huge joy to he and the residents. Though there was one lady who hated all dogs, claimed they brought in germs, etc. but she was a little, well, out there...

the Delta requirements seem pretty stiff, huh, just from reading here and checking their site briefly. As much as they try to simulate what could happen, and yes, rolling carts, wheel chairs etc are the name of the game, there will always be something that's not on the list. How about elevators? That's the closest I came to a problem. Tucker would step over that crack where the floors don't quite meet, and his little paws would hesitate as he looked down the elevator shaft and a little breeze came up, he was like what the?? And I was thinking, gosh, his feet could get stuck there. I hate to pick him up too much, he likes to be his own dog. Eventually, he got the hang of it.

I just think if they make it too hard, there are less therapy dogs out there. I can't believe the one post where no dogs passed that whole day! How discouraging.

One thing that sours me on doing the therapy is all the fees required. I think the TDI is maybe $40 a year or something, but Delta was making you buy manuals and such. For cripes sakes, this is volunteer work! There's my hangup. But that's just me.

I would still follow a therapy dog thread here.

Teresa

[Alison Mc]

I think it a great idea to have a therapy dog forum. Two of my dogs are approved by delta. We want to go visit but I'm so busy, wish I had more time some how we will have make it. Alison

[Izzy Princess]

Originally Posted by LucyNTuckersMom

I would love to take Tucker and possibly Lucy as well for therapy. My father was in a nursing home on and off for the last year of his life, and I took them every Saturday. they were both a huge joy to he and the residents. Though there was one lady who hated all dogs, claimed they brought in germs, etc. but she was a little, well, out there...

the Delta requirements seem pretty stiff, huh, just from reading here and checking their site briefly. As much as they try to simulate what could happen, and yes, rolling carts, wheel chairs etc are the name of the game, there will always be something that's not on the list. How about elevators? That's the closest I came to a problem. Tucker would step over that crack where the floors don't quite meet, and his little paws would hesitate as he looked down the elevator shaft and a little breeze came up, he was like what the?? And I was thinking, gosh, his feet could get stuck there. I hate to pick him up too much, he likes to be his own dog. Eventually, he got the hang of it.

I just think if they make it too hard, there are less therapy dogs out there. I can't believe the one post where no dogs passed that whole day! How discouraging.

One thing that sours me on doing the therapy is all the fees required. I think the TDI is maybe $40 a year or something, but Delta was making you buy manuals and such. For cripes sakes, this is volunteer work! There's my hangup. But that's just me.

I would still follow a therapy dog thread here.

Teresa

You are right about Delta's stricter testing vs. TDI. But now that I have been in the program for a while truthfully I can't see any difference. It just depends where you want to visit with your dog and what program they support. Some hospitals support only Delta some TDI.

Delta does require more and more $$ vs. TDI. I am required to go only 2x a month for visits and you would think oh I can do that easy..trust me it's not that easy with every day life especially if you work full time. I can't even get there once a month plus it's harder in the winter time.

Either organization is great and achive the same results. One nice thing about TDI at least in our area is that there are no monthly minimum visits like my Delta group.

[Kimber44]

Originally Posted by scrapindee

Count us in. Itzi is a licensed service dog as well as a therapy dog. I bet he is one of the first Biewers as well as a Yorkie...

I also have Bailey--he's a full Havanese with the same certifications.

Hi, i am reading everything and trying to figure this out as I also want Lily to be a licensed service dog and therapy dog. What specific training did you do? What do you have on her vest? Service dog? Therapy dog? Working dog? Do you deal with discrimination b/c she is small? thanks Dr. Kimberly and Lily

[Izzy Princess]

Originally Posted by Kimber44

Hi, i am reading everything and trying to figure this out as I also want Lily to be a licensed service dog and therapy dog. What specific training did you do? What do you have on her vest? Service dog? Therapy dog? Working dog? Do you deal with discrimination b/c she is small? thanks Dr. Kimberly and Lily

Well I didn't start Izzy out being a therapy dog they sort of found her..lol. As soon as I got Izzy I enrolled her in our local dog training classes. She attended Puppy 1, Puppy 2, Canine Good Citizens and from there we tested her with Delta.

She is soooo tiny they didn't have vests or bandanas to fit her so another member on YT (SissyAngel) made the large bandana into a dress..lol. There is a difference between Service dog and therapy dog. Therapy dogs are not allowed into public places but service dogs are.

Not sure what you mean by discrimination....Izzy is the smallest dog in our program and they love her. I just don't have her walking the halls of the hospital like the bigger dogs. She would be pooped out before we got to any rooms so I carry her. She has to wear her bandana dress and have a leash on at all times.

[Kimber44]

Hi Lily had her prescreening today for her Delta society therapy dog test. The panel said she was the best trained small dog they had ever seen. I am so proud of her. She turns one on April 4th and tests for real April 19th. She already works with me in my office four days a week. She is awesome with clients. Kimberly

[Izzy Princess]

OMG Yippee Kimberly and Lily how exciting. I had to wait too until Izzy turned one in December and our Delta testing was not until March but I kept up the training a few times a week until then so she wouldn't forget anything. Let us know how she does in April which I'm sure will be just fine. Izzy and I were also told we were a great team. I think it's our little ones who are amazing.