THERAPY DOG PREPARATION - Contact us

Service Description

Appropriate for adult dogs (roughly two years and up) who have completed our Adult Dog Manners or their Canine Good Citizen or an equivalent class with proof of Parvo, Distemper, and Rabies vaccinations (or titers) required prior to the start of the first class. We prepare dogs and handlers for the very fulfilling world of Therapy Dog work in this class. We meet each week at a different location (usually in Boone or Winnebago counties) and work with dogs and handlers in a wide variety of medical and non-medical environments to help them learn how to handle themselves in a variety of different therapy dog scenarios. We will work in nursing homes (when allowed under pandemic policies), small businesses, schools, etc. Handlers learn what they can and cannot do when they are visiting with their dog, how to approach people on visits, what to watch for when visiting, the different options for therapy dogs, the rules and laws that apply to therapy dogs, how liability insurance for therapy dogs works, and much more. This class is taught by an Alliance of Therapy Dogs tester/observer and the final class session will provide an opportunity for teams to test to become nationally certified through Alliance of Therapy Dogs. Dogs registering for this class must have solid obedience skills (sit, down, stay, the ability to focus on their handlers, walk quietly next to their handler, etc.) and cannot by shy or fearful of people, they cannot pull on a leash and they cannot jump on people. For more information please visit the Alliance of Therapy Dog website at https://www.therapydogs.com/. PLEASE NOTE: Therapy dogs are certified to visit others in a wide variety of public and private settings. They ARE NOT afforded any additional or special accommodations under the law. This means that Certified Therapy Dogs DO NOT have any different access to public places or public transportation than does your families pet dog. This class WILL NOT train your dog to be a service dog or an emotional support dog. This class is not for people who want to be able to take their dogs with them everywhere they go. REQUIRED EQUIPMENT specifically for this class: dogs must be on a four foot or shorter leash (any material). Please be sure to review our Policies and Procedures section for more information about what to bring to class, make-up classes, etc. This class meets at different community locations, so you will be contacted with the location of the first meeting.

Contact Details

• 415 East Pleasant Street, Belvidere, IL, USA