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Question About Therapy Dogs...?
Im a senior in highschool and to graduate, we are required to complete a senior project. I was thinking about getting involved with a therapy dog program, however, i have no idea where to start and im not exactly sure what i would do. I am 18 years old, how could i volunteer/what types of things could i do with the program? Anyone know any places i can contact (im in the western pa area).
Thanks so much
3 Answers
- 1 decade agoFavorite Answer
If you already have a dog you think would be a good candidate, you can look into getting them certified as a therapy dog. There are two major therapy dog organizations in the US.
Therapy Dogs International
Therapy Dogs Incorporated
Both websites have information about how you can get involved, as well as training classes and testing locations in your area.
Source(s): My dog and I are a certified therapy dog/handler team. - 1 decade ago
Go first to the obvious places--ASPCA, local adoption centers and pet stores. Find out from them what you can.
That sounds like an AWESOME senior project and I applaud it. (I built a trumpet for my senior project, a friend of mine climbed El Capitan in Yosemite.) I know here in CA therapy dogs are being used to train and treat young inmates and older kids at the California Youth Authority, and it's done with great success. I don't know if PA has similar stuff, but it can't hurt to check with the local juvenile hall or jail and see who the trainer is and how you can get involved. That way it's a double-plus-good--you're working with therapy dogs who are doing active therapy and you are working with inmates who are teaching them.
A bit of advice on senior projects: don't be afraid. Be resourceful. Keep asking questions, bouncing ideas off of people, pushing until you find the answers you need. This is your chance to shine and it may determine how you look at work later in life. I know it did for me--when I need to get something done, I'm unstoppable.
Below are some links I found for you as initial contacts. I hope this info is helpful, and wish you the very best of luck!
Source(s): http://www.tdi-dog.org/ http://www.vachss.com/help_text/animal_training.ht... http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-14762061.html http://www.therapydogsunited.org/ - ?Lv 71 decade ago
Getting a dog it's Therapy Dog certification is very hard. (One of the tests consists of it's reaction to two people yelling and shoving each other. And after a few seconds one of the people calls the dog to them.)
They first have to pass the Canine Good Citizenship test.
I lost the link, but google The Delta Society and you should find all the information and find classes in your area.
