Stressmagnet Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 Hi, Ok, I'm biased but I think Ernie just may have the makings of a fantastic pet therapy dog. Why? He's pretty bomb proof even at 7 months. Not much seems to phase or spook him. He has an insane desire to learn. In the month I've had him, he's learned sit, drop, stay, shake, wait, settle, heel, come, rollover, play dead, spin, go to your place, leave it, sit for a pat, give us a hug, go to bed, in your crate, get in the car and ssssh. While I do spend time with him, this guy is happy to do an hour of obedience at class and still wants more when I get home. I'd do agility but he's a lab and I'm a cripple. I'm going to keep up obedience but I think he needs a job. Every day he just gets better at ignoring distractions, be it people or other dogs. Today he calmly stood and watched two pointers play ball and understood my 'uh-uh' and came back to me, off lead. And he loves people and has a lovely soft sweet nature. So how do I go about getting him in this career path? We have heaps of old folks homes and special needs areas around where I live but I know he'd have to pass some courses. I can't seem to find much out on the web, but maybe I'm not putting in the right search terms? Or is this something that a dog has to be specially bred to do? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdierikx Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 http://www.deltasociety.com.au/ T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I think he should be YOUR 'service dog' ..that way he can travel anywhere with you - and you would probably feel better /less anxious with his presence :) There are organisations who can assist you with the formal training - I don't know them by name, unfortunately . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 (edited) Both GREAT ideas. I checked put the Delta Society and it looks promising. Now I just have to find a training course. He's still very very young so he might change as he gets older but worth a try. Edited for typos. AGAIN. Edited November 21, 2014 by Stressmagnet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivory & Beau Posted November 21, 2014 Share Posted November 21, 2014 I've wanted to do this with Ivy for soooo long. Ivy adores meeting new people and I'm 99% sure she has the skills to do it well. You've inspired me to look in to it again Stressmagnet :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 21, 2014 Author Share Posted November 21, 2014 It looks like the Delta Society is the way to go but all up around $4k to qualify. Out of my budget unfortunately. There's a cheaper alternative (velma's pet therapy - Google it) but I'm going to ask around before I commit. I think Ernie needs to grow up a little but there's no harm in youtubing videos and keeping him well occupied until then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranga Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 He looks like a beeootiful dog Stressmagnet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flame ryder Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Why don't you take him out and about to the nursing homes. He sounds like he would be perfect for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VizslaMomma Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 (edited) It looks like the Delta Society is the way to go but all up around $4k to qualify. Out of my budget unfortunately. There's a cheaper alternative (velma's pet therapy - Google it) but I'm going to ask around before I commit. I think Ernie needs to grow up a little but there's no harm in youtubing videos and keeping him well occupied until then. I thought that $4000 was to become a Delta Dog trainer? Hopefully the lovely kepliecuddles might see this thread and give some info. One of her furbabies did the training recently. There are some others here whose dogs visit Nursing homes & they too could give more advice. My ZsaZsa was a Good Canine Citizen in the USA. The cost was nothing like $4000. ( sadly they could never train her to not counter-surf.) Edited November 22, 2014 by VizslaMomma Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flame ryder Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Ok oopsy so going to nursing homes ect is what you meant...sorry. I took my kelpie cross to nursing homes back a few years ago. Cost me nothing. I do remember going to see a lady who ran the program to asses her and me first. It didn't cost me anything. I (and many others I'm sure) would not have done it if I had to fork out cash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DakotaJ Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 I just completed an assessment for my dog to be a Delta dog today. There was no cost involved. Check on the Delta website under volunteering. There is a video showing the assessment procedures and information about the requirements. Riley passed the assessment so we were pretty thrilled. Tomorrow I go to a training day for humans. Then we will be set up with a place to visit. There were dogs and people of all shapes and sizes there to be assessed. The assessment was very professionally done and very gentle. It seems a great organisation to me and I can't wait to start volunteering - again I stress no cost to me was involved Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piper Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 The cost you re looking at is to do the Cert IV to be a trainer. To become a therapy dog with them doesn't cost unless of course you need to book into classes for training to help you pass the assessment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pretty Miss Emma Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 I used to do therapy dog work with Delta. Didn't cost me anything although they encourag eyou to fundraise to help support the program. To become a Delta pet partners team (at least that's what it used to be called!) you really just need to take your dog to obedience classes and keep them really well socialised, along with them just having that special something (and personally I think that the humans also need the special something plus being able to read their dogs really really well and manage any possible situation with them). My old girl used to love her pet therapy work, and everyone loved her!! Delta will do a temp test with your dog and they need to be able to things like following basic obedience instructions - sit, down, heel/keep close, etc. But possibly more importantly they need to be able to cope with things like people yelling at them, knocking them with equipment, strange/erratic movements, out of sight stay, friendly with all varieties of people and animals. There were other bits and pieces in the test when we went through it I'm sure it's probably still somewhat similar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suziwong66 Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 I'd love to do Therapy work with Wilbur but i don't think he'd pass their test...especially the one with other dogs passing by. He's fine if another dog ignores him but if he other dog is reactive he'll try to pull toward it. he's not totally bomb proof either; he's fine on the street but if someone jumped out of a bush at him he'd have heart failure and bolt. I'd love a training camp that you could go to with your dog to train for it; i'd certainly commit to the work. I'd love for my dogs to be community volunteers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ness Posted November 22, 2014 Share Posted November 22, 2014 Since your in NSW you could try contracting K9Pro they have a program called K9 Angels which has been mentioned elsewhere. http://www.k9protraining.com.au/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 22, 2014 Author Share Posted November 22, 2014 Wow. Thank you for all the info. Yes, I just skimmed the Delta site so looks like I got it wrong. I definitely will be doing this with Ernie should he mature the same way he's starting out. As a frequent flyer in hospitals - I know how much it cheered me up to see the therapy dogs. Hell, he'd been wonderful at lifting my spirits and taking me out of my own head in the 6 weeks I've owned him. Of course, right now he's lying here happily farting up a storm so tonight ... The wrong spirits are in the air. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wabbit Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 Can give a big thumbs up for Velmas Pets as Therapy. I was involved with that program for 5 years and spent 3 years visiting Ronald McDonald House at Westmead Children's hospital as a VPAT team with my dog Audrey. A fantastic organisation, and really enjoyed volunteering with them. I 'retired' my girl as one of our other dogs passed away and we both were grieving very deeply for his loss, and she needed time out. Have also had some exposure to the K9Pro Angels program, and the Angels are doing some fabulous work too :) I've seen some extraordinary things through working in pet therapy, and they are memories that will last a lifetime. Some dogs have an amazing gift and ability to connect. I wish you the same experiences :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ranga Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 I've had the idea of pets as therapy in mind for quite a while, however, all the training and courses are city based We are rural and there don't seem to be any country based programs? :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flippy Dog Posted November 25, 2014 Share Posted November 25, 2014 It might be worth going and asking the aged care facilities what their requirements are for pets as therapy to visit their sites. Where I work it's more a case of well behaved well controlled pets and of course on lead. As far as the human volunteer, lots of paperwork for criminal record checks etc which can take up to a few months from getting it, completing it and then the facility processing it. Our residents are as excited at seeing pets as they are children and the enjoyment they get out of just a quick pat of a dog is worth a million dollars. I'd love to see more people bring their pets in. I have a lovely lady who used to have boxers and my whippet is about the absolute polar opposite face of a boxer but she loves his visits and looks forward to every time I take him in. If you think Ernie would enjoy it then I totally recommend dropping in and finding out what the facility requirements are. I have no issue with training courses and qualifications, but you may find Ernie has to be a certain age to do the test. Last time I looked they had to be two but that was a while ago. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stressmagnet Posted November 25, 2014 Author Share Posted November 25, 2014 Yeah, he needs to be 18 months. But that won't stop me getting him on the right path and getting him ready. I think he'd love it, he just needs to mature a little and we have only been together 6 weeks so I'd like our bond to deepen. One of the ways I can think of doing that is continuing his obedience education and that will stand him in good stead when he gets to that age. Very happy to see a positive note on Velma. It's local so it will be simple to ease him in, as they run obedience courses as well. I'm so glad I found you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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