Therapy Dog Basics
Top things you must know before beginning Therapy training
There is a lot of misinformation out there about Therapy Dogs. While much of that will be taught to you during our sessions, I wanted you to know a few important bits.
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1. Therapy Dogs are NOT protected by law. No one is required to allow a Therapy Dog into their establishment.
2. Therapy Dogs can be any size and any type. However, they cannot be any temperament. This is what I will be assessing for.
3. Therapy dogs, on average, must be 1 year old to test and be certified as a Therapy Dog. My program will take that into account as we move forward.
Therapy Dog Assessment
$100Â Â Â |Â Â Â 60 min
An assessment is required for entry into one of the Therapy Dog programs. I will come to your home and assess your pup where they live to get the most accurate understanding of their baseline.
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During the assessment you will have time to ask all the questions that you have and to tell me about your family and your pup. I will be assessing during our chat to see your dogs friendliness, body language, and interest in listening. There are many other things I assess for during this time, and I can explain as I go.
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After the assessment you will receive a report summarizing the findings that we went over. There will also be recommendations for the best way to move forward together.
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THERE IS NO OBLIGATION TO PURCHASE A PLAN IF YOU DO AN ASSESSMENT
Therapy Dog Puppy Plan
20 weeks   |   $2,900
This program has 6 sessions the 1st month, and 6 sessions the 2nd month. All of these sessions are obedience based training. We go over everything from potty training, to recall (Come), to intro to heeling. All of your standard obedience training is covered here and we also begin public training.
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If necessary we allow for a 4 week break at this point for skill solidification.
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At the 3rd month we move into Therapy specific training. This part has 4 sessions in the 3rd month. Those sessions revolve around introducing the pup to high stimulation areas, and training with heavy distractions. We work on how to approach and meet people, how to avoid people, and how to relax in a busy space. Heeling is essential during this time and will be worked on constantly.
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There are 2 sessions in the 4th month. We will continue to fine tune behaviors and introduce the pup to facilities they will be tested in.
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At this point we will be having the pup tested for membership into Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD).
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There are 2 sessions in the 5th month. This will allow us to be doing Therapy Team visits on site and firming up training. At this point in the training you and your pup should be certified with ATD and on your way to earning a Therapy Dog Title with the AKC!
Therapy Dog Readiness Plan
$1,300Â Â Â |Â Â Â 12 weeks
This plan is for dogs who test out of the obedience levels required to start Therapy Training.
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This plan has 4 sessions in the 1st month. Those sessions revolve around introducing the pup to high stimulation areas, and training with heavy distractions. We work on how to approach and meet people, how to avoid people, and how to relax in a busy space. Heeling is essential during this time and will be worked on constantly.
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There are 2 sessions in the 2nd month. We will continue to fine tune behaviors and introduce the pup to facilities they will be tested in.
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At this point we will be having the pup tested for membership into Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD).
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There are 2 sessions in the 3rd month. This will allow us to be doing Therapy Team visits on site and firming up training. At this point in the training you and your pup should be certified with ATD and on your way to earning a Therapy Dog Title with the AKC!
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