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How to Care For & Train Your Therapy Puppy |
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Responsibilities of Ownership
Get-A-Wag Therapy Dogs
Raising and training a canine therapy dog takes a lot... a lot of love...
a lot of hard work...a lot of head scratches and belly rubs...
this is the best kind of positive reinforcement.
Dogs don't need to be trained to want to please us...they are born wanting to do this.
You're making a bond that is based on absolute trust.
As its Guardian, your care of your dog determines its success in becoming a emotional support animal.
- The dog was given to your child, but you as a parent now assume care for both your child and its dog.
- As the dog's guardian and you must keep it healthy and make it feel secure.
- You will maintain its health by proper yearly immunization and monthly worming schedule.
- This includes monthly flea and heartworm preventive in the form of Revolution or Advantage Multi.
- Have your dog wear its rabies tag on its collar at all times.
- You will feed it a healthful non-corn based dog food and supply clean water at all times.
- And you will take it for regular veterinary check ups paying attention to good dental care.
- The toy breed dogs we use in the program do not have any special exercise needs if they are loose in your home.
- They require very little bathing and grooming but will need nail trimming.
- This covers the bases on keeping it healthy as a pet. But this dog is more than a pet.
As its Handler, your consistency in training your dog will determine if it will fulfill its role as a therapy dog.
- You will house train your dog and provide either frequent potty trips to a yard or allow it an indoor potty place.
- Teach the dog the meaning of "no" and "sit" and "stay" and any other commands you find useful.
- The word "quiet" is to hush the dog and the word "off" is to stop the dog from jumping on you.
- The dog should walk without pulling on the leash and you should always carry doggie bags for clean up.
- The dog should be in practice with spending some time quietly in its crate everyday.
- Much of the remainder of the day should be spent interacting with your child in order to allow them to bond.
- Insist on gentleness between your child and the dog--rough play is not allowed.
As its Trainer, your dog needs to understand what you want from him as a therapy dog.
- Teach your dog to focus on you and respond to cues and pay attention despite distractions.
- Expose your dog to different environmental sights, sounds, and smells in town and in the country.
- Socialize your dog through interaction with different children and adults and other animals.
- Limit your dog from approaching others unless you permit it and insist on good manners.
- If your dog responds to you despite distractions it is considered reliable as a therapy dog.
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