What inspired you to start working with therapy dogs?
My dad had many health problems and it was looking like he was likely to end up in a skilled nursing facility. For whatever reason, I’ve always been intimidated by nursing homes and hospitals. So I kept thinking about how I would deal with dad being in a place like that; trying to stay positive and happy in such a sad situation. Even the nicest facilities to me have always seemed sad. He loved the dog I had at that time, Murphy, and nothing made him as happy as seeing Murphy or hearing about his antics. I had heard of comfort dogs or therapy dogs and decided to look into it. I found an organization, Caring Canines, that had just recently formed and they were actively speaking in various places to drum up membership. I went to a talk at a public library and instantly enrolled Murphy and I in our first class. That was in 2003 and we joined Caring Canines as an official therapy dog team in 2004. I’ve been doing it pretty much ever since. And, I’m no longer intimidated by nursing homes and hospitals!
It is truly my very favorite activity that I do. I see it as a ministry, and I love finding creative ways to show kindness and the love of God in a practical way by sharing my dogs with people who need some light and happiness.
Cathy Canoles
Can you describe the training process that is need to become a therapy dog?
There are a couple of different overarching therapy dog certification groups – Delta Society, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, Therapy Dogs International are the 3 that I know off the top of my head. I am affiliated with Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), so I only know their requirements. Other groups may have different training/certification hoops to jump through. For ATD, your dog needs to complete a (1) Canine Good Citizen test, (2) a temperament test for dog and handler (so multiple handlers would each need to certify with the dog) and (3) a series of observation visits in various therapy dog settings. Whatever training needed to get that is what someone should pursue. I always take a Canine Good Citizen class with my dogs, but some may not need a formal class to pass a test. Many area dog training facilities offer these tests. Once passing CGC test and temperament test, you can get a list of ATD observers in the area and you just reach out to a few to schedule at least 3 visits. One must be in a medical setting such as a nursing home or rehab facility. Some dogs are a bit nervous in the beginning so more than 3 observations may be needed before the dog/handler can be officially approved.
What specific skills, personality traits, and behaviors are necessary for the dogs to possess?
As far as skills, the CGC test is a series of 10 basic obedience type commands. The whole point of it is to show that the dog understands sit/stay/come/heel and basic manners when greeting people and other animals. Perfection isn’t needed, but you do need to show that you are in control. The dog shouldn’t bark excessively, jump on people, pull on the leash, etc. It is testing the dog only. For the Temperament test, there’s some overlap so it’s a good idea to try to take them at the same time, in my opinion. They add a few elements like walking through a crowd, response to distractions and loud noises, reaction to someone in a wheelchair or walker. The main difference is this is testing the dog AND the handler. The point of that test is also just to show the handler is in control and that there is a connection/respect between dog and handler. They want to see that the dog is polite, calm, and enjoys getting attention from and being around people. You can take the CGC test at any age, but ATD does require the dog to be at least 1 year old before taking the temperament test.
How do you know your dog is ready to be a therapy dog and if they will like it?
I did learn from Ziggy, my 9 year old Golden, the value of listening to the dog. I pushed him into therapy work because I missed it. My other dog had died and I didn’t have that outlet for service anymore. He is very smart and eager to please so he passed the tests very easily. As soon as we were certified, we started visiting. Ziggy is a typical golden retriever and was very puppy-like for many years. Our initial visits were stressful for me because he was not content to sit for a long period of time. He was a bit too active for nursing homes and libraries. We took a step back and only did visits that required a lot of moving around and activity until he matured a bit. When Zany, my almost 4 year old Golden, came along, I waited until she was 3 before we even began that process of certification. It’s important to know your dog, know what he/she is capable of. If you have a super-high energy dog, they still may be a great fit for a therapy dog, but you’ll want to find activities where the dog can do tricks or something else that he finds rewarding. Sitting for a half hour being pet by one person may not be what your dog wants to do, and that’s ok. There are plenty of opportunities to use them in service.
In what environments do therapy dogs typically work?
We are seeing more places use therapy dogs as people are realizing their benefits. Traditional settings are nursing homes, hospitals, and libraries. But anywhere there is stress could benefit from this. In the nursing home, we run into residents who are lonely and just need someone to talk to. Seeing a dog makes them smile, and they often like to talk about pets they had and it’s good for them to have those fond memories. Hospitals are cool too because we often get the opportunity to bless the medical staff who have such stressful jobs. But we see patients and their families, sometimes people in waiting rooms that need a welcome distraction in the form of a wagging tail. In the libraries, we find that kids who struggle to read are willing to read out loud to a dog because the dog doesn’t correct them or judge them because they can’t read well. We also work with kids where English is their 2nd language, and they get to practice reading out loud in English. Once they read some, they get to play with the dogs so that’s a great incentive.
Our group is involved with the Chesterfield jail as well. We work with the Juvenile Detention Center and also the HARP (Helping Addicts Recover Progressively) – those inmates love interacting with dogs; they are usually going through a lot of self discovery and can be struggling with coming to terms with how their lives have ended up and again, being able to snuggle up with a furry pup who doesn’t judge them helps them feel a bit of hope and happiness. It’s so awesome to be a part of that.
We’ve also done things like Ronald McDonald House visits, Special Olympics meets, military activities (Run for the Fallen, Days of Remembrance, etc.), college campus events – Freshman Orientation, school exam prep events. Literally any stressful situation is a great candidate for a therapy dog team (or several!)
