How do you get certification for a therapy dog in Washington state?
I would like to get our dogs certified to be a therapy dog but I am having trouble finding some one in our area. (Spokane Washington) Do you have to take the dog to a class? How is the certification done? I have seen some online programs, is that acceptable? I would appreciate any help.
Posted in online psychotherapy
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February 8th, 2010 at 11:48 am
It depends on where you want to visit with your dog. Some facilities (hospitals, nursing homes, etc.) require very specific qualifications for the dogs they permit to visit. Others just want basic stuff like vaccination records. So check with the facility you want to visit to find out what is required.
Even if registration isn’t required, I strongly recommend getting tested and registered with a recognized organization so you can have the liability insurance. The top three therapy dog organizations in the U.S. are:
http://deltasociety.org
http://tdi-dogs.org
http://therapydogs.com
Dog clubs and schools often offer classes to help you prepare for a therapy dog test. Your vet or local pet store may know of such a class near you. If none are available nearby, consider doing Delta’s home study course. However, taking a class is not necessary for the organizations I listed above, so long as you and your dog can pass their tests.
—edit—
Not sure what’s up with the down-thumb. Perhaps its a person who doesn’t understand the differences between a therapy dog, emotional support dog, and service dog. A therapy dog is one that is trained, registered, and insured to visit people in hospitals and nursing homes to cheer them up. The information given is correct for therapy dogs.
February 8th, 2010 at 11:48 am
The best thing you can do is find an all breed kennel club in your area. i teach the Canine Good Citizen class and the people at my local kennel club are so nice. The people at your kennel club should be able to help.