Training your dog to be a therapy dog is a fun and active way to bond with your pet while giving back to your community. However is not enough to say that your dog is friendly and loves people to be a great therapy dog, a dog’s handler plays a key role in making an efficient and cohesive team.
A therapy dog handler is no exception when it comes to being in control and aware of what their dog is doing at all times. There are some dog owners who visit nursing homes and schools regularly, that do not volunteer through a national or local organizations. These dog owners visit at will and may not been trained as handlers or are properly insured to visit these locations. They are putting everyone including their dogs at risk by doing this. It is very important that the facility that allows this type of visitation knows what position they put themselves and the clients they serve in when an untrained individual brings their untrained dog into their establishment.
Many teachers, physiologists, school counselors, and physical therapists like the idea of taking their dog to work with them. These individuals may have passed a team evaluation through a volunteer organization initially, but if they are taking their dogs to work and not volunteering for the volunteer organization then the evaluation is deemed invalid. This basically says that they are not continuing the training of the dog or maintaining the skills of the handler either which is recommended on an ongoing basis to keep the team sharp. Many local and national organizations now require every two year evaluations exactly for this purpose.
When a therapy dog team enters a venue, the canine handler knows that they are responsible for the interaction between the client/patient/staff and their dog. This is why it is so important that the handler be trained in how people in general should handle and approach their dog. A dog should be willing to ‘receive’ the client or clients that he is visiting. Visiting people with a dog is what gives the client a feeling of having a bonding connection between themselves and the dog. This is why it is the handlers responsibility to make sure each visit has a positive outcome. Having good communication skills with the clients as well as being an effective, knowledgeable canine handler can make each visit rewarding for all involved. A dog that is reachable, touchable and accessible is what animal assisted activity is all about.
As a handler you don’t always know what circumstances will come your way on any given day. Some staff members at hospitals or even patients may be afraid of your dog. Dogs also react differently to various ethnicities, children and even surroundings. As a handler you need to know your dog inside and out, what makes him tick, how to make him focus on you, what that ‘look’ means, when he needs to leave, how he acts when he is unhappy, or other stress signals that he may give you. The handler also needs to know how their dog will react under special circumstances, like the ringing of a school bell, thunderstorms, children running, ambulatory equipment, sirens, hospital equipment, oxygen machines, and riding an elevator among others. It all may be new to him! This is why it is important that therapy dogs be well socialized around all sounds, and the handler trained to respond appropriately should the need arise.
Knowing your dog and how he will respond when interacting with different at-risk groups is key for any handler regardless of the work they do. It is especially important to know your canine partner when working as a therapy dog handler at any capacity.
Indy Therapy Dog 