pet connection

Archer, my youngest Australian Shepherd, is going to be a wonderful therapy dog. Having done this volunteer work for many years with several dogs, I can just see it in his personality. However, liking people is not the only requirement for therapy dog work. The dogs must also be obedient and under good owner control. After all, liking people doesn’t mean a thing if the dog jumps on people, paws and scratches fragile skin, or is out of control around people or other dogs.

All of the therapy dog organizations have an obedience or control evaluation of some kind. Love on a Leash (www.loveonaleash.org) has their evaluation online if you would like to take a look at it.

The morning of Archer’s obedience evaluation in his therapy dog class, I made sure he was clean, brushed out, and well groomed. Just as in the AKC’s Canine Good Citizen (CGC) test, neatness and cleanliness are a part of the evaluation. After all, therapy dogs need to be clean for their visits. In addition, a well cared for dog shows the owner is being responsible for the dog’s care.

After a brief introduction, the evaluation began. The first part asked the owners to show that the dogs knew the basic obedience commands. Archer’s great at these and when I asked him to sit and then down, he did without hesitation. The heel through a crowd of people and other dogs was also easy. I always tend to try to hold my breath during the two minute stay but Archer, luckily, ignores my stress and was fine.

The next set of exercises are very similar to those in the AKC’s CGC test. A friendly stranger approaches each dog and owner team. The dog must be friendly and not show aggression, fearfulness, or shyness. The owner must also show control as the dog cannot jump on people, either, or be out of control. Archer didn’t have any difficulty. Whew!

The person who had approached the dog and owner then asks for permission to pet the dog. The person touches the dog’s head, ears, neck, back, tail, and the front legs and paws. Essentially, the person touches the dog anywhere the dog might normally be petted during a therapy dog visit. Again, Archer loves to be petted and the only small problem was the person petting him got a sloppy dog kiss. He does like to do that.

Several people then milled around the dogs, talking, laughing, shaking out a trash bag, flipping open a sheet, ringing a bell and making a buzzer sound. Watching and reacting to the distractions is fine; fearfulness, shyness, or aggression are not. None of the dogs in the class had any problems.

Then wheelchairs were rolled around to each dog, walkers were shaken and shook, and canes and crutches were tapped and shook and waved. All the dogs, including Archer, were fine.

Kate Abbott, the President of the board for Love on a Leash, is also an excellent mimic. Her mother had suffered from Parkinson’s and Kate does an excellent imitation. So she approached each dog with an erratic gait and shaky hands. All of the dogs, including Archer, were calm and accepting

The evaluators for the dogs in class then had to answer several questions about each dog: Is any mouthing, biting, dodging, or aggression apparent? Is the pet sound sensitive? Does the pet show signs of any fearfulness or syness? Does the pet appear to have any training difficulties or behavior problems that might interfere with its ability to work as a therapy dog?

And last but certainly not least, would you like this pet to visit you or a relative of yours?

Archer and all of the dogs in his class graduated with honors! Woo hoo! Next week, Archer will make his first therapy dog visit. We’ll be going to an assisted living/skilled nursing facility.

The adventure continues.