Therapy Dogs International

Good luck on the test. If she doesn't pass they will probably recommend classes which you should take and then you can take the test again when you feel she is ready.

I asked about Lola being certified without taking classes because although she did not take any obedience classes I have trained her myself. We have not gone for the test yet but through email a person that certifies the dogs to be therapy dogs suggested taking 1 or 2 classes first. This is because there will be medical equipment around. She said it is possible for a dog to pass with the classes but she does not certify them without taking a few classes first because she needs to get to know the dog really well and that you can't get to know the dog with a 5 minute test. That makes sense to me so I have an email out to someone who is presently giving the class.

I have read the requirements for the test so I have worked with Lola in various areas of the test. One thing I have taught her is the leave it command. This was accomplished with treats being placed on the floor. I would then say leave it if she went for the treat. To reward her for leaving it I then pointed to the treat she can have and say this one as I am pointing to it.

Now when I place or drop treats on the floor she will wait automatically until I point to the one she can have. Sometimes I will purposely let her have one that I had pointed to and wait a few minutes before I point to another one. In the meantime I will step away from the treats and have her come to me it could be across the room or in another room. She has learned really well.

When they bump the dog with a cane I have not used a cane but used an umbrella instead. Usually when I bring the umbrella towards her body she will back away. I do not know if this is a good response or not but she is not trying to bite it. So if it is a bad response she is having i will learn about that in the class and will also work to correct it. If it is a good response for her to back away then I will do nothing. If anything will come from the classes it will be that with my training she is ready or that she will need improvement and it will show me how good or bad my training skills are with dogs. I'm hoping they show they are good because there have been people commenting in various places om how well she behaves and I had one person ask me where I took her for training because he wanted to take his dog to the same place of which my reply was I did not take her anywhere I trained her myself. So I will take his comment as a compliment.

Lola not only accepts strangers she actually will go out of her way just to meet them. At the dog park she has to meet every owner there is and will let them pet her without a problem. She then will roll on her back as they are petting her and want her belly rubbed also. If they have treats in their pocket she will stay with them until they give her one or I call her.

There was one time I was walking her and a woman was walking with a friend of hers, one of the woman was in a wheel chair. Lola went out of her way to meet the both of them. As Lola was approaching her I had her to the side of the wheelchair. I never did any testing with Lola yet. The therapy dog test will be the first.

Today she was sitting on the bed. I left 2 dog treats right in front of her and told her don't eat them until I tell you to. I then left the room for about 3 minutes and when I came back the treats were still there. So then I pointed to the one and allowed her to have it. Then had her sit and then pointed to the other and let her have that one.