Have you ever thought that your beloved pup would make a superb therapy dog? If so, you’re not alone. And if you live in or around New York, you can find out through an organization that turns family pets into therapy dogs.
Old Dog, New Tricks
The Good Dog Foundation specializes in training and certifying everyday people, professionals, and their dogs to volunteer in a variety of settings, from nursing homes and hospitals to schools and libraries. By training up to 300 dog teams annually, the organization has helped around 100,000 individuals a year with its therapy services. Multiply those stats by its 25-year history, and The Good Dog Foundation has spread some doggone goodwill.
The organization offers various certification programs in which canines learn skills like basic obedience and impulse control to become therapy dogs. Once the dogs and their parents receive certification, they can provide comfort and companionship to those in need. They might sit in on a reading class with kids or visit lonely seniors.
A Crash Course for Therapy Dogs
The Good Dog Foundation offers four tracks of training. The Volunteer Certification track involves four weekly 90-minute classes for dogs and their parents to learn how to help adults and kids in need. The Crisis Response Certification is a weekend training that prepares volunteers and pups to assist in national disasters. Professional Certification, which requires three weekly two-hour classes, is designed for professionals like educators and therapists. It helps them learn how to work with their dog in professional settings.
Finally, for those who’d rather learn from the comfort of their homes, there’s the Prep School On Zoom course. This helps people learn how to “read” canine body language as well as explore therapy dog certification requirements. And it’s all in four weekly one-hour online classes.
Do you and your furry best friend have the time and temperament to be of service to others? Reach out to the Good Dog Foundation or your local training facility. Then, you can team up to spread some good cheer!
