LIBRARYDOGS.COM
~ Arthur Schopenhauer
| What the Dogs Need to Know | ||
| These are very special dogs that eagerly paws for love |
Good times, favorite books, great smiles. Helping to improve litleracy skils and instill a love of reading in children is an extremely important and rewarding activity. The Reading Education Assistance Dogs® program is an excellent place to find help, encouragement, and new friends eager to share their knowledge. After passing the Canine Good Citizen test and being registered as an official therapy dog, the dog and its handler can apply for membership as an official R.E.A.D.® team.
Tina is reviewing the new 2011 Member Hanbook TDI and Delta Society have additional requirements, including testing the dog’s reaction to medical equipment, its self-control and ability to ignore food and other items upon command, its confidence around patients with infirmities and special medical equipment, and its behavior around children. Membership in these organizations provides volunteer insurance coverage in the event of accidental injury or damage while the dog is visiting in a therapy capacity. You can find more information on these special requirements on the TDI website and Delta Society’s website. Click here to look for a therapy dog organization near you. There are many in most states: If you would like to learn more about therapy dogs and their training, read about their activities, and see some wonderful pictures, visit have a look at therapydogs.net |
|
The dogs (and sometimes other animals) you see working in places such as hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, and libraries demonstrate calm, gentle behavior toward people and basic good manners in their homes and communities. In order to work as a therapy dog, they are given a thorough health examination every year. Additionally, they must prove their behavior skills and earn their official therapy dog certification by completing the American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program and passing a therapy dog evaluation with their handler. Therapy dog evaluations are offered through many organizations such as Therapy Dogs Incorporated, Love on a Leash, Delta Society or Therapy Dogs International, Inc. (TDI). The basic Canine Good Citizen Program is normally an 8-week class. Since this involves both the handler and the dog, weekly classes for the certificate each week include a brief lesson in responsible dog ownership as well as training for the dog.
Jasper is an official The CGC test can be taken whether or not the dog and handler have participated in a formal class; however, before taking the test, owners will sign the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge. Responsible dog ownership is a key part of the CGC concept, and by signing the pledge, owners agree to take care of their dog's health needs, safety, exercise, training, and quality of life. Owners also agree to show responsibility by doing things such as cleaning up after their dogs in public places and never letting dogs infringe on the rights of others.
After signing the Responsible Dog Owners Pledge, owners and their dogs can take the test. The following 10 items will be evaluated: Test 1: Accepting a friendly stranger For a detailed description of the above tests, click here.
|
||
