WHAT IF MY PET and I ARE NOT READY ?
If you feel that you and your pet are not quite ready for volunteering as an animal-assisted therapy (AAT) team – we applaud your honesty. AAT is performed in the real world, and handlers who make an effort to prepare themselves and their pets properly often volunteer successfully for many, many years. Taking the time to learn more about therapy work and how it could impact your pet is vital. After all, your pet is your companion first and anything else second.
Education is key.
- Ask if you can shadow a LAPS therapy session (or two) by calling our office. This will give you a first-hand understanding of what AAT is like, ideas on how to handle your own pet in a facility, and the subtle skills needed to reach out safely and effectively to clients.
- Make time to read about animal-assisted therapy (sometimes called animal-assisted activities and pet-assisted therapy) on the Internet. Books such as Kathy Diamond Davis’s Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others, Kris Butler’s Therapy Dogs Today: Their Gifts, Our Obligations, and the Delta Society / Pet Partner Student Manual (aka Team Training Course) are also very helpful.
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Socialize your pet to different sounds, smells, movement, people, and other animals. If your pet shows signs of stress with certain situations or with a specific stimulus – take note of it. Find ways to help the pet deal with these concerns and work on building your pet’s confidence.
Note:
When taking your pet out in public, look for places that your pet can be safely and don’t push your companion to deal with more than he/she can handle. In addition, only take your pet to locations that allow companion animals, such as public parks and local pet supply stores. Please don’t take your pet into places where only service dogs are allowed. By respecting State and Federal access laws, you support those who need their service animals to manage basic life activities.
What If My Dog Needs More Obedience Training ?
Obedience skills are necessary for a reliable, happy therapy
dog. Therapy dogs must obey basic commands such as sit, down, come, off, and leave it;
be able to stay in place in the face of distractions, and walk easily on a leash in order to be
effective and safe in therapy settings.
LAPS strongly encourages their teams to take multiple training
classes to strengthen the bond and improve communication between handler and pet. The more
responsive you are to your dog, the better your chances to succeed as an animal-assisted therapy
team.
Taking classes or individual instruction with the right instructor can be fun and beneficial for
both the novice and experienced handler alike. Look for trainers who allow you to
practice
AAT skills in different settings and with a variety of distractions. We suggest working with trainers
who use positive training techniques rather than more coercive methods.
You cannot force your pet to enjoy therapy work. You can create a positive and enjoyable environment where you and your pet learn to trust each other as you face unexpected and often challenging situations. We ask only that you be as honest about your pet's willingness and aptitude for therapy work as your pet will be with you.