Therapy Dog Class Interest Form

If you are interested in being notified when the next class takes place, please fill out the following form.

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Therapy Dog Class

Prerequisites: Dogs must be close to earning their Canine Good Citizen (CGC), but also want to do pet visitations, visit in schools or libraries so children can read to the dog. Dog must be of sound temperament (NO REACTIVITY) or barking in over excitement can be tolerated and must be worked on before joining this class. 

Please visit www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm for more information on CGC requirements. This course is specially designed to prepare you and your dog to become a registered therapy team. Each week we will practice skills required for becoming a Therapy Dog, as well as protocol for testing and visiting. We will meet at either Merrimack County Home or various local facilities.  Handlers must be willing to use positively based training method.  Dogs must work well on a flat collar or front clip harness (no slip choke, or prong collars).

This class prepares teams to pass a therapy dog evaluation.  This class includes an evaluation at the last class. (This class is not a service dog class.)

Skills we cover:

-We will work on your handling skills and what you need to know about handling in nursing homes, assisted living, home visitations, libraries and school for appropriate R.E.A.D. prospects
-Applying basic obedience skills in a school or assisted living environment
-Meeting patients/clients/students appropriately and safely
-Need to be safe around other dogs and cats
-Signs of dog stress and what to do about it

Please visit www.caringanimalpartners.org and download the evaluation test or read about it.