Therapy Dog Training Australia

A therapy dog needs to be trained sufficiently to help others in need. Apart from the basic dog training program, the dog must also undergo training to be amiable in a crowded place and perform tasks expected to comfort the owner.

Firm yet Compassionate Dog Trainers can patiently Groom a Good-Temperament Therapy Dog
Therapy dog training has become quite popular today as a well-trained therapy dog can become an essential friend. However, this training is not similar to service dog training where the dog needs to perform some active tasks, such as helping the owner on a wheelchair cross the street, for instance.

When bad moods and distress take toll on one’s psyche, looking for a therapy dog as a friend is really a solace. Therapy dogs, accept you will all your idiosyncrasies and become your ardent companion, a compassionate listener, and an enthusiastic friend.

By the look of your canine friend, you get back your cherished moments in life – and, there is much more to what therapy dogs can do. To train a therapy dog, you must approach in a phase by phase manner.

Initial Therapy Dog Training
Like any usual dog, a dog must be initially house-trained and potty-trained. It must also be:

  • Restraint when going for a dog-walk.
  • Loose-lead while dog walking for the convenience of the dog walker.
  • Trained to stop leash pulling, jumping, barking incessantly, or running after other dogs or distracting elements.
  • Qualified not to chew ropes or clothes, dig up gardens, or growl at strangers.

…Even temperament, usually clean, and disciplined energetic dogs can generally be groomed further as a therapy dog.

Advanced Therapy Dog Training
To begin the advanced training, you must first identify traits to see if the dog is ready to take up therapy training. Therapy dogs must be placid in temperament and should not be excited with frequent visits or touch from strangers. Although it is good to expect a sociable dog, too much gregarious can be harmful as it may be excited at a crowded market place. In a nutshell, a dog reserved yet amiable would be the ideal temperament expected for undergoing therapy training.

Top training tasks would include:

  • Off leash training
  • Obedience control
  • Command therapy, such as following ‘sit’, ‘stay’, ‘down’, ‘no’, ‘come’, and ‘stop’ commands strictly.
  • Self-control and discipline therapy, such as walking without hassles in children’s park, hospital, or market place.

…Allow your dog to:

  • Socialize more where it would be able to interact with wide range of people, uniforms, subtle behaviors, etc.
  • Visit various places, especially noisy markets, factories, group of other animals.
  • Get used to small words, such as ‘go’, ‘come’, ‘good’, ‘stop’, or ‘get’.

Tips for Grooming a Therapy Dogs
To be able to commands from the owner, therapy dogs needs to be trained with immense patience. For instance, you can use:

  • Clicker to instill good behaviors.
  • Toys or balls to combine entertainment with learning.
  • Rewards, such as small token snacks – say, biscuits.

Therapy dogs are tolerant towards other species. Allow your dog to undergo a test before endorsing it for working as a therapy dog.

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