Our Therapy Dog Program
We have developed our breeding program with the intention that every puppy will have the ability to do therapy and service work. Our program is focused on raising emotionally resilient, healthy puppies who possess the confidence and balance to grow as service dogs. We focus on enhancing traits that will allow the puppy to excel. Beyond what we do while raising our puppies, we also perform multiple temperament tests to determine who the best therapy dog candidates will be.
What is a therapy dog?
A therapy dog is a dog trained to provide affection, comfort and support to people in different settings. Settings often include hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, libraries, hospices, or disaster areas.
What does a therapy dog do?
Dogs can be there to just put a smile on someones face, or be there to help give a child the confidence to read out loud. They can provide smiles or a sense of security. Studies show that petting a dog helps relieve stress and gives overall emotional support. The repetitive action produces oxytocin, a stress-relieving hormone that helps battle physical discomfort caused by melancholy, stress, or worry.
Therapy dogs are so important and there are many different opportunities out there.
Therapy dogs are so important and there are many different opportunities out there.
How will I know which dog will be the best dog for my needs?
We work with our puppies extensively every single day they are with us at Foothill Aussies. When we know we are raising puppies to place as a potential service dog or therapy dog, we will incorporate additional routines to help prepare that puppy for their potential future. We also temperament test each of our puppies. These temperament tests show which puppies are the most social and confident which are both great qualities for a therapy dog.
I want a dog for therapy work, what are my next steps?
It is important to connect with us right away, so we can have a conversation about your needs. You can complete our application and provide details about what hoping your dog to accomplish as a therapy dog, or you can email us directly and we will set up a time to discuss.
How do I know if my dog is a good fit for therapy work?
If your dog loves attention from a variety of people, obeys commands despite distractions, and has an eagerness to please, therapy work might be an excellent choice for your pup. But training and temperament aside, the most important characteristic of a therapy dog is that they enjoy what they do. A dog who doesn't enjoy therapy work will not be good at it. It is beyond important to listen to your dog.
How do I train my dog to be a therapy dog?
Training and socialization needs to start as a puppy. In therapy work there are a lot of different sites, sounds and smells, so continuing to expose your pup to a variety of people, places and things will help them develop. We recommend going through the full series of training classes including puppy, beginner, intermediate, advances and of course CGC (Canine Good Citizen). With those classes, your dog will acquire the focus necessary to stay on task when in a therapy environment. There will be other dogs around, kids could be running, people could be yelling etc.
Where can my dog be a therapy dog?
There are many therapy dog programs across the nation. You can visit your local hospital to see if they host one and learn what their requirements are, you can google local therapy dog programs near you, or you can visit www.loveonaleash.org to see if they have a "chapter" near you.
What is the difference between a service dog and a therapy dog?
A therapy dog is trained to provide comfort and affection to people in hospice, disaster areas, retirement homes, hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries and more. A therapy dog requires special permissions or certifications to visit the places they volunteer.
A service dog is trained to help people with disabilities, such as visual impairments, mental illnesses, seizure disorders, diabetes, etc. Service dogs have to be focused and prepared to work on their outings. They cannot seek attention from strangers, acknowledge surrounding distractions, or react negatively.
A service dog is trained to help people with disabilities, such as visual impairments, mental illnesses, seizure disorders, diabetes, etc. Service dogs have to be focused and prepared to work on their outings. They cannot seek attention from strangers, acknowledge surrounding distractions, or react negatively.