Dog Health Questions: How do you go about therapy dog training?

I am interested in training my 13 week old Chihuahua Fox Terrier mix to become a therapy dog. She goes everywhere with us and people just love her! She is very calm (for a puppy) and loves everybody! She is very well socialized and does great in new situations.

We live in PA. Is there a class we have to take or something like that? Who can we contact? Are there any good websites that anybody knows of? What age does a dog have to be?

Thanks! :)

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Recommended Answer:
The top three therapy dog organizations in the U.S. are:
The Delta Society http://www.deltasociety.org
Therapy Dogs International http://www.tdi-dog.org
Therapy Dogs Inc. http://www.therapydogs.com

Check out their websites. You should be able to find a class, test, or evaluator near you and use that contact information to learn more.

Your dog must be at least a year old to take the testing for registration with a therapy dog organization. Registration includes liability insurance which most facilities will require you to have in order to visit. Remember that therapy dogs, even when registered, are invited guests in the hospitals and nursing homes they visit to cheer up patients. You must get permission before making your visits. Owners of therapy dogs don't have an absolute right to go anywhere with their therapy dgos that pets aren't welcome without permission from the business owner and not at all in grocery stores or restaurants where food is sold.

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• Contact your local kennel club. Your dog's breeder can refer you to one. You do know,of course, that you'll need an insurance policy, which Therapy Dogs Inc. can supply you with. Also, your dog must be at least ONE year old.