Not all dogs are ready to be therapy dogs. If your dog is growling, barking, or shy, it is nowhere near ready and will need behavior modification training. It is important to understand that if your dog posses an aggressive personality, it cannot act as a therapy dog. However, we can work with you towards your dog becoming ready. With us, your dog will learn how to be comfortable around new people, environments, animals and sounds.
This will improve the socialization of your dog, so he can meet many new people and accept all of the attention that being a therapy dog entails. Your dog will be more comfortable with eye contact, petting, and handling of its nails and paws.
In order for your dog to become a therapy dog, it must learn both basic and advanced training commands. Some examples of basic cues are “sit”, “down” and “come”. Once your companion learns these skills, we will begin to teach it even more complex commands that are necessary for therapy dogs such as “leave it”. “Leave it” is an important command, especially when visiting hospitals or nursing homes, seeing that you won’t want your dog to pick up and swallow a pill that was accidentally dropped on the ground. It is also important for therapy dogs to be trained to hold positions until directed to release from the said position. This command is beneficial in many different circumstances and goes beyond the general command of ‘stay’. We will also teach your dog how to walk with a loose leash without pulling it and give you his attention when you ask. Our trainer can visit your home in Brookfield, New Milford, Danbury and surrounding towns.
