For the past several weeks Slammer has been attending obedience classes to prepare for his therapy dog evaluations. Once he turned a year old he can be tested out and certified to become a therapy dog. Gambler, Glory and Guilty are all certified through Alliance Of Therapy Dogs so I tested Slammer out with this organization as well. Alliance of Therapy Dogs doesn’t require obedience classes or formal training nor do they require any additional testing just their own test.

To become a therapy dog it is helpful but not required to have completed and titled in AKC Canine Good Citizen which Slammer did back in January.

ATD requires that each dog is up to date on vaccinations and a negative fecal exam to be eligible for certification. All breeds are welcome except wolf or coyote mixes.

At the end of each obedience class the instructor walks around with a wheel chair, sits in the wheel chair and comes around each animal to get them used to it. She will stop and pet the animal while talking to them. She will also walk around with crutches and have the dog get used to those as well.

Depending on where you do or type of pet therapy work you and your dog may do you may encounter many different situations. You may not be able to train for all these situations but some training is always helpful and should carry over to different situations.

After you complete the testing portion of the therapy dog test the tester/observer will evaluate you three different times, two visits need to be at a medical facility while one visit can be at a library, rehab facility, cancer center or collage campus.

Slammer and I were observed at The Meadows Nursing Home in Fall River, WI with Tom as our tester/observer. During the second visit the nursing home staff member gathered up a few residents to come watch a “program”. I wasn’t sure what she was talking about as I said I just needed Slammer to hang out with the residents and have them interact with them. The residents started asking when Slammer was going to start his “program”. So for the program I healed Slammer, had him sit, lay down, stay, we did some fronts and then he stood for conformation exam while I talked about dog showing. They thought the “program” Slammer and I did was wonderful and then they enjoyed the time spent petting him and talking with him.

Slammers third observation was done at Fall River Middle School where I do R.E.A.D. with the other dogs. Slammer did a wonderful job laying next to the children while they read to him. He passed his observations with flying colors.

I turned in our ADT test to the head office and am awaiting certification. The schools are anxious for Slammer to be certified as they are looking forward to having him come visit.

Huge thanks to Tom for being an ATD Tester/Observer and thanks to Canine Solutions llc – Beaver Dam, WI and Annie Goes To The Dogs – Portage, WI for the obedience classes.