Therapy Dog Class

Sita, a therapy dog, lying down Is your dog outgoing and friendly? Maybe you and your dog would make a great therapy dog team! Our Therapy Dog class focuses on helping you prepare your dog (and yourself) for the Delta Society Pet Partners® evaluation.

The class has a limit of five dogs, allowing us to keep things fun and provide you with lots of individual attention. Together with the DoveLewis Animal Assisted Therapy & Education (DLAATE) program, we provide you with...

Opportunities to practice in a variety of training environments
Positive experiences with medical equipment and common therapy dog work situations
Information about how to recognize and manage both human and dog stress
Placement in a variety of therapy dog activities through the DLAATE program once you have passed the Delta Society Pet Partners evaluation

Sign Me Up!

If this sounds like something that you would like to do, please contact Heather Toland (of DLAATE) or Synergy Dog Training to set up an appointment to find out if your dog might be a candidate for therapy dog work. You can also check below for class schedule information.

Skills and topics which we cover include:

Manners & Relaxation	Team Building & Management
Greeting people appropriately Sit and down stays Coming when called Walking nicely on leash Tolerating different petting styles Walking on unusual surfaces Putting up with loud noises Approaching a person with a dog	Greeting groups of people (management techniques and desensitization) Paying attention to the visitation environment and being your dog's advocate Handler and dog relationships (their mental and physical needs) Staying aware and unsurprised of situations which develop (maintaining calm) Dog tricks to break the ice

If this sounds like something you would like to try, please contact us for more information.

How To Sign Up for Class

Step 1: Therapy Dog Suitability Evaluation
Contact either Heather Toland at Dove Lewis or Scott Raymond of Synergy Dog Training for a pre-class evaluation. If you have been referred to us by Heather after she has already evaluated your dog, you only need to contact us to join a Pre-Class Intro Session. Otherwise, we will let you know at your evaluation session when you can join the class.

Step 2: Orientation Session
This Orientation Session will provide you with information about what to expect from this class, from therapy dog work, how to prepare, general rules and guidelines and a discussion about dog behavior and body signaling.

Step 3: Attend Class!
Join us on the next available class join date, which we will provide to you at the Orientation Session. The class follows a six-week schedule and it is possible to continue attending class by purchasing a 3 or 6 session extension to the class.

Class Schedule

Where:	Multiple Locations... Friendly House: 2617 NW Savier Ave (View Map) DoveLewis: 1945 NW Pettygrove St (View Map) Field Trip: Locations to be announced
When:	Orientation Session (no dogs) Thursday, November 6, 7:30pm - 8:30pm (DoveLewis) Remaining Classes (with dogs) Thursdays, 7:30pm - 8:30pm (Various Locations)
Dates:	Short Session: 11/6/2008 - 12/18/2008 (Thanksgiving - 11/27 - Off)
Length:	Short Session: Orientation Session + Five (5) weeks
Cost:	Short Session: $135

Contact Us

Please feel free to contact us for more details about how we can help you to train your dog towards better behavior.