Dog Training Chronicle

Dogs are taken as pets for different types of reasons amongst which therapy dog training is provided to dogs so that they can give comfort, affection and companionship to the people who are lonely and need constant company in the mental institutions, hospitals and in the old age homes. There is a difference between the dogs which are trained for assistance and the dogs which are trained for therapy. The therapy dog training is very crucial as it has helped in miracle healing by reducing stress, blood pressure and increasing the positive attitude of the patient.

Role of Therapy Dogs

The therapy dog training provides a special kind of training to the dogs as these dogs do not assist in helping the patients who are physically challenged. They do not help the disabled people to cross the roads or be their escorts while going to different places neither do they become the eyes of the people who suffer from blindness. Therapy dogs are primarily taught to provide physical contact with the people whom they are going to give company. Here the dog should also enjoy being physically near to a stranger without any fear of aggression or sloppy petting.

The dogs have to be docile and friendly and get used to the different types of noises that they will come across when they are in hospitals or work as companions for people in wheelchairs. They should not get irritated or become aggressive on hearing the strange noises that are produced by the different machinery and equipments used in the hospitals. The most challenging role of these dogs is with children as most of the children have the habit of hugging and cuddling the dogs. The therapy dog training teaches the dog to calmly handle these types of situations.

Method of Therapy Dog Training

As therapy dogs have special kind of duty so the training provided to these dogs should also be very special. The primary training that is given to the dog is related to obedience, manners and comprehension of commands. There is no special breed which can be trained as therapy dog but it is essential that the dogs which are chosen for therapy dog training should have the basic personality traits like friendliness, enjoys the company of people and should not be dominating but have the tendency to easily adapt with animals and human beings. The therapy dogs can be trained by the owner or professional trainers can be hired for therapy dog training.