A therapy dog is one who visits nursing homes, hospitals, children's homes, etc, with their owner/handler. They provide love and emotional support to people who need them. They provided this support and comfort to the workers and the families who lost loved ones at the September 11th tragedy. Just being there for the people to pet and hug was enough to ease some of the pain and grief they were suffering.

Therapy dogs must go through a testing process to determine whether they are suited for the job. All dogs can be therapy dogs in their own way, by bringing comfort and joy to their owners, but not all can become "professionals." They are tested on their ability to follow general obedience commands and on how well they will react around different items, such as wheelchairs and walkers. They are also tested to see how well they will react to people who are not quite "like everyone else," who may make noises and motions that the dog might not be used to. A Therapy dog must also be able to withstand a really hard "hug," like what they might get from a child that has a muscular problem and can't be gentle with them. Once they pass these tests, they can be registered with an organization and start providing the therapy that many people are in need of.

My dog, Raven, is registered with Therapy Dogs International. She definitely knows when we are going to make a therapy visit, because I usually get out all the grooming tools, give her a bath, clean her teeth and ears, and cut her nails. She doesn't care much for all this attention, but she puts up with it because she instinctively knows she is going to visit a lot of nice people afterwards. We visit a nursing home and four ARC residences, where she gets lots of attention. It's amazing how just having her walk around, wagging her tail, and allowing them to pet her makes such a difference in their otherwise routine day. To Raven, it is not work, but a time for play. However, she knows when to play and when to settle down. People react to her in their own different ways. Some will play with her, others are a little reserved, and Raven has the ability to read their body language and react accordingly.

When we go to these facilities and I see the resident's eyes light up and how much they enjoy Raven's presence, it makes me feel very good about what we are doing. I feel a great satisfaction when I see these people interact with Raven. I also feel that this is one of my contributions as a good humanitarian, that I am providing a needed service. However, the people in these facilities actually provide me with a kind of therapy just by being happy to see me and Raven, and I am sure it is good for Raven too. Raven provides them therapy and they return it to us both by being receptive to us as well. They are always thankful to me for bringing Raven into their lives. Of course, Raven provides me therapy just by having her around. In fact, I wouldn't want to picture my life without her. It feels good to share that feeling with people who are more unfortunate than I am.

Thank you for your interest in therapy dog work. If you would like to find out more about Therapy Dogs International, you can go to the TDI site by clicking on the link that is on the left-hand side of this page. If you have any questions about therapy dog work, you may E-mail me and I will try to answer them as best as I can.