Therapy Dogs Require Extensive Training

Belleville News-Democrat (Belleville, IL): Helen Cordell, a Yorkville resident, is president of the Fox Valley Therapy Dog Club of Yorkville, a group that keeps a visiting schedule for its 35 dog members and their handlers. The dogs that participate in pet therapy must go through a year of training and certification far beyond a typical obedience school. "We drop pans like the dropping of trays and equipment in hospitals," Cordell said. "A dog has to be able to be touched by a stranger. You can put your hands on their teeth and they won't show fear." Therapy dogs' training also involves interacting with walkers and wheelchairs and being able to ignore food when it is within easy reach. Before a potential therapy dog can make visits, it must pass a certification test administered by either Therapy Dogs International or Delta Society. During the test, the dog must respond to strangers, distractions, other dogs, people with audible or visible illnesses, and obedience commands.