Dog Trainers Near Me South Elgin IL – WoofBeach Sands – 238 South Randall Road – Call 847-243-6970
Try to train your dog in the areas where they will spend most of their time. The puppy will associate the learned behavior with the familiar and comfortable locations. Some dog owners want to train their pets to be therapy dogs. Therapy dogs accompany their owners in volunteer situations. These places include hospitals and extended care facilities, group homes, and schools.
Therapy Dogs
Therapy dogs and their owners work together as a team to improve the lives of people. This work ranges from assisting children who are learning to read to visiting a senior in assisted living. A potential therapy dog goes through special testing to see if they are up to the task. The Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) has a special testing process. This process evaluates your dog to see if it has the right temperament for therapy puppy work. There is also a period of observing and monitoring that occurs after the testing.
Is There a Difference Between Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs?
Service dogs are specialists. These animals are trained for specific tasks to aid a disabled person and are like employees. Therapy dogs are not service dogs. Service dogs stay with their assigned person for an extended period, and these animals are given special privileges on airplanes, in restaurants, and in other public spaces. Therapy dogs are pets first and do not have the same access.
Would my dog make a good therapy dog?
Therapy dogs enjoy spending time with people beyond their owners or family. They warm-up easily to strangers as well. They seek out interactions and like comforting people.
A puppy might intrinsically display traits indicating it would make a good therapy dog.
Dog Trainers Near Me South Elgin IL – Call 847-243-6970
Does the puppy interact with people? Is it confident or reliant on other people?
Self-control. Does the puppy remain calm in different situations such as in large crowds, around small children, or getting an exam?
Retrieve. Does the puppy fetch and return things when commanded?
Confidence. Does the puppy easily startle when confronted with an unfamiliar object?
Sensitivities: It is essential to evaluate how the puppy reacts to sensory input and stimulation. Does the puppy respond poorly to being held or touched? Is there an oversensitivity to loud noises? Does the puppy make good eye contact with people? Easy going, good-natured, confident puppies make good therapy dogs. Some of these traits can be learned; some are inherent in the puppy.
Agility for Dogs
Agility is a quickly growing sport for a dog. It is excellent exercise for a dog and a dog owner because it is so active. Trained dogs compete in agility trials. Agile dogs learn to crawl through tunnels, leap through tires, and weave around poles. The dogs become more flexible and disciplined in the process, following their owners’ cues who direct them. At the same time, you get the thrill of watching your dog navigate a predetermined obstacle course in a timed competition.
If you would like to learn more about the benefits of training courses at WoofBeach Sands, call us today at 847-243-6970. Our Dog Trainers Near Me South Elgin IL are experts at working with canines of practically all breeds and ages. Whether you just welcoming a puppy to your home or your dog is older, it’s never too late for training. In addition, taking part in a training class provides your dog with the opportunity to socialize with other dogs. This is another important benefit to dog training because socialization is good for a dog’s general wellness.