Around the world, dogs are found cohabiting with humans.

Leader Guide Dog

Dogs share our homes, lives and work.

Therapy Dog

Dogs are companions, watchdogs and working animals

Rescue Dog

It wasn’t long ago, that a dogs’ life meant sleeping outside, enduring the elements, living with aches, and sitting by the dinner table, waiting for a few scraps to land on the floor. In some parts of the world dogs still live this way because people live very a simple life. These dogs are still just dogs with normal dog behavior. You can see them on the streets very calm and friendly – not jumping on people so that nobody notices any behavior problems.

Simple life

But in more developed parts of the world dogs lives have changed.

Famous Dog

Changes such as:

• a lot of dogs sleep in the same bed as their owners
• they eat organic food, they get birthday’s presents
• they go to grooming salons
• they have a pet massage
• they goes for a regular check up to the vet’s clinic
• they wear clothes

Accessory Dog

“Accessory Dog”- “I want out from here -Let me be a Dog! “

The biggest problem is that people try to humanize them and thinking more about themselves than about their best friend.

Fashion Dog

“Fashion Dog” – “I’m not a Doll”- Let me be a Dog!”

Irresponsible ownership and breeding leads to high numbers of homeless dogs.

Homeless- Unconditional love

In some places situations have become very scary. Homeless dogs band together and becoming a pack of hungry dogs that go and attack a people.

Hungry Pack

In some places Dogs still are still on peoples menus.

………….!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If people can learn to love like dogs the world will become a heaven

The World is Good!

The World is Good!

Leo is an 11 month old Norwich terrier / Papillion mix

Leo

Leo is 11 months old. He is a very loving, friendly, gentle little dog.
Leo is very good with everyone – both dogs and people. This makes Leo is a perfect candidate for a therapy dog.

Leo and his Parents practicing for AKC/CGC

Leo and his Parents practicing for their AKC/CGC (American Kennel Club – Canine Good Citizen)

Leo very friendly with people & dogs

Therapy dogs and their human handlers create a caring atmosphere just by showing up for visits or other therapy work.

Therapy dogs provide a variety of services which often include, but are not limited to:

• Providing unconditional affection to those who need it (e.g., people in prisons and shelters, particularly domestic abuse shelters)
• Promoting a general feeling of comfort and well-being (e.g., for the elderly, those ill in hospital and children)
• Interacting with those who have difficulty in communicating (e.g., psychiatric patients, nonverbal patients)
• Improving focus (e.g., for people diagnose with depression and Alzheimer’s patients)
• Stimulating memory functions, particularly for Alzheimer’s patients
• Motivating the physically challenged to perform basic physical functions (e.g., brushing, patting)
• Aiding and encouraging speech functions (e.g., for stroke patients)
• Providing practice for specific physical therapy functions (e.g., offering food, throwing a ball)

Therapy dogs provide these services among a multitude of settings such as homes, prisons, children’s residential facilities, domestic abuse shelters, senior citizen programs, special education settings, mental health centers, adult car e facilities, nursing homes, long-term care facilities, and hospitals.

Temperament is the most important factor in locating and training a good therapy dog. A dog that is friendly is a promising candidate for the position. Therapy dogs must be well behaved (e.g. no running around, jumping, licking people) as they will be working with many people who are physically or mentally unable to deal with the stress and challenge of an unruly animal. These dogs must be adaptable to different situations and be prepared to work as seizure therapy dogs, assisted therapy dogs, or other specialized canines.

Step one to become a therapy Dog is to pass the AKC/CGC test which is designed to cover the different areas related to training therapy dogs. Sometimes additional training is also required

You can find a lot of information about therapy dogs on the internet or in the books such as:

Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others by Kathy Diamond-Davis