The Making Of A Therapy Dog

I know this may sound crazy to some of you, especially since I have only had Lulu 1 week tomorrow - but I believe she has the makings of a Therapy Dog.

There are 11 requirements that must be met at testing. I believe, as smart as she is, with a little extra work I could have her ready by the next test scheduled in Georgia. Most are natural for her now. I know I have little time to devote - but if she and I could become certified, we could at the very least spend a couple of days a month visiting Nursing homes, assisted care facilities, and hospitals.

These are the requirements tested for: ( and how she fits the bill )

1. Accepting A Friendly Stranger. That is a character of the Great Pyrenees breed.
2. Sitting politely for petting. She has shone this to us with guests over and over again. Some times she gets a little excited , so this will require a little work - but I believe she can do it.
3. Appearance and Grooming. (showing that the dog will welcome being groomed and examined by a stranger, as well as the care given by the owner) She loves being brushed and given attention to! Period. No matter who is doing it!
4. Out For A Walk - or walking on a loose leash. Have already posted how remarkable she does this.
5. Walking Through A Crowd. Will have to take her a few places that are more crowded to see how this situation is handled. But - at her size - I believe most folks will move for her.
6. Sit and Down on Command. Thats a done deal. Its the Staying in place we will need to work on.
7. Coming When Called. 99.9% of the time you don't even have to speak. Just look at her at motion for her to come.
8. Reaction to Another Dog. She is a little wary of other dogs, but with socialization I believe we can work through this.
9. Reaction To Distractions. Loud noises and interruptions are a given here - but will try taking her to a strange place and stage some loud noises - just to see how she reacts. If she does not react well - that one will be tough to change.
10. Supervised Separation. Heck - she has not been around us long - so I have not had the time to judge this. We are still giving her time to adjust to us.
11. Say Hello. She is awesome at saying hello. She comes and if you are seated, she will place that beautiful head on your knee and look soulfully in your eyes.

The next test in Georgia will be in Athens on September 18th - which may be to soon to actually test - but its a goal I can work towards. If we are not ready we will be by the following test. What do you think? Am I putting too much faith in her and myself?