Do you have a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel that would like to be a Therapy Dog?
Our club is proud to support the work that therapy dogs perform and we believe none does it better than the Cavalier King Charles Spaniel!
Our club member’s therapy dogs are certified by a national therapy dog organization. There are several organizations but most of our therapy dogs are members of Therapy Dogs Inc, (www.therapydogs.com) a national registry of handlers and certified therapy dogs. Others are members of another national registry, Therapy Dogs International (www.tdi-dog.org). All dogs are AKC Canine Good Citizens. The goal of the therapy team is to share our special cavaliers with others, to bring happiness and cheer to young and old alike. The Cavalier King Charles Spaniel’s sweet and loving temperament makes them a perfect therapy dog!
We visit senior assisted living centers, hospitals and libraries. Through TD Inc, we can also participate in the Reading for Rover program, which helps children learn to read by reading with a therapy dog. We visit hospitals where therapy dogs help chemo patients through their chemotherapy by providing a soft cuddle and companion to pet. Our visits to senior centers are special, as many residents await the visit of the cavaliers to pet and hold. Sometimes, our cavaliers are the only visitors they may receive and this is a wonderful time for the resident and the therapy dog. At the annual CKCSCGA Puppy Picnic, we have a certified tester/observer from Therapy Dogs, Inc. in attendance that performs the initial testing for therapy certification. After you and your dog pass this initial testing, you will be required to visit an assisted living center with the tester/observer a minimum of two times to become fully certified. Once registered with TD Inc, your dog will receive an “I am a therapy dog” tag and certification, at which time you will be able to perform therapy visits. If you would like to learn more about having your cavalier become a therapy dog contact Sharon Onorato@utych@earthlink.net for more information.
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