THERAPY OR SERVICE DOG?

Therapy dogs often visit schools, nursing homes and hospitals. Schoolchildren, residents, and patients enjoy a variety of activities with their visiting keen dog including tricks, games, and instruction on how to care for dogs. Keen K9 provides online services.

Service dogs provide assistance for a disabled partner. A keen service dog guides an individual. Tasks include retrieving objects, opening and closing doors, collecting laundry, delivering keys, etc. Service dogs are permitted in all public places, whereas permissions for therapy dogs are limited.

The first step in service or therapy dog training is consistency. Your dog needs to be confident, patient, as well as reliable in all settings. For example, if there is a loud sound your dog will not react. The same is true of unfamiliar or stressful environments, and handling. Training involves developing positive (good) associations. It is important that your dog masters basic skills such as “leave it”, sit, stay, down and come.