Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others [Paperback]

Kathy Diamond Davis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 1, 2002

You and your dog can become a therapy dog team! Are you looking for a new and meaningful way to work with your dog? Do you want to improve the lives of those who because of illness or disability would benefit from visits with a volunteer canine? Then think about becoming a Therapy Dog Team and you will create the kind of magic that enriches lives. Therapy Dogs, Training Your Dog to Reach Others, 2nd Edition gives you all the information you need to select, socialize and train your dog for this work. What better creature than a dog to offer comfort, companionship and even entertainment to people in a wide variety of settings?

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Among the many inexplicable omissions in this inadequate book is a definition of the term ``therapy dog,'' which ordinarily describes a dog that, along with its owner or handler, has been trained to work safely with people who have special needs, such as the developmentally or physically disabled. Because therapy dog programs have proven so successful, Davis, who has performed such work with her own dogs, encourages readers to enroll themselves and their pets. General guidelines for visits, primarily to nursing homes, and useful pointers for dealing with staff and residents are supplied, but, lacking broad experience, Davis is not always convincing. Her discussion of training is scanty, covering basic obedience commands instead of teaching the reader how to acclimate a dog to the unusual and unpredictable circumstances it typically will encounter on the job, from the challenge of working with semi-ambulatory patients to others who are emotionally disturbed. In this sense, the author fails to give the potential usefulness of therapy dogs its due, and does not reckon directly with the occupational hazards involved. Davis advises seeking out an experienced trainer, but, curiously, fails to name any of the national organizations (such as the Delta Society of Renton, Wash.) that register trainers and handlers as well as provide a wealth of training resources--nor does she mention the nationwide testing now common for the dogs. Photos not seen by PW.

Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

--This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

From Library Journal

People often volunteer their dogs to help the elderly, ill, or disabled, but few books cover such "animal-assisted activities." While not the definitive manual on training one's dog, this book, first published in 1982 and based on the author's personal experience, gives a good overview. The new edition includes a definition of therapy dog, a list of the major therapy dog organizations, an annotated bibliography of useful dog behavior and training books and web sites, and an index. Small public libraries that can afford only one book on the subject should purchase Mary R. Burch's Volunteering with Your Pet. Burch's book covers animals besides dogs and goes into more detail about the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test, the basic certification on which most therapy dog registries base their programs. Larger public libraries should have both.
Karen Fischer, Carleton Coll. Lib., Northfield, MN
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: Dogwise Publishing; 2 edition (September 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1929242050
• ISBN-13: 978-1929242054
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #92,863 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

150 of 151 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Full of useful ideas to maximize your dog's effectiveness., February 11, 1999

By 

M. Nelsen (Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Therapy Dogs Training Your Dog to Reach Others (Hardcover)

I only wish I would have read this book before now! Ms Davis shares her wealth of experience and knowledge about therapy dog work with her own three therapy dogs. Her gentle training techniques are explained in detail with many excellent photographs to illustrate her point, as well as, the dog psychology that she works on to produce effective therapy dogs who enjoy reaching out to heal and bring joy to children, nursing home residents and the ill. Both beginners and those with many years of experience will find much to learn and benefit from in this book.

Key sections cover helping you decide if you and your dog are suited to therapy work, developing your dog's social skills with people, tips for managing the visits, specific and detailed recommended training for therapy dogs as contrasted with competition obedience dogs, your responsibilities as the handler, and preventing potential injury to your dog and the people you visit.

Ms Davis is flexible and non-dogmatic throughout the book. Interesting discussions are developed on many issues such as whether or not to use treats, tricks, demonstrations, go in groups or individually and then whichever you choose - how to do either option with the best results.

You will enjoy reading this book so much you may, like this reviewer, regret it's ever ending.

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A gold mine of information and ideas, February 7, 2004

By A Customer

This review is from: Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others (Paperback)

Kathy Diamond-Davis knows dogs (and their handlers) like no other author I have ever read. This book carefully and clearly covers topics from choosing an appropriate dog for therapy work, through socializing the dog and building your relationship with the dog, to finding an appropriate organization to work with and doing therapy dog visits. She emphasizes positive training that builds the dog/human bond and produces a happy, friendly dog. Realistically, she emphasizes that not all dogs (and not all handlers) are suited for therapy work.

I am currently working with my second therapy dog, who is registered with Therapy Dogs Inc. and who visits hospice patients. The ideas in Kathy's book continue to make us a better team.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Answering My Questions About Doing It Well, December 4, 2002

By 

L.A. Lazar (Northern CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others (Paperback)

I have well-behaved and well-socialized dogs, and I wanted to share them with others--How to begin in Therapy work and do it well? This book answered my questions, resolved my concerns, and helped me get started. The author has written a good book, her caring shows through in each chapter. She covers well the basics (altho it's a shame she had to spend time on those), she outlines well the situations you may encounter with your dog in therapy work, and her training methods are gentle and effective.

To do something well isn't easy, and you must have more than 'good intentions'. Kathy details what your main focus must be, as well as helping you decide how you and your dog can fit in and be effective. Whether you are trying to decide if the dog you have now will do, or if you are considering another dog to get, if it's about Therapy work--it's in there.

To know something, to do it well, and to be able to share with others--Kathy Diamond Davis' book makes it obvious, it's a "You Can Do It Too!!" book.