When Boomer and I are out working, one of our most popular questions is “what type of training did you do?”

Getting started into pet therapy is not difficult and the classes are not a heavyload.  The key to success is your willingness to put time in the training between classes.  Just like anything you want to become good at – hitting a golf ball, tennis, playing the piano – you need to put in the time and practice.

Most training centers will offer classes roughly once per week for an hour.  Classes don’t generally go beyond an hour because a dog’s attention span will not go beyond that point in most cases.  As a side note, as you begin training, try to identify your pup’s attention span. Knowing that timeframe will help you in scheduling your training and even more importantly, keep you from getting frustrated when you overshoot that limit, and they will not listen to your commands.

Find a training situation you are comfortable working with your pup.  Generally, you will find training classes – a one-to-many arrangement, or a one-on-one situation with a trainer.  The former is going to be less expensive but require more proactive work on your end.

We began our journey with puppy classes in the one-to-many environment.  It was the right fit for us, the cost was reasonable, and the schedule set up nicely for me (work during the day and go to class in the evening). He was 6 months old, so the timing was right to practice the basics – sit, stay, proper walking techniques and a few other basic commands.  I found that Boomer excelled at this level.  The next logical step was Canine Good Citizen class.  This class introduces you to a wide variety of commands, and at the end of class, you and your pup are tested to demonstrate you can execute those commands.  The CGC class is an excellent precursor to pet therapy because many of the tests involved in pet therapy certification are exactly like CGC.

Getting started is not difficult.  Find a group that offers the training and certification and get signed up.  And then practice.  Don’t rely on a class once per week to get you ready.  You will not pass as a team if you rely solely on the class.  Put in the practice.  In our next post, we’ll explore techniques for practicing and getting ready for the certification test.  And if you follow all these steps, you will find other people asking you how you did it!