OCC Offers Pet Therapy Certification Course

TOMS RIVER, NJ — For many people, the love of an animal can boost their spirits and make a tough day better. That is one reason there is a growing demand for trained therapy dogs who, with their human handlers, can come in and lift the spirits of someone battling an illness, injury or who's faced with other challenges in life.

To help meet the demand, Ocean County College’s Department of Continuing & Professional Education, in partnership with Compassionate Canine Training, is offering Pet Therapy Preparation and Certification. This new hands-on training course is geared for dog/handler teams (owner/pet) and will help meet that need.

"Pet therapy visits enrich lives, encourage personal connections, and also provide the dogs with an opportunity to use interactive skills that help keep them mentally and physically fit," a news release on the program noted.

In Pet Therapy Preparation and Certification, you and your pet will receive hands-on training so you are both ready to be tested/certified as a therapy dog team and be able to go out and visit people in need. NOTE: Dogs do NOT need to be “perfect” but should like meeting new people and have a basis in obedience (sit, stay, come, down, and loose-leash walking).

This certification allows you and your dog, as a therapy dog team, to volunteer with organizations such as Caregiver Canines, which performs home visits to the local senior community, as well as hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools, and businesses that allow pet therapy visitations.

"Our mission is to increase the overall well-being of the elderly by introducing them to our wonderful therapy dogs in the comfort of their own homes," the Caregiver Canines website notes.

Classes meet on Saturdays from Sept. 16 to Oct. 7 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. The certification evaluation will be scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14.

To register, call the Ocean County College Department of Continuing & Professional Education at 732-255-0404 or visit www.ocean.edu/cpe.htm (type in keyword “Pet Therapy” or course title “Pet Therapy Preparation and Certification”).

About Compassionate Canine Training: Dog trainer Kelly M. Keeney is a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT-KA) and a Certified Behavior Adjustment Training Instructor (CBATI). She provides effective, fun, healthy, and positive YES-based training for pets and their family.

A therapy dog can enrich the life of someone who can't have a pet. Photo by rochelle hartman, via Flickr, under Creative Commons license