Pet Therapy Team Training For You, Your Dog Through OCC Course

TOMS RIVER, NJ — If you have a dog who's good with people, and have thought about volunteering your time, here's your opportunity to help others.

Ocean County College’s Department of Continuing & Professional Education, in partnership with Caregiver Canines and Compassionate Canine Training, is offering a course in Pet Therapy Preparation and Certification. The hands-on training course is geared for dog/handler teams, usually pets and their owners.

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

The course provides hands-on training so both owner and pet are ready to be tested/certified as a Therapy Dog Team and then able to go out and visit people in need. 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), officials said.

This certification allows you and your dog to volunteer with Caregiver Canines and perform home visits in the local senior community as well as independently visit any hospital, assisted living facility, school, or business that allows pet therapy visitations.

Classes meet from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturdays. The first course is Feb. 3 to March 3 with the certification evaluation on Saturday, March 10. The second section is April 7 to April 28 with the certification evaluation on Saturday, May 5.

To register, call the Ocean County College Department of Continuing & Professional Education at 732-255-0404 or visit www.ocean.edu/cpe.htm. (Click Register Now)

Caregiver Canines is local nonprofit that provides joy and companionship to the elderly and homebound by bringing canine therapy teams directly to them in the comfort of their own homes.

Compassionate Canine Training is run by Kelly Keeney, a certified professional dog trainer and a certified behavior adjustment training instructor. She provides effective, positive YES-based training for pets and their families.

Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images