Focused K9’s Hawaii evaluations are direct and honest, only dogs and handlers that pass the evaluation are selected for training. Therapy dogs come in all shapes and sizes, and their most important characteristic is not their appearance or breed, but their temperament. Once fully trained the dogs are able to assist in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, hospices, and school’s.
According to the American with Disability Act, Therapy Dogs do not have the same privileges as Service Dogs. Therapy Dogs are not allowed by the ADA law in restaurants, retail stores, shopping centers, hotels, airports/airplanes or any other public transportation. Therapy Dogs are best known for bringing affection and comfort, emotionally to an individual or a group. They are friendly, patient, confident, obedient, gentle, and at ease with strangers and non strangers. They must enjoy human contact and excessive petting along with staying in one place. Whether it be outside on grass, dirt or concrete, a floor, chair, couch, bed, lap or in the handlers or strangers arms. Therapy Dogs do not need to perform a task, although a few clicker tricks will surely delight their audience. Tolerant to disturbances such as clumsy handling of children, elderly people, medical equipment (walkers, crutches, canes, etc), sudden moves and loud noises is a must. Seeing or working with other dogs must not surprise them in or out of a facility or home. But such disturbances should not cause a therapy dog to panic and if the therapy dog does react strongly, with its handler’s assurance the dog should quickly regain composure.
Those who purchase fake certifications or jackets and ID cards do so because they or those they encounter doubt their dog’s real status and it is easier to purchase a fake document them to actually get their dog properly trained and evaluated by a certified professional canine trainer and behavior specialist. A valid certification from a certified professional canine trainer and behavior specialist is the way to obtain confidence and reassurance of your dog’s abilities and performance.
