Schedule & Registration
Therapy Dog 2: Advanced Volunteering Skills
Group Classes or Private Lessons
Instructor Elizabeth M. Simpson, B.Sc., M.Sc., Ph.D.
Volunteering to share the enthusiastic, nonjudgmental, love of your dog with those in need, is a special kind of joy. Sometimes dogs and their handlers just require a bit of advanced training to make the dream of volunteering a reality, or for those already volunteering, to take their skills to the next level. This advanced group class/private lesson emphasizes teaching the handler and dog to work together in a confident relationship, developing the knowledge and skills necessary to be an excellent therapy dog team.
Group classes/private lessons involve information on the therapy dog approval process in the Vancouver area, practice of typical therapy dog test items, and instruction on developing skills that will give you and your dog confidence during therapy dog visits. Positive reinforcement training techniques including food rewards, praise, cue words, and hand signals will be used to guide the human-dog teams in learning to communicate with each other. All this, in a stress-free environment designed to be fun for you and your dog.
Typical group class: 6 Weeks | 60 Minutes Per Week | Fridays starting at 6:15 pm or 7:30 pm
Typical private lessons: 1-3 Weeks | 60 Minutes Per Week | Flexible days and times
Prerequisite: Importantly, the Therapy Dog 1: Canine Good Neighbour Preparation class (or equivalent) is a prerequisite for this Therapy Dog 2: Advanced Volunteering Skills class.
Please equip your dog with a flat buckle collar, and an approximately 6-foot leash. Collars, including pinch, choke, martingale, and shock, as well as retractable-leashes are not permitted.
Important Note: One-week notice prior to the date of the first group class/private lesson is required for cancellations or refunds. We are unable to provide refunds once group classes/private lessons have started. Due to the sequential nature of Therapy Dog 2 classes, we are unable to offer make-up classes for any you miss. Dates and times of classes are subject to change.
Contact Us:
Call DOGSmart at 604 267-9500. For classes visit our website for more information and to check timing and availability www.dogsmart.ca/. For private lessons email the instructor
Recent Media:
We are honoured to have graduates from our Dog Therapy 2: Advanced Volunteer Skills and Therapy Dogs 2: Canine Good Neighbour Preparation programs participate in the new pet therapy program at B.C. Children's Hospital which is designed to help staff cope with stress, anxiety, and work-related health issues.
Photo: Vancouver Sun
