Hi,

I have a one year old Labradoodle puppy. I am very interested in training him to be a therapy dog so he can visit hospitals. He has no formal training, and only knows basic commands. He is a very sweet dog, but still playfully nips and jumps.

Does anyone know of any programs or organizations that help train dogs for such activities?

Thank you,
Allison

Dob't know which county you are in but if you are in the UK you have to join with PAT dogs.  Sorry don't know their website but they do have one.

They will then put you onto someone who tests the dogs either at your home or a training club.  The test is fairly simple and you don't have to have them too highly obedience trained.  Just as long as you can control your dog, they ave not nervous and that they get on with people you should have no problems.

I will warn you that many hospitals are stil in the ice age and do not allow dogs to go to them!!  Hopefully one day this will change.  They are still under the stupid idea that dogs are dirty things that bring in viruses etc.  Daft I know but unfortunately this is how many of them are, but some are getting there slowly!

Yes it is for all as your dog has to be tested to ensure that it is suitable to do PAT dog work.  

Sorry not sure about their website address but I'm sure that if you go through Google you will find it  

With you saying that your dog is still nipping i presume it's still a very young pup?  I think that they have to be at least 6 months before they can be a PAT dog, could be slightly older.

It's well worth it and can be a lot of fun but you have to be on your guard all the time as some people don't like dogs and one woman who acted as though she was going to stroke one of my dogs hit her on the head right next to the eye, she got glaucoma 2 weeks later in that eye, she already had it in the other eye but there were no signs of it developing when she was seen just before this incident at the veets and was put down soon after as she couldn't cope with not being able to see.  

Go on sign up, it doesn't cost much and you really can get a lot out of it as can your dog, but don't do too long a visits at the start as it can be quite draining for your dog.

We have taken half a dozen dogs to a children's hospice on a couple of occasions to show the children some tricks and agility. They interacted with the children afterwards. Only one of them was a registered pat dog.