We are a small group of local volunteers dedicated to bringing the comfort and healing of a well trained therapy dog to all people in need. Through service and education of the people our therapy teams encounter, we strive to demonstrate the valuable connection of dogs to the existence of mankind.
Canine Caregivers Therapy Dogs is an AKC recognized all-volunteer therapy dog organization that certifies dogs who live and visit places local to Salisbury, NC.
Our Mission
We passionately serve people in need in the Salisbury, NC area. Our group also meets periodically for a group therapy visit, and to support each other. Each dog team in Canine Caregivers is a unique and valuable part of the group. Through our dogs we have become very close friends. So you might say that through the training of our therapy dogs … our dogs have done a wonderful job of pet therapy on us.
We visit churches, schools, homes, colleges, and anywhere that the love and comfort of a therapy dog might be needed.
We will accept dogs of any breed who meet the criteria of Canine Caregivers. We will also accept any person who is willing to become part of the group without prejudice. “Pet therapy” to a member of Canine Caregivers is not about egos, politics, competition with other groups, gossip, or envy. Pet Therapy to a Canine Caregivers Therapy Dog Team is and will always be about bringing the comfort and healing of a well trained therapy dog team to people in need.
Who We Serve
Canine Caregivers has committed Therapy Dog Teams that are certified and insured for all types of therapy situations. We serve nursing homes, schools, hospice, in homes, group situations, adult daycare, special needs, Alzheimer’s care, etc.
If you are looking for therapy dog visits for a facility, a family member, a friend, a group, or yourself…please contact us to discuss your needs.
Our Dogs
A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is not a commodity to be bought, sold, traded, or given away. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is half of a team with an unbreakable bond. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is a valued member of their human family. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog team, dog and owner, are two committed volunteers who serve people in need in their community.
In Memory
This section is dedicated to the dogs in our group that have moved on. These dogs will forever be a part of the Canine Caregivers family and pack. Their dedication to serve and commitment to provide unconditional love will be missed by not only our group, but also the people they visited. True unconditional love never ends. Until we meet again…
Requirements
A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is not a commodity to be bought, sold, traded, or given away. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is half of a team with an unbreakable bond. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog is a valued member of their human family. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog team, dog and owner, are two committed volunteers who serve people in need in their community.
The commitment of the handler to visitation of patients and to activities/meetings to support the Canine Caregivers group is an important part of our requirements and will be a consideration in evaluation of you and your dog.
Your dog DOES NOT have to be a purebred dog. All breeds are accepted. You and your dog are evaluated based on your suitability for therapy work as a team.
Your dog’s suitability for therapy work will be evaluated and considered on an individual basis. Some dogs may go through a more extensive temperament test if our evaluator feels it is necessary. This has nothing to do with the breed of the dog. This is based totally on behavior presented at the time of evaluation and the known history of dog.
A dog that has been trained to attack or guard at any level, or has been trained with the use of an electronic e-collar, will not be considered for certification through Canine Caregivers.
(Step 1 or step 2 can be done first.)
The handler and dog must complete and pass a Canine Good Citizen Evaluation together. This must be done through Canine Caregivers, even if your dog has passed CGC with other evaluators. Go to www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm for more info and exactly what skills you and your dog will need for this test. If you wish to find out if you and your dog are ready for the CGC please call AKC Canine Good Citizen Evaluator Nina Dix@ 704-213-7270.
(Step 1 or step 2 can be done first.)
You will need to schedule an appointment to let us meet you and your dog. We will do a temperament/handling evaluation with your dog at this time, as well as discuss your dog’s history with you. A Canine Caregivers therapy dog team is just that … a team. The relationship you have with your dog will also be a factor to be considered for certification.
This evaluation is also to demonstrate that your dog will allow close petting and handling with a stranger, or strangers, as in a therapy situation. This step can be done first if you wish. There would be no reason to proceed with training for the Canine Caregivers certification if your dog’s temperament or history is not suited for therapy with Canine Caregivers. Many dogs and handlers may pass a Canine Good Citizen Evaluation, may be exceptional at obedience or other dog competition skills … and still not be candidates for therapy with Canine Caregivers. Although a therapy dog needs to be extremely well mannered, therapy is not about showcasing a dog’s skills or the handler’s ability to train. Therapy to Canine Caregivers is about you and your dog (your partner) helping people in need and serving the community.
Once you and your dog have passed a Canine Good Citizen evaluation and our required temperament testing, the Step 3 and 4 of our certification process is considered a training for actual therapy work. You and your dog will be evaluated at a public place (i.e. Petsmart, Tractor Supply, etc.) This evaluation will check for you dog’s ability to maintain manners in a public place. This evaluation will not require contact with other dogs. But there will be contact with “friendly strangers”.If there are issues, you and your dog will need training to proceed.
This is the final stage of evaluation for you and your dog. You will be evaluated as a team during at least one actual therapy visit. Your attitude and interaction with the people that you and your dog may encounter during therapy/visitation will be evaluated. This includes the person or persons at the focus of the therapy visit, other therapy dogs or resident dogs, and everyone else. Your attitude toward anyone you and your dog encounter while visiting as a Canine Caregivers therapy team is a direct reflection on the rest of the group. Our goal is to “serve” and that is the focus of our therapy teams. Your attitude toward anyone you and your dog encounter is an important part of the Canine Caregivers evaluation process. Like step #3…if there are any issues, you and your dog will receive training or instruction from our certified trainer to proceed to certification.
There is no time limit for the completion of these evaluations. All dogs and people are different.
Your dog will be disqualified as a candidate for Canine Caregivers if he/she shows aggression of any kind during testing or training towards any person or another animal.
Contact Us
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