Barely an hour drive out of Charlotte, rests the more than 17 acres of Highland Canine Training. What makes this center so unique is that it trains dogs for therapy in the community. These dogs work with underprivileged, elderly, and incapacitated individuals bring joy, confidence and a friend. Highland Canine Training also has locations in and surrounding Charlotte, Lake Wylie - SC, Lake Norman and Hickory.
I got an opportunity to interview trainer, Linda Taylor about the program and training provided for the Therapy Dogs. This is what she had to say.
Q: What types of dogs do you train? Are there certain breeds that make better trainees?
A: I train all types of dogs and all breeds, no exceptions. Some breeds are easier to train than others such as Retrievers, Shepherds, Labs and mixed breeds, however each dog has something that drives them and this is what I use to train. An example is a dog that has a strong drive to chase balls, he would be trained and then rewarded with a game of chase the ball.
Q: Where do your dogs come from?
A: Most of my trainees are owned by pet owners who want their dog trained in Obedience, Advanced Training or Therapy Dog work.
Q: Do your dogs go to individuals or local organizations?
A: My dogs can be found in the Charlotte Mecklenburg School System, in nursing facilities, hospice facilities, private homes and any where a little love and understanding is needed.
Q: How long does it take to train a therapy dog?
A: It depends on the dog. In order to become a Therapy Dog, my dogs must have Basic Obedience, and they must pass the Canine Good Citizen test. After that is done the owner and dog must attend my Therapy Dog class which is 7 lessons. If a dog does not have the prerequisites, he or she must enroll in one or more of my classes. The classes are 6 week sessions. I always spend extra time with my Therapy Dog students to ensure they understand the importance of their work. We work on role playing, and we also work with equipment found in hospitals or nursing facilities and independent living businesses.
Q: What benefits come from a therapy dog?
A: The benefits of becoming a Therapy Dog Team are countless. Our dogs that are in the school system are Reading Dogs. These dogs help children learn to read with confidence. The dog sits quietly while the child reads. The advantage to this type of dog is the dog silently listens. The dog doesn’t make comments and is nonjudgmental which is important to a child that needs extra time to read or for a child that lacks confidence reading out loud. We have seen students who were failing catch up with classmates because of a Reading Dog. In a Nursing Home environment the Therapy Dog gives the residents something to look forward to. They bring a smile to residents, and for some residents, they are the only visitors they have the chance to see. Therapy Dogs have been known to move a completely silent resident to one that likes to socialize and laugh again.
Q: Why did you choose to become a dog trainer for therapy dogs?
A: The reason I chose to train Therapy Dogs is that I am giving back, in a small way, for all the good things that have been given to me. Also, there is no greater joy than knowing I am making a huge difference in someone’s life. People smile and get excited when they see a Therapy Dog, whether it is out in public or whether it’s walking into a class room or a nursing facility. The look of joy and excitement can’t be expressed in words; it would need a picture. The actual training for Therapy Work is rewarding in it’s own way. The dog enjoys the work and knows the importance of their mission. My own Therapy Dog, Mona, knows when she is needed and starts working at that moment. Giving my Therapy Dogs a job and a mission rounds the entire experience out for me, my dogs, and my students and nursing home residents.
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