Furry friends pass the ultimate test
The dogs and owners visit old age homes, children's courts, hospitals and many other places where their touch can bring smiles for miles.
On Sunday 27 August 2017, Touch our Pets (TOP) Dogs had their first evaluation for new handler/ dog teams on the West Rand, at Lavender Lane in Muldersdrift.
Top Dogs is an organisation that teaches ordinary dog owners to use their dogs for touch therapy. The dogs and owners then visit old age homes, children’s courts, hospitals and many other places where being able to touch and pet them brings miles of smiles to everyone concerned.
Thirteen dogs and their owners from all areas took part in the evaluation session and learned what it takes to be part of the Top Dog programme. The teams were called together for a short briefing and introduction to the handlers who assisted on the day to make sure things went smoothly. Among the handlers present were Angie Thornton, Top Dogs’ president, Conor Hughs, and other honoured members of the organisation.
Louise Thompson was the accredited ABC behaviourist for the day, assisting with the evaluation process. The dog and handler teams go through several scenarios depicting what they might come across during a visit, for example wheelchairs, walking frames, whistles, bags being blown in the wind and general distractions. There are also tests set up to see how the dogs take to being approached, groomed and petted by strangers. There is also a crowd simulation and several other tests during the evaluation process.
The main focus of the evaluation is to see if the dogs and their handlers can remain calm and relaxed when dealing with these situations. Once all the assessments are done, the dog and handler are called in for a brief one-on-one discussion with the behaviourist. Once all is complete, the teams that have passed the test receive their files to start making their probationary visits.
Top Dog is proud to announce that all 13 teams passed their assessments and are looking forward to starting their touch therapy sessions soon.
Keep a look out for them in your area – they have two more evaluations scheduled for October 2017, one in Sandton and one in Benoni. If you think you have a suitable dog and can spare one hour a month, please send an email to info@therapytopdogs.co.za and join one of these sessions.
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