What to Expect at an Ottawa Therapy Dogs Orientation
OTD Orientation aims to inform potential therapy dog handlers about this exciting and wonderful way of contributing to the community, with their companion dog, through therapy dog work.
Note that Orientation is held prior to undergoing our Evaluation. Prospective OTD members are required to fill out an application and submit the Evaluation fee prior to being put on the applicant wait-list for Orientation and Evaluation.
Our Orientation session begins with general definitions about therapy animal work, followed by a role play to demonstrate with fun and amusement how to/not to behave on a visit. We have a demonstration about good grooming, emphasizing infection-control issues for the dog, the handler and our clients. A discussion on zoonoses — diseases shared by humans and canines — further sensitizes prospective volunteers on the need for good health in themselves and their therapy animals.
Our dogs �work� with us and we are their advocates in this work. In order to safeguard them, we outline some signs of stress which is their way of signalling it is time for a break or time to end the session. Burnout is something we want to avoid in ourselves and in our dogs and so it is important to recognize their indivdual stress signs. To re-emphasize all these points we run a short video of therapy dog visits. Orientation concludes with a short question and answer period, giving handouts, & includes signing confidentiality agreements. The benefits of joining Ottawa Therapy Dogs are offered. The session lasts about two hours, usually a weekday evening at a facility where visits are taking place.
