Author tells of therapy-dog training and uses

By Mimi Pollack

VISTA, California—Liz Palika has the right characteristics for a good dog trainer. She is firm and pragmatic, with a heart of gold.

Together with the affable Kate Abbott, and Petra Burke, Palika co-owns Kindred Spirits which she started. Kindred Spirits, in this northern San Diego County city, offers a variety of dog classes from basic to intermediate obedience classes, along with canine-good-citizen, and pet-therapy training.  The Kindred Spirits staff will work with both the owners and their dogs to see if a dog has what it takes to do different types of pet therapy work. They also offer private classes. They work in conjunction with Love on a Leash.

When a dog has completed its pet therapy training with Kindred Spirits, Love on a Leash provides the official certification.

Working with dogs has been a lifelong passion for Palika. Her first pet-therapy dog was Carebear in 1986. When she saw he was bored and needed more to do, she contacted an activities director at a nursing home and began to visit. Other facilities followed, and she realized there was a wide need for this type of service, so Love on a Leash was founded in 1994. It became incorporated in 1995 as The Foundation for Pet Provided Therapy. It has grown to 28 states, and is a non-profit organization. Although no longer on the board, Palika continues to work in conjunction with them. As the organization has grown, and members have moved away, they have formed their own chapters in different states.

Pailka had had 13 pet-therapy dogs over the years. Her preference is for Australian Shepherds, and she likes to have three at a time, a younger, middle and older dog. She gives them all names from Star Trek, and her current dogs are Bones, Sisko, and Bashir. Bones, the youngest is still in training, but once a week, Sisko goes to various assisted-living facilities and Bashir likes hospice. They also participate in the training classes at Kindred Spirits.

Palika believes that the owner should work with the dogs and see where they like to go and feel most comfortable. For example, Riker, her beloved dog who passed away last year, loved working with children, so Palika used to take him to day care/after-school facilities for foster children. He thrived there and brought joy to those he came in contact with. Palika has had a satisfying life bringing this special kind of joy to others, working with dogs and their owners for over 25 years, as well as writing many books.

Her most recent book is Love on a Leash: A Guide to Pet Therapy Training. In it, she notes that animals have a way of reaching and touching others. They can communicate and comfort in a way that humans sometimes can’t. When a well-trained and loving dog (or even cat or rabbit) is brought to a retirement home, a nursing-and-rehabilitation facility, or a hospice, it brightens the day of so many people, bringing positive companionship. That is why pet-therapy dogs provide such an invaluable service, and there are many pet owners who would like their pet to participate. However, if someone is interested in having their pet do this type of work, it is very important to do some research first.

The book provides an informative step-by-step guide. It is organized in a clear and concise way with enough details to explain the necessary information. Each chapter covers a different aspect, including basic and specific obedience training, what a pet-therapy dog does, and if your dog qualifies, where to volunteer and the types of facilities, visiting guidelines, evaluation and certification, and finally, the joys and potential problems. There is also a chapter on other types of pet-therapy animals besides dogs.

The first part of the book covers all the benefits of canine companions and pet-therapy dogs. It also clearly states the difference between a pet-therapy and service dog. This is an important point as many people have been abusing service-dog vests which they purchased online. Real service dogs can accompany their owner anywhere; whereas, pet-therapy dogs are only allowed to visit in designated facilities.

The next part of the book states important traits that a pet-therapy dog must possess in order to be successful. It also asks the dog owners to honestly assess whether they have the characteristics to do pet-therapy work with their dogs. It is important to have a calm and well-trained dog and a good sense of humor.

In addition, the book offers a wealth of information for pet owners to consider, helping them to decide if pet therapy is for them. This includes what it takes to be successful as half of a pet-therapy team, and the types of facilities at which one can volunteer, such as hospices, hospitals, retirement homes, and school and library reading programs. For example, at both physical and occupational therapy places and in special education classrooms, visits from a therapy dog can be used as an effective motivational tool.

Finally, the book provides guidelines for getting pet-therapy animals successfully evaluated and certified. Palika gives delightful, personal anecdotes of her own pet-therapy dogs, and what she has learned from them over the years, including Riker whom the book is dedicated to. There is also a chapter at the end of the book on other successful therapy animals, including Flea, the cat, and Sprouts, the rabbit.

*
Pollack is a freelance writer based in the San Diego suburb of La Mesa, California.  She may be contacted via mimi.pollack@sdjewishworld.com