Kristin has big plans for Animal Assisted Occupational Therapy with her rescue dog Winston.

In this 26th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I sat down with Kristin and her Aussie Coonhound, Winston, about their exciting journey into Animal Assisted Occupational Therapy. We’re also joined by Elise, a Tester/Observer for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), and our pups Sunny and Moosh.

In this episode, we discuss …

• What Kristin looked for in a rescue dog with Animal Assisted Occupational Therapy in mind.
• The differences between organizations and tips on how to find the right fit for you.
• Kristin's preliminary research on Therapy Dogs and children on the Autism spectrum.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/winston_the_aussie_coonhound

https://instagram.com/mooshthetherapydog

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/26

Did you know Therapy Dog organizations have Junior Handlers and that their requirements differ from adults?

In this 25th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Katelyn, a Junior Handler, and her therapy dog named Ace. Katelyn shared her experience as a Junior Handler for the Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD), and what it takes to transition from a Junior Handler to an Adult Handler. We also talked about why Katelyn enjoys visiting the local college with Ace and the stories she’s heard from people while volunteering.

In this episode, we discuss …

• What it's like to be a Junior Handler and how Katelyn's opportunities will change when she can volunteer on her own.
• Ace's extreme love of people and how that has impacted the way that she raises her new puppies.
• Katelyn's history of competing with Ace and how it connects to her work as a Therapy Dog team and breeder.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/skyward_farms

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/25

Whoever said you cant teach an adult Labrador new tricks has not met Tori and her pups Lucy and Burt.

In this 24th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Tori Mistick and her two senior Chocolate Labradors, Lucy and Bruce, about their incredible journey of certifying Lucy as a Therapy Dog at age 6. Tori, who runs the blog Wear Wag Repeat, shares her experiences and adventures with her dogs, proving that you can teach an adult dog new tricks.

In this episode, we discuss …

• How an encounter with a child let Tori knew Lucy had the right temperament for therapy work.
• What Tori used as a (not-so-secret now) trick to help Lucy pass her therapy test.
• Tori's reminder to enjoy the ride and to remember that there are always opportunities.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/tmistick

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/24

Ready to hear how a reactive dog let his person know that he didn’t want to be a Therapy Dog? If so, then this is definitely the episode for you.

In this 23rd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I have an insightful conversation with Jess Adams, a mental health therapist and reactive dog coach, and her rescue dog, Dio. We discuss their incredible journey to Animal Assisted Therapy and how Dio’s reactive nature led to the creation of Handlers and Humans, a group coaching program that helps dog owners and trainers navigate the emotional side of working with reactive dogs.

In this episode, we discuss …

• How tunnel vision can impact seeing what our dogs need and enjoy.
• Why we need to be able to cope with our own emotions in order to be there for our dogs.
• How being a reactive dog owner and a therapist led to group coaching for the human side of dog training.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/handlersandhumans

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/23

What if I told you that a Husky and her human are on a mission to pioneer Therapy Dog work in Korea? If that sounds intriguing, then this is definitely the episode for you.

In this 22nd episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Jeena (aka “Clinger”) and her Unimpressed Husky, Juno, about their inspiring journey to pioneer Therapy Dog work in Korea. Their story began with rescuing Juno just before she was set to be euthanized, and through dedication and hard work, they became a Therapy Dog team.

In this episode, we discuss …

• What it has been like to rehab Juno from not being able to bend her back legs to becoming an agility dog.
• What it was like to work through the Therapy Dog training criteria on their own for several months.
• How their experience with @petsastherapy_uk London has led them to collaborate with others in their area to pioneer Therapy Dog work in Korea.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/unimpressedhusky

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/22

Curious why a future Therapy Dog in Seattle first focused on becoming a skateboarder and certified Trick Dog?

In this 21st episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Hailey and her rescue dog, Darrel, as they work towards becoming a certified therapy dog team in Seattle. We dive into their unique journey, where they first focused on trick training and skateboarding before moving on to therapy dog training.

In this episode, we discuss …

• Why Hailey decided to focus on trick training as a precursor to Therapy Dog training.
• How Hailey tries to make each piece of their day intentional for their focus work and training goals.
• How the journey to Therapy Dog is not as linear or flawless as we often perceive it to be.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/darrelthedoge

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/21

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be a Children’s hospital Therapy Dog team and a Pet Partners evaluator? If so, then this is definitely the episode for you.

In this 20th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Michelle and her nine-year-old Golden Retriever, Buffy, about their incredible journey as a Children’s hospital Therapy Dog team since 2014 and Michelle’s experiences as a Pet Partners evaluator. Buffy, named after the vampire slayer, truly has a heart of gold and cares deeply for everyone she meets.

In this episode, we discuss …

• Why she thought Buffy would enjoy being a Therapy Dog.
• How your dog’s temperament impacts where you volunteer.
• What it was like to become a Pet Partners evaluator.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a watch or a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/buffy_the_therapy_pup

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/20

Have you ever wondered what it might be like to become a new Therapy Dog evaluator for an organization?

In this 19th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Elise and her senior Australian Shepherd, Moosh, about their journey as a therapy dog team and Elise’s recent role as a Tester/Observer for Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD). Elise found our podcast and suggested having an evaluator on the show, so I couldn’t resist inviting her and Moosh to join us!

In this episode, we discuss …

• The mobility of testing with a national Therapy Dog organization.
• How she finds herself rooting for new teams while testing them.
• What Moosh loves about being a therapy dog.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/mooshthetherapydog

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/19

Thea is training her Standard Poodle Bentley to partner with her in Animal-Assisted Therapy as a future Social Work dog.

In this 18th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I talk with Thea about her journey with her Standard Poodle, Bentley, as they work towards making him a Social Work dog for Animal-Assisted Therapy. Thea tells me how she found out about therapy dogs and her goal to include Bentley in her social work job. We chat about Bentley’s love for meeting people, his need to be calm around new folks, and what he would like about being a therapy dog.

In this episode, we discuss …

• What has surprised Thea in her journey towards Bentley being a Therapy Dog.
• How she hopes Bentley will help the people who she works with as a Social Worker.
• What Thea recommends for others who are interested in getting into Therapy Dog work.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/bentleyontheblock

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/18

Casie and her German Shorthaired Pointer (GSP) Kimbee enjoy volunteering on the Orlando Airport Therapy Dog team.

In this 17th episode of Therapy Dog Talk, I chat with Casie and her German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs), Kimbee and Kenobi, about their experiences as therapy dogs. Casie explains that she began training her dogs for therapy work after losing her sister and has volunteered with them in different places.

In this episode, we discuss …

• What it’s been like to train two German Shorthaired Pointers (GSPs) for therapy dog work.
• What signs she looked for to see which environment Kimbee would do best in.
• How you can help fight kids’ cancer by donating to St. Baldrick’s through Casie’s campaign.

—

I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do. Give it a listen and then let me know in the community which part you found the most helpful!

—

How to get started as a Therapy Dog team:

http://freeguide.therapydogtalk.com

Follow us on Instagram:

https://instagram.com/pawsitivepointers

https://instagram.com/therapydogtalk

Episode show notes:

https://sherrierohde.com/17