I looked at funding and several groups that offer service dogs of different kinds. She should check the net for local groups. The waiting lists are so long, its hard to get a service or therapy dog from the established organizations. There are way more deserving recipients than there are dogs. Vets and certain ‘mainstream recognized groups’ get preference. If you fall outside those catagories, it gets harder. However, in most states, you can train your own. Texas being the biggest exception. I recommend Stewart Nordensson’s “Teamwork” & “Teamwork II” (ISBN 9780965621618) As the best ‘train your own books’ out there. Then she should get a RX for one from her MD, and a letter. The dog can not be protection trained. “Teamwork” gives the basic training skills for those who aren’t proficient already. “Teamwork II” is specifically for service dogs. Therapy dogs are service dogs and should be trained to pass all the standard service dog skills tests, regardless of wether you take them through a program or not. If your dog’s in public, it needs to be under control, especially if you need it. While they can’t deny service dogs entry, they can ask you and an ill behaved or disruptive dog, even if its supposed to be a service or therapy dog to leave. The other thing you can do is hire a trainer. They can either do it for you or coach you. Often there are local groups working on training there own together. Most also work to get their CGC. 🙂
You can use any dog with the appropriate temperament as a therapy dog, providing he/she is trained. So you can train the one you have or adopt a suitiable dog from a pound, or purchase one for training. There are lots of options. Stewart’s books will really help her to solve her problems outside the box. 🙂
