# Hoping to find a mentor on the way to Therapy Dogdom



## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

Are you wanting Mercy to be a therapy dog, or a service dog for your son?


----------



## Newman'sKeeper (Feb 10, 2013)

Good luck with your journey. I can't imagine a more fufulling mission than therapy/service for either one of you


----------



## Vinnie's Mom (Jun 9, 2012)

With your determination and your calling, it will happen!


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

I hope she calls you back too! I have NO doubt that you and Mercy will succeed at this goal. ♥


----------



## cubbysan (Mar 13, 2007)

There are probably groups out there that you are not even aware of. I just recently hear of a couple in my area, I am now learning of many trainers in my area, that just don't really advertise, it is all word of mouth.

Ask your local GR Club, I am sure there are people there that would know, or call your local hospital and see what groups they use.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Millie'sMom said:


> Are you wanting Mercy to be a therapy dog, or a service dog for your son?


I am wanting Mercy to be a therapy dog for other special needs and hurting children with mental illness. Who knows, she might become useful for our son as well.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

cubbysan said:


> There are probably groups out there that you are not even aware of. I just recently hear of a couple in my area, I am now learning of many trainers in my area, that just don't really advertise, it is all word of mouth.
> 
> Ask your local GR Club, I am sure there are people there that would know, or call your local hospital and see what groups they use.


The GR club recommended dog training schools that were over an hour from where I live. I wish Dulles Gateway Dog Training Club still had training in Chantilly VA. They only have training in Purciville. The local kennel club where I live only teaches agility. Nothing wrong with agility, but God wants me to focus on using Mercy for His purposes. I need more obedience classes. I will be starting an Intermediate class at Petsmart with Vicki Rizzo, the same instructor who taught my husband Basic obedience with Mercy starting March 11th. I found Vicki Rizzo through the AKC, not Petsmart. I would not be taking Mercy to Petsmart except Vicki is an awesome trainer. We click beautifully. I took Mercy to an AKC training club for Basic, but their Intermediate/CGC prep course was in Alexandria! I had to go to Fauquier county to take a CGC course at Liberty Hill Pet Resort. I have since had a falling out with the dog trainer there, so I have decided to take Vicki Rizzo's Advanced class, which prepares for CGC also. I am more interested in getting Mercy her Therapy Dogs International rather than her Delta Pet Partners certification and perhaps a Therapy Dogs Inc certification since our local therapy dog club, Manassas Therapy Dogs, certifies through Therapy Dogs Inc.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

.....Still waiting for Kris to e-mail me back. I sure hope she does. :uhoh:She seems like an awesome person so far. Tritan is a beautiful Golden. I saw some pictures of him on the internet. He looks like Mercy somewhat.


----------



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

She doesn't need a CGC for therapy work with most organizations, so you can ask your local Therapy dog group what they require. That way you can focus more, instead of searching for all kind of classes that maybe are not even necessary. Mercy already took a lot of classes, didn't she? Enforcing and practicing what you have learnt there might be more important than taking the class again. You say you have already been a pet partner member, so you obviously know what is important...


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

inge said:


> She doesn't need a CGC for therapy work with most organizations, so you can ask your local Therapy dog group what they require. That way you can focus more, instead of searching for all kind of classes that maybe are not even necessary. Mercy already took a lot of classes, didn't she? Enforcing and practicing what you have learnt there might be more important than taking the class again. You say you have already been a pet partner member, so you obviously know what is important...


I know. I do practice usually during each of our walks on the commands she already knows. I could check into Manassas Therapy Dogs for their requirements. As long as Mercy is acting hyper and still pulling (I know she needs even more exercise) I will not be confidant in her ability to pass a TD test. I would feel safer taking one more intermediate class (There are no subnovice classes anywhere around where I live) and boosting both of our confidence levels before contacting an organization. It's a matter of getting her manners under control as well as building upon what we have already learned. Granted that Mercy's heeling is getting better and better with each walk, since I have been stopping every few steps to get her to stop. It takes alot of patience to do that. Still, I would feel safer if she has her CGC credential, because just like a resume it looks good to the organizations since it shows that she is reliable, controllable and dependable, a Delta Pet Partner slogan. Mercy is still not completely reliable, controllable or dependable in my eyes yet. When my last dog was 3 years old with more obedience and manners under his belt than Mercy does now, he was kicked out of 3 yes, 3 TD organizations, because he was so hyper. Granted that he was quite more energetic than Mercy. We didn't try again until 3 years later when he calmed down at the age of 6. By that time he was able to stay in all of the organizations including Delta Pet Partners from age 7-10. His dog aggression still restricted his opportunities. I am hoping we get closer to our goal and that I can confidantly call an organization later this year. Thanks!


----------



## furry and four paws (May 10, 2012)

If a dog can't pass the CGC test that animal has slim chances of passing any therapy dog test. CGC is the basis of all therapy programs tests. If you have already worked with one of your dogs as a Pet Partner, you know what to expect. Make contact with your local therapy dog group, find someone within the group to mentor you. Any training including agility is good training for therapy work. Your dog must be calm focused and in control. Farmers Markets, school yards, outdoor events, any busy public place you can take and work your dog do it.

A word of caution. Children especially special needs children are the most difficult population to work with using therapy dogs. Your dog even when she passes her certifications may still need time and practice. You also will need training in this very special area.

Don't give up hope find mentors close to home, for they can give you the most support.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

That woman never wrote me back. Sighhhhh! I am not sure if I should call the TD organization she works with, as you have to have a minimum of CGC before you can participate in their group. I had told her that Mercy still did not have her CGC, but am working on it. Did I commit a social faux pas? I could still use a mentor to help me with Mercy's jumping and pulling and any other bad manners she has. Sighhhhhh! I did start an intermediate class yesterday and she is already showing progress. I had been lax in using my clicker in part because we took Basic at a dog training club that used choke chains instead of click and treat. I will be practicing hard with my homework.


----------



## inge (Sep 20, 2009)

I don't think you did anything wrong, but if you know the organization wants CGC's as a minimum, then you know what you have to work for. I don't think you need a mentor at the moment. Maybe when you start the therapy work, to see what they expect, but at the moment you need to get Mercy in line: no jumping, no mouthing, no pulling...if she can't do that, she is not ready for CGC and certainly not for Therapy work, she needs to be 150% reliable. Most dogs are over 2 before they settle down....she is still a teenager!


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

inge said:


> I don't think you did anything wrong, but if you know the organization wants CGC's as a minimum, then you know what you have to work for. I don't think you need a mentor at the moment. Maybe when you start the therapy work, to see what they expect, but at the moment you need to get Mercy in line: no jumping, no mouthing, no pulling...if she can't do that, she is not ready for CGC and certainly not for Therapy work, she needs to be 150% reliable. Most dogs are over 2 before they settle down....she is still a teenager!


I know! Believe me I know!


----------



## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

Our therapy group does not require a CGC, so it would be good to check with your local groups. Tucker does not walk perfectly on lead, but that has never been an issue with our visits to schools, nursing homes or hospitals. He is always in control however. What is more important is that he is not hyperactive, but enthusiastic- yes! That is one of the reasons the director of our group likes him. They like to have dogs with various energy levels for different venues. It is important to keep up with the obedience training. How old is Mercy? Tucker passed his test when he was 2. The director said that was young for a golden. They usually don't see goldens passing until they are 3 or 4. We didnt pass the test the first time when he was 1-1/2. We a couple of things we worked on for 6 months and went back and passed the test. Good luck to you. Sometimes our calling does not unfold within the time frame we think it should. But that is not our choice. Be patient. There is a purpose to the journey, and it is not just to reach the destination. Bless you for hearing God's calling. We heard the same thing when we got Tucker.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

*Still longing for a mentor*

I keep looking at pictures and movies of Goldens from my Facebook feed (I subscribe to lots of daily Golden feeds) and wish I was friends with the owners of them. I know, having Mercy I should have tons of Golden Retriever friends right now, but I don't. I mean I know some people. I speak with one local Golden owner, but we're not close yet. I live in the worst suburb in my area for decent dog training resurces. I wish I lived in Virginia Beach, since they have better resources for Golden Owners there than anywhere else in the state of Virginia. Okay, no more of that. I am just gonna pour out my heart and say it:

I am struggling with social skills in part because I have pervasive developmental disorder which is related to autism. I have not been able to click with people very well. I keep thinking that (I know it's flawed) everyone else is on a different planet than I am. Why don't people from church that I thought wanted to be friends call me to see how I'm doing? By the grace of God, I can overcome my feeling rejected, because I know it is a self fulfilling prophecy. I have morals and convictions that I stick to and I do choose my friends carefully, so yes, I need to be more open to people who think differently than I do. I still will not compromise on my firm beliefs in Jesus Christ. He comes first before everything. Oh man! I so long for someone who is ten to fifteen years older than me who is experienced with Goldens and lives nears me who would take me under her wing and help me help Mercy to meet her highest potential as well as welcome me over anytime so Mercy can play with her Goldens. God has a purpose for Mercy and me. If God wills it, it doesn't matter if humans don't support you. However, I can't understand why people are not thrilled to be friends with someone who has the ideas, values, goals and dreams that I have. I am overcoming my low self esteem, knowing who I am in Christ. Yes, I probably reject others too. They can probably sense a wall and therefore don't think I want to be friends. I am very shy around people and hate to interrupt conversations.  I have been reading books and God's Word for many many years to help myself grow, and to the best of my knowledge I am obedient to God. I have tried leaving my comfort zone a few times. I have even tried starting a meetup group to find other people just like me (Outcasts with social barriers). I got a couple of people interested but then things came up. I even planned a free dinner to lure people over. Still, no one has signed up. What's the deal? I see myself as very different from most people. There are a few issues that I have to overcome to become emotionally whole and healthy and have more confidence. But at the same time, I am not going to pretend that I am somebody that I am not. I am still trying to figure out who God created me to be and why I am here. I could go on forever, so I am just gonna stop here.


----------



## CStrong73 (Jun 11, 2012)

You know, I used to be incredibly shy. To the point where it would take me MONTHS to make any friends in new situations. Which was tough, because my family moved every 3-4 years growing up. 

I still have trouble in large group situations, and it takes quite a while for me to truly feel comfortable with new people. I tend to have a few good friends, rather than many. I was always afraid of doing or saying something wrong, or worried about what people would think of me. To the point where I wouldn't make an effort for fear of rejection.

More recently, I've come to realize that I was WAY to concerned about myself and what people were thinking about me, and that more often than not, other people had the very same doubts and insecurities as I did myself. Even people that I had always considered to be very confident and/or outgoing. It's been quite an eye-opener for me.

In the end, nobody is perfect. All we can do is try. And if I make an effort to be friendly with someone and find that, for whatever reason, they don't like me or we don't click...then it wasn't meant to be. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with me or them....just wasn't meant to be.

I am sure things will work out for you when you least expect it. Just keep working toward your goals for yourself and Mercy.


----------



## Bentleysmom (Aug 11, 2012)

Just a thought. I recently joined MeetUp in my area, mostly for gathering puppy mill info but there's so many different kinds of meet ups. Sun we're going to a dog meet up where the dogs all get to play together for 2 hours.
I looked in your area and they have it there also. I didn't look through the list very good but you may find something that interests you. I see they have a moms Bible study and fellowship group.
They have a meet up for almost anything you can think of for like minded people. In fact, you can put together your own meet up if you want.
All I had to do was join up then when I saw a meet up that I want to go to I just click "I'll attend".
Here's the link for your area
Meetups near Manassas, Virginia - Meetup

I will pray that God lifts the weight from you today, I can tell it's heavy. Sending prayers and hugs!


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

CStrong73 said:


> You know, I used to be incredibly shy. To the point where it would take me MONTHS to make any friends in new situations. Which was tough, because my family moved every 3-4 years growing up.
> 
> I still have trouble in large group situations, and it takes quite a while for me to truly feel comfortable with new people. I tend to have a few good friends, rather than many. I was always afraid of doing or saying something wrong, or worried about what people would think of me. To the point where I wouldn't make an effort for fear of rejection.
> 
> ...


Thanks dear!


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

CStrong73 said:


> You know, I used to be incredibly shy. To the point where it would take me MONTHS to make any friends in new situations. Which was tough, because my family moved every 3-4 years growing up.
> 
> I still have trouble in large group situations, and it takes quite a while for me to truly feel comfortable with new people. I tend to have a few good friends, rather than many. I was always afraid of doing or saying something wrong, or worried about what people would think of me. To the point where I wouldn't make an effort for fear of rejection.
> 
> ...


Thanks dear! Sorry, for the duplicate. My computer is acting up on me.


----------



## MercyMom (Dec 19, 2011)

Bentleysmom said:


> Just a thought. I recently joined MeetUp in my area, mostly for gathering puppy mill info but there's so many different kinds of meet ups. Sun we're going to a dog meet up where the dogs all get to play together for 2 hours.
> I looked in your area and they have it there also. I didn't look through the list very good but you may find something that interests you. I see they have a moms Bible study and fellowship group.
> They have a meet up for almost anything you can think of for like minded people. In fact, you can put together your own meet up if you want.
> All I had to do was join up then when I saw a meet up that I want to go to I just click "I'll attend".
> ...


Thanks Joyce! I'm always on meetup, looking for friends. In fact, I am the organizer of the Retriever Hiking and Swimming Group. I took it over because it was cancelling and no-one else would take it over. 

Even so, my jaws are mysteriously locked shut as I go on walks with these people. Can you believe on March 30th when I had a hike scheduled, that I was running late and then I got pulled over by the Park Police right in front of my group. : Then Mercy pooped and I had forgotten my bag and had to ask someone for one.  Everyone passed me and kept going and would not hold up for me, even though I was the leader. When we got to a stream, midway through the walk, I saw another couple with a Golden that I did not see at the beginning of our walk. I wonder if they just went on ahead without me when they saw I was being pulled over. It wasn't long before the group continued on their way. In fact, I think they walked on because they saw me catch up. I finally caught up with them down the trail but only because they had reached a dead end! : A week later I had a meetup planned at Lake Anna. 20 people from two different groups were supposed to show up. Only one person showed up after I drove almost two hours away from home! He was from the other group, not the Retriever Hiking and Swimming Group. I wonder if words are being spread through the grapevine about what a dork I am, and so a lot less people want to come to my Retriever Hiking and Swimming Group meetup. This was on the 1st anniversary of Mercy's gotcha day! I even have movie footage of the group acting wierd towards me.





I decided not to complain about what happened and instead share the joy of my day instead.
http://www.goldenretrieverforum.com...ion/159489-celebration-mercys-gotcha-day.html

I have a meetup on June 1st at Manassas Naitonal Battlefield. We shall see how many of the people signed up will show up. If this meetup doesn't go well, I will probably have to step down as organizer from the Retriever Hiking and Swimming Group.


----------

