# Vest appropriate?



## MidasMom (Jun 2, 2010)

So I signed my Midas up for a six week long class to get his CGC and then he will go the extra two weeks, pending him passing, to do the therapy dog certification. The class is not until September. My question is: can I get him a practice vest now and slap a therapy dog in training patch on it? When I take him places I WANT people to pet him. I feel kinda silly asking every person, "Hey, will you please pet my dog". I thought maybe the vest and patch will let people know that he is training and would like the attention. Is this appropriate or should I wait?


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

What organization will you be going through for therapy dog work? 

Some organizations use vests, but my understanding is that most do not. Many programs will have the dogs wear a bandana and the owner wear a special ID badge. Vests can cover up pet-able areas!

However, the program you will be working through may permit or require vests...check the policies.

Many service dogs and service dogs in training wear vests, and the goal there is that people do -not- pet dogs in vests (or at least without asking!).


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## MidasMom (Jun 2, 2010)

The organization is TDI. I am a newbie to all this so I guess I should check out the vest policy. I saw some really cute vests on ebay, they are small and don't cover up too much, and they have cute little patches that say "Please pet me, I am a therapy dog in training". Good idea to do something like this?


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## RedDogs (Jan 30, 2010)

Check the policies/rules, a quick google search does show that TDI (....or TDInc...?? I know there are those two orgs with similar names!) does not want the use of vests on therapy dogs.

A cute bandana may attract attention when you're out in public?


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## Dexell1827 (Feb 23, 2011)

I think a vest would be a great idea! Dexter has a vest with "Therapy Dog" embroidered between the shoulders and patches on each side that say "Ask to pet me, I'm friendly." He looooves that vest! I know when I purchased it, there was an option to get an "in training" temporary patch as well. I don't remember where I purchased it, but it's lasted six years in excellent shape.


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## Cathy's Gunner (Dec 4, 2008)

You can always take your dog into a nursing home (have a current vaccination sheet). They all love petting. Gunner is on his best behavior there. He has his CGC but I never did get the therapy cert.


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## Judi (Feb 26, 2007)

cathyjobray said:


> You can always take your dog into a nursing home (have a current vaccination sheet). They all love petting. Gunner is on his best behavior there. He has his CGC but I never did get the therapy cert.


Without being a member of a Dog Therapy group and doing Therapy work, you can be sued if something happens. The Dog Therapy group provides insurance, etc!


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## Mavrk (Mar 11, 2011)

Normally vests are for service dogs not therapy dogs. Maybe you could where a shirt with writing instead. I originally had a long term goal of CGC, but now I am thinking of therapy dog after that.


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## LibertyME (Jan 6, 2007)

Therapy Dogs International doesn't allow vests - unless - the location requires them. For instance, when Liberty and I were doing regular troop greetings at the airport, the airport security required us to buy a vest of a certain color and prominently display our group affiliation and group ID on the dogs vest, and the handler wear their badge on a lanyard so we could easily be identified from a distance. Because troop greeting are so popular here, they had had a couple of issue with John-Q.-Public bringing in aggressive dogs (one of whom tried to start a fight with a police bombsniffing dog) and dogs that were pissing on the airport furniture!!! :doh::yuck::doh:
I called TDI and they had _absolutely no problem_ with issuing a waiver.

Our local hospital requires the official group bandana, and the dogs therapy group ID as well as the dogs hospital ID be on the handlers lanyard with their ID at all times....which they checked routinely. Yep...they have had the same trouble as the airport....

Although I don't do therapy dog visits to nursing homes....I have many friends that do...they are clamping down too....

My point is - Because both service dogs and therapy dogs are routinely impersonated (im-canine-ated???) - - why even give the slightest impression that you would do the same when there is no need to do so for training purposes?

If you have a behaved, well groomed Golden. You will _NEVER_ have to wear a vest to attract stranger to come up to you and pat your dog. A cute colorful bandana certainly wont hurt! 




RedDogs said:


> Check the policies/rules, a quick google search does show that TDI (....or TDInc...?? I know there are those two orgs with similar names!) does not want the use of vests on therapy dogs.
> 
> A cute bandana may attract attention when you're out in public?


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## Phillyfisher (Jan 9, 2008)

LibertyME said:


> If you have a behaved, well groomed Golden. You will _NEVER_ have to wear a vest to attract stranger to come up to you and pat your dog. A cute colorful bandana certainly wont hurt!


We certainly vouch for this! This weekend at the beach, Tucker convinced 9, yes nine, very pretty, 20 something year old women to sit next to us and in a semicircle on the ground in front of us for some serious loving, much to the amazement of our 15 yr old son. 

We have a lot of local colleges nearby (5 within about 5 minutes of us) and they are excellent places to find many willing people to help socialize your dog. We also have a couple of outside malls that are good as well....


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