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Got Leash?
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| A cuddly duo at a Halloween Party ! |
All of our Canine Therapeutic Programs & Services are strictly volunteer. We provide testing, training, and insurance
for our certified therapy dog teams, who are committed to caring for the whole person: body, mind and spirit. Many of our
Dogs also become nationally certified R.E.A.D. & READY to READ
! (Literacy Education Assistance Dogs) assisting in schools, Canines for Christ Outreach teams who
work with youth groups and adults, and/or Social Signal Canine Teams that assist therapeutically
with special needs children and adults.
Ladies with Leashes requires that the dog and handler be tested AS A TEAM. That is, another person
may not handle your dog unless they are certified with it. All dogs are required to be clean, well groomed, up to date on
shots and parasite free.
We provide Canine Therapeutic
Services to the public in schools, hospitals, nursing and rest homes, as well as other facilities. We strive to
always improve and better the canine therapy handling skills of our wonderful Ladies with
Leashes and their canine assistants. We do this through seminars, advanced training and positive
interaction with those we assist.
How are Ladies with Leashes' Canine Therapy Assistants certified?
The prospective Canine Therapy Assistant
enrolls in a basic Canine Therapy Assistant
course. This is followed by successfully completing a temperament test, basic obedience evaluation, a demonstration of the
teams skills are observed on practice visits to healthcare facilities, all culminating in qualification upon an evaluation
of therapeutic dog assisted skills. Upon this basic certification other canine assistance qualifications may be achieved,
Social Signal, Autism Assistance, Literacy Assistance, and participation in the Red Cross supported Canine Crisis Support
Team.
Why
Certify ?
Each day the role of therapeutic working
dogs becomes more demanding. Therefore, the level of training and certification for handlers and these dogs constantly evolve
and become more progressive and challenging. Assistance dogs and other dogs utilized for therapy, service work and counseling must
maintain, and improve skills, to be more proficient, adept and capable of effectively handling the tasks presented to them
in their programs on a daily basis.
Organizations and agencies often
establish certifications for one reason; to allow the dog to demonstrate a level of proficiency in the areas in which they
choose to be certified. This is often done for liability purposes, a programs guidelines, and, or, individual objectives.
We believe handlers, and program administrators,
should strive to certify all teams, and trainers, to the highest level of proficiency in any situation where they utilize
their dog. Quality certifications ensure that all programs, and their canine teams, operate at the highest level of proficiency
possible to ensure the reliability of the canine team and excellent assistance to the facilities and individuals that they
serve.
Re-certification:
Our Program re-certifies its therapy teams on a periodic basis in order to provide consistent and up-to-date care
to all our patients.
More Information ?
Therapy dog/Volunteer training, evaluation, and certification
LWL's
has developed a program for adult volunteers and their dogs to become a Paws to Care Dog Team™, certified to volunteer for animal assisted therapy in our various programs,
such as healthcare facilities, community programs for adults and children, and disaster relief. The training consists of 10
highly effective sessions that teach dogs and their handlers the necessary skills and procedures to participate in animal
assisted therapy. Adult volunteers are not only taught how to work with their dog, but also how to comfortably and confidently
interact with all types of patient populations in a variety of situations. Dogs are trained, through positive reinforcement
only, to hone their temperaments and gain the necessary mannerisms and skills to navigate a healthcare environment and become
a therapeutic assistant to someone in need. Teams are tested and evaluated throughout the training course and certified upon
completion of the course to work as a Paws to Care Dog Team™. They are
also monitored and assisted as they first enter animal assisted therapy work and re-certified on a yearly basis. Advanced
qualifications may be obtained upon this certification with continuing education.
Coordination of Programs and Volunteers
LWL's seeks out, establishes,
and maintains relationships with healthcare facilities open to animal assisted therapy. These partner institutions are the
facilities our volunteers visit. LWL's coordinates between the healthcare facility staff and the Paws to Care Dog Team™ to arrange schedules, patient information, and therapy
coordination. LWL's also provides opportunities for volunteers to participate in community programs. These varied opportunities
engage children and adults in all states of need throughout the community in both education and service-oriented projects.
Research
LWL's collaborates with researchers, healthcare professionals,
and other organizations to promote research studies that document the effects of the human-animal bond on human healing and
wellness. While there is much anecdotal evidence supporting the monumental benefits of animal assisted therapy, there is much
to be done in the world of scientific research and documentation to help open doors for animal assisted therapy to the healthcare
community and beyond.
We develop programs to meet the needs and goals of each facility.
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- We strive to provide educational programming in the following areas:
- Canine Assisted Literacy Services
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Canine Assisted Geriatric Services
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Canine Assisted Autism Services
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Canine Assisted Social Signal Services (to assist the
developmentally disabled )
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Canine Temperament evaluations
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Canine Assisted Therapy
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Canine Assisted Crisis Support Teams
We've grown! Huge Thanks for all your support! Please visit "our
sister" site at www.CANINETHERAPYPROGRAMS.COM
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| Beautiful Ladies with Leashes at a Halloween Party |
The Leash ?
(or do you
think your dog has what it takes to become a therapy dog ?)
- It's important to determine if your dog has the temperament and obedience skills necessary to become a successful
therapy dog.
- Not all dogs are “talented” in doing therapy work.
- Dogs must be well mannered around noise, other dogs, wheelchairs and other equipment, food, odd odors, all
kinds of people and working in all types of environments.
Recognize what
you are most comfortable with in order to assist where you may be most helpful.
This is where
Ladies with Leashes & Men with Mutts truly does the
most good!
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| A fun gathering of dogs and there partners. |
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| LIL' BO PEEP, a young lady with a leash ! |
Interested in learning more ?
- LWL'S offers numerous Canine Assisted Activity certifications for both canines and there human
partners.
- A recognized Temperament test is a prerequisite to all
LWL's canine assisted certifications.
- All regulations in each facility must be complied with and we expect all visitation
to be conducted professionally and considerately.
- Confidentiality of information is required by all therapy team members
in regards to those we visit.
- Team insurance coverage extends only to “scheduled club activities and
events.” In otherwords, “participation in nursing homes, hospitals and similar institutions with the therapeutic
use of dogs.”
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| Take a look at our Class FUN! |
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© LWL All Rights Reserved
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OUR MOTTO : " Our Best Friends Have Hairy Legs " |
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| Have a Joy Filled Summer Season! |
*A Canine Care Assistance Program.© LWL's All Rights Reserved. 2006. All material, photo's,artwork, articles, and content of this web site, and it's pages,
and organizational links, are copyrighted to CCWDA and/or LWL's.Permission MUST be granted to use all or any part of.
"And God is able to make all grace abound
to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work." 2 Corinthians 9:8
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