My therapy dog MUST wear a COLLAR?!

[gaijingirl]

We just passe our therapy dog test yesterday. Today I get an email from the evaluator saying she had just double checked and the organization (TDInc) requires a dog to wear and walk with a collar not a harness. So, I'm required to attach a leash to a collar to walk my 4-lb dog?! I'm so upset about this. I don't believe it's safe for any dog to walk with a collar, but especially not a tiny dog prone to colapsing trachea. What do I do? Would any of you compromise something like his for therapy dog visits? I feel like this is really a very dangerous thing and feeling really discouraged that this would be nessessary.

[TresCutePiggies]

I wouldn't, and it's exactly why I opted out of a group when we were living in the Philadelphia area. It's ridiculous. For awhile now, the AKC has permitted dogs to pass the Canine Good Citizen test on a harness as long as it is not the corrective type, so there is really no excuse.

I'm so sorry you've found yourself in this situation, especially when you want to do something so wonderful for others with your pup. I hope you can find a group that will accommodate harness use.

No one has been able to give me a rationale for why it has to be that way. The group I mentioned above simply told me she had chihuahuas that walked on collars, and they were all fine. What does that have to do with me not wanting to put my dog in a potentially dangerous situation? Good luck!

[ironmike86]

I had to do stuff and Moki was require to wear a collar. Think thats just genetic saying??
But I got him a collar just for his Id and license but had his harness with his leash Was always accepted. Ppl just don't know whats right. I really think it up to the trainers judgement??

[Lovetodream88]

I have seen pictures of therapy dogs with harnesses on. I would just use the harness and if someone says something I would explain why it's dangerous.

[Nancy1999]

It says here that they can wear a harness as long as they are wearing an approved collar. One of the approved collars is a quick release, this absolutely makes no sense to me, but it's in the rules. Quick release collars shouldn't cause any damage to their throats. Also, read rule 10, they do make exceptions, I think if you show them a picture of a harness like the Buddy Belt with it sturdy buckle, they will probably make an exception, they don't want a harness that has Velcro or those little plastic clips that easily become undone. Lol, I just don’t understand why they'll accept a quick release collar.

Collars, including slip, buckle, quick release, martingale, limited slip, or any other smooth collars made of chain, nylon or leather, are acceptable. Head halters and body halters/harnesses made of fabric webbing or leather with metal or plastic buckles are acceptable when the dog is also wearing an approved collar. Body halters/harnesses fastened with Velcro® or metal clothing snaps are not allowed. Dogs wearing a body halter/harness or a head halter must also wear an approved collar.


10. Liability considerations require any special situations (exceptions) to be submitted in writing to TDInc. Each handler may handle only one dog at a time while participating in any TDInc. visit and/or activities. All exceptions require a cover letter from the handler explaining the reason for the exception. If requesting special equipment, a picture is required of the dog in the equipment (e.g., stroller, cart, etc.). Certain requests may require letters of reference from those directly involved or those who will need to be aware of these exceptions or situations (e.g., a facility, hospital, etc.). Obtain the appropriate information from the corporate office. Exceptions to these TDInc.
http://www.therapydogs.com/PDF/Member_Guidelines.pdf

[mimimomo]

Congrats to you & your baby for becoming a therapy dog! I would wear both, have the lead on her harness & if someone says something, switch it quick to the collar & give them a big smile & walk away carrying her. Maybe you can get your vet to write a letter to only allow harness for her...

[alaskayorkie]

Re-test with Pet Partners, Pet Partners® ? Touching lives through human?animal interactions - Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society). They don't require collars. Eddie has been a therapy dog for almost 5 years, and never once has he worn a collar on visits.

I think it's probably tied to the Canine Good Citizen test, which is part of the TDI requirements. AKC, which administers the CGC test, requires buckle collars to take that. I was told they could get an exemption, but it must include a letter from a vet saying the dog has a "severe" neck injury. Which I found ridiculous. He doesn't have a severe neck injury -- I'm trying to avoid that!

[TresCutePiggies]

Originally Posted by alaskayorkie

Re-test with Pet Partners, Pet Partners® ? Touching lives through human?animal interactions - Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society). They don't require collars. Eddie has been a therapy dog for almost 5 years, and never once has he worn a collar on visits.

I think it's probably tied to the Canine Good Citizen test, which is part of the TDI requirements. AKC, which administers the CGC test, requires buckle collars to take that. I was told they could get an exemption, but it must include a letter from a vet saying the dog has a "severe" neck injury. Which I found ridiculous. He doesn't have a severe neck injury -- I'm trying to avoid that!

They finally changed that a few years ago! Dogs can wear harnesses now for the CGC test. You can scroll down to view under the equipment section: AKC's Canine Good Citizen (CGC) Program

[gaijingirl]

Thanks for the responses everyone.

From what the evaluator told me, she believes that they require the leash attached to the collar because it gives more control. Control my dog by a collar? No, thank you!! If he needs to be controlled by a collar, he probably shouldn't be there anyway.

And yes, Nancy, I read the rules the same way. The evaluator told me she was unsure about it, so she checked with them yesterday and they told her that the collar must be attached to the leash. It is ridiculous. And, you still have to wonder when reading that, even if the leash IS allowed to be attached to the harness, why on earth they need to be wearing a collar? It's not a very clear statement. I would never have imagined there would be a problem with a harness.

I am going to ask about the exception. We always use Buddy Belts and there is no reason that should not be acceptable. If no exception can be made, the dog will have to be carried 100% of the time. It is not acceptable to me to put my dog's health and life at risk. I would ignore it, but from what I have been told, the rules have to be followed as written because of a liability issues.

I am positive that I took the CGC with a harness.

BTW, I would love to do Pet Partners, but due to feeding a dehydrated Raw food, I can't. After the first two years with a very, very sick little dog, his current diet has cured nearly all his symptoms. So, I'm not really willing to compromise that either...

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by gaijingirl

Thanks for the responses everyone.

From what the evaluator told me, she believes that they require the leash attached to the collar because it gives more control. Control my dog by a collar? No, thank you!! If he needs to be controlled by a collar, he probably shouldn't be there anyway.

And yes, Nancy, I read the rules the same way. The evaluator told me she was unsure about it, so she checked with them yesterday and they told her that the collar must be attached to the leash. It is ridiculous. And, you still have to wonder when reading that, even if the leash IS allowed to be attached to the harness, why on earth they need to be wearing a collar? It's not a very clear statement. I would never have imagined there would be a problem with a harness.

I am going to ask about the exception. We always use Buddy Belts and there is no reason that should not be acceptable. If no exception can be made, the dog will have to be carried 100% of the time. It is not acceptable to me to put my dog's health and life at risk. I would ignore it, but from what I have been told, the rules have to be followed as written because of a liability issues.

I am positive that I took the CGC with a harness.

BTW, I would love to do Pet Partners, but due to feeding a dehydrated Raw food, I can't. After the first two years with a very, very sick little dog, his current diet has cured nearly all his symptoms. So, I'm not really willing to compromise that either...

Yep, that's the drawback to Pet Partners. I would lobby TDI a little harder. If the CGC indeed dropped its requirement, there's no reason for TDI to keep it.

I actually exchanged emails with TDI a few years ago about this same thing, and they blamed the collar requirement on the CGC test.

[yorkiemini]

BTW, I would love to do Pet Partners, but due to feeding a dehydrated Raw food, I can't. After the first two years with a very, very sick little dog, his current diet has cured nearly all his symptoms. So, I'm not really willing to compromise that either...

what does that diet have to do with his ability to go with Pet Partners?

Cali went through her CGC in a harness and no one, even the evaluator, said anything a out it. One way around the AKC collar issues is to use a good fitting martingale - course I had to make my own because no one made one small enough. Several of the a therapy Dog training groups allow harnesses.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

BTW, I would love to do Pet Partners, but due to feeding a dehydrated Raw food, I can't. After the first two years with a very, very sick little dog, his current diet has cured nearly all his symptoms. So, I'm not really willing to compromise that either...

what does that diet have to do with his ability to go with Pet Partners?

Cali went through her CGC in a harness and no one, even the evaluator, said anything a out it. One way around the AKC collar issues is to use a good fitting martingale - course I had to make my own because no one made one small enough. Several of the a therapy Dog training groups allow harnesses.

Pet Partners sites a study that suggests dogs on a raw diet have a higher incidence of salmonella in their stool than dogs on cooked foods. Raw advocates don't buy it and say the study was flawed, but PP refused to reconsider.

Too bad. Hopefully more research will change things in future. PP lost some great teams because of it.

[yorkiemini]

Seems like if a dog had ingested enough salmonella to infect someone else they would be pretty sick pups themselves! Interesting I will ask the epidemiology/ infectious disease folks at the university.

Thanks for the explanation.

[alaskayorkie]

Originally Posted by yorkiemini

Seems like if a dog had ingested enough salmonella to infect someone else they would be pretty sick pups themselves! Interesting I will ask the epidemiology/ infectious disease folks at the university.

Thanks for the explanation.

I'd be interested in what they tell you. My mostly uneducated understanding is salmonella doesn't affect dogs the way it affects humans.

[yorkiemini]

Interesting. Then why do they bother with all of those recalls on salmonella contaminated food I wonder.