I think Dexter is going to be a therapy dog!

[Clyde_Dexter]

It took me three years before I was ready to adopt another dog, as Clyde was and has been a complete handful since the day I adopted him. but on October 20th of 2012 I adopted a male AKC 12 week old yorkshire terrier puppy


Granted that Clyde got the athletic ability & trainability when it comes to sports, he is not so hot around other people/dogs.

Dexter on the other hand came from excellent breeders and has 0% issues both physically and mentally. The breeder has a lot to do with the absolute wonderful disposition that Dexter has. The breeder put SO much work into raising her puppies. Dexter has had this absolute perfectly sweet but confident disposition since Day 1 that I brought him home.

Here are the reasons I think Dexter should be a therapy dog:

1. He doesn't react to loud noises, and he doesn't freak out about new things being present.
2. He is smart & obedient (walks well on a leash and knows tricks and such)
3. He is not dog reactive. He ignores dogs that we pass while going on a walk, and doesn't care much to socialize with other dogs outside of the home, but is always friendly off leash. Never aggressive.
4. He does not jump all over new people, but rather waits calmly until someone gives him attention
5. He is excellent with people of all ages (from toddlers to the elderly). Dexter does not discriminate, and he is ALWAYS gentle.
6. He has the softest hair to pet
7. He knows his name, comes when called, and does everything on command when asked (the first time)
8. He travels well
9. He has been described as a living teddy bear because he will literally let you tug on his ears, play with his tail, blow air in his face, snuggle him close, pet him, hold him like a baby, dress him up, put his hair up in a top knot, paint his nails, hold him tightly, brush his hair, give him kisses, open up his mouth and brush his teeth, take toys out of his mouth or treats, and will tolerate it all without once ever putting up a fight or acting aggressive.
10. He makes people laugh and dog lover's always are a little happier after Dexter says hello to them while I'm in town or at the park.


It is so funny how you can have two dogs of the same breed, but worlds apart in personality. Clyde is my little athlete, but Dexter seems like he would be happier with a different "job".

With all of that being said, I think Dexter would be an excellent candidate for becoming a therapy dog.
what do you think?

I'd love to hear from other people who have certified therapy dogs. I know a little bit about the process because I looked into it for Clyde, but determined that he was not a good fit for such a job.


Well ... that is all for now!!!
Sarah, Clyde, & Dexter

[MY OSCAR]

well i do not have or never have had a therapy dog but it sounds like dexter has all the qualitys need.
you should most definetly get him tested and see if he qualifies per their standards..

[gracielove]

He sounds like a wonderful little guy. Good breeding and proper socialization can make all the difference in the world when choosing a purebred pet.

[Verbena]

I agree.you don't just buy the pup, your buy the breeder too.

[Teresa Ford]

I have and did train therapy dogs. Your dog sounds like he has the makings of a good therapy dog.
Therapy dogs should be Vet checked, up to date on all shots, free from fleas, worms and other health issues. They should be freshly groomed, with short blunt nails and good dental health (no bad breath).
Start with the basics puppy training / obedience. Get your AKC Good Citizens Cert. Teach him that when he has his vest on, it work time. It is useful to teach your dogs some cute basic tricks too. Especially if you are going to do visits with children.
One of my dogs is excellent with children, but hates visiting the Cancer patients, we think she is very sensitive to the Chemo drugs. She has to be lifted to child and she just closes her eyes and goes very still, allowing them to pet but not really interacting. She does beautifully with children that are not doing Chemo. Know your dog and excellent training are so very important. God Bless, and thanks for passing on the Love !

[CouversMom]

I think it's great that you are looking into training Dexter to be a therapy dog. I wish that my two were bullet proof enough to do that... lol

[MandiesMom]

From your description of Dexter, he sounds like he would make a wonderful therapy dog. I say go for it!!

[Clyde_Dexter]

Originally Posted by gracielove

He sounds like a wonderful little guy. Good breeding and proper socialization can make all the difference in the world when choosing a purebred pet.

It really does! When I got my first dog I was uneducated about the importance of finding a good breeder. So I'm pretty sure that Clyde came from some random backyard breeder, so to speak. He had a lot of medical issues and behavioral issues that needed correcting. Now that I have Clyde I would never give him up for anything, but I know now to make sure that if you are not rescuing that you are adopting from a reputable breeder! It really does make all the difference in the world.

[Clyde_Dexter]

Thanks everybody! I have officially decided to just go for it! I've signed up for an AKC good citizen class (that will be the first step). Dexter got a slight cough that I will have to get under control before I start any serious training but he is definitely on his way to becoming a therapy dog!

[DBlain]

Dexter sound like a great dog and a lot of fun to be around.

I don't want to come off wrong when I say this because I am very much supportive of rescue groups and I bow down to those that take on pups with issues, but it also speaks to why some people want a puppy and not a rescue. However on the other hand some dogs regardless of good breeding have issues, my last purebred Kirby, came from a good breeder who was known in the show ring for having nice dogs, however he was a 4 lb ball of angry aggression, that was not happy unless you were playing tug of war with him, but you had to be careful playing with him because he would bite hard to get his toy. He also showed absolutely no affection toward me and had lots of weird hangups. The pair of yorkies I had before him were like living teddy bears and I spent years with them visiting nursing homes, they would look at me like I hung the moon, Kirby would not even look at me Now I have Lola a yorkie mix, when I got her I was not sure what to expect, all I knew is that Kirby came close to completely turning me off yorkies, so I wanted something a little different. Lola has probably the best personality of any dog I have ever had and I got her at 4 months old from what I realize now would be considered a broker. Sometimes it's the luck of the draw on the personality of your dog, but I think it helps to socialize and train them from an early age.

You will enjoy doing the therapy, I am assuming you will visit nursing homes and so forth, the people really enjoy seeing the dogs, especially if they can do tricks or wear cute outfits. YOu know I think I will look into it with Lola, thanks for inspiring me.

[gracielove]

Just because someone is well known in the show circuit is not a guarantee of anything. There are people who show who do not socialize their dogs properly and who do not know a great deal about genetics. They got their start by buying into good lines and many times just luck out for a few generations.

Every buyer of purebred dogs needs to educate themselves about who they are dealing with and what background the dogs have. There are good and bad in every area of life and the show circuit is no different. If someone is just breeding to produce perfect conformation and leave out the personality aspect then they are going to have problems in that area.

Buying from a breeder that can explain their breeding program and give excellent references certainly puts a buyer in a much better position as far as getting a good puppy. Early and continued socialization is also extremely important.

I'm sure many owners can give examples of problems with mixed breed dogs as well. I know of a couple myself who inherited the worst genetic defects of both breeds. Buying a mix of two different purebreds is not a guarantee of health and personality especially if one of them has a problem genetic background. The genetic roulette wheel can be a cruel thing.

[alaskayorkie]

As the owner/trainer of two current Yorkie therapy dogs, I'd agree with the group: Dexter sounds like the perfect candidate.

All of the things you mentioned come up in the Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society) test and likely Therapy Dogs International.

Study up on the requirements for testing because much of the test comes from how prepared the handler is and how well the handler interacts with the dog, the evaluator and others involved in the test.

My experience with Pet Partners is evaluators want to see the handler reassuring the dog throughout the test and intervening at the slightest bit of discomfort. They want you to role play with the volunteers and evaluator in the test but always, always, always pay close attention to your dog.

Those things likely will be second-nature to someone with such a good relationship with your dog. Good luck!

[DBlain]

Originally Posted by gracielove

Just because someone is well known in the show circuit is not a guarantee of anything. There are people who show who do not socialize their dogs properly and who do not know a great deal about genetics. They got their start by buying into good lines and many times just luck out for a few generations.

Every buyer of purebred dogs needs to educate themselves about who they are dealing with and what background the dogs have. There are good and bad in every area of life and the show circuit is no different. If someone is just breeding to produce perfect conformation and leave out the personality aspect then they are going to have problems in that area.

Buying from a breeder that can explain their breeding program and give excellent references certainly puts a buyer in a much better position as far as getting a good puppy. Early and continued socialization is also extremely important.

I'm sure many owners can give examples of problems with mixed breed dogs as well. I know of a couple myself who inherited the worst genetic defects of both breeds. Buying a mix of two different purebreds is not a guarantee of health and personality especially if one of them has a problem genetic background. The genetic roulette wheel can be a cruel thing.

you are so correct, buying from a show breeder or picking a puppy up from the pound does not guarantee a great personality. What I should have been more clear on, was the breeder I bought my last purebred from was "known" to have nice dogs or dogs with "nice personalities", not just beautiful dogs. However like with humans, dogs regardless of their pedigrees can give birth to offspring with varying personality traits.

[Clyde_Dexter]

I understand what you guys are saying when you say that just because someone has dogs with nice pedigrees does not mean that all the puppies produced by that dog will have great personalities.

What I meant when I said that I attribute a lot of Dexter's good behavior to the breeder was simply that she put a lot of time and work in making sure her puppies grew up in a stable environment and she began positive training early.

Dexter actually is not up to AKC standard. The women that I bought him from had two purebred (champion line) AKC standard (they came from a long line of show dogs) Yorkshire terrier's. The women was actually very surprised when Dexter came along. All of Dexter's siblings were all small, and up dates of those puppies show they will all be between 6-7lbs when fully grown. Dexter on the other hand is large. He was the largest puppy of the litter. He has a cotton coat, which none of the other puppies had.

Obviously genetics is a tricky thing. Good or bad breeding does not guarantee that the puppies will be perfect genetically with wonderful personalities.

What I meant by saying I attribute a lot of Dexter's great disposition to the breeder was that she put a lot of effort into how she raised her puppies. The puppies in her litter all had different personalities. Some were a little more reserved, others were extremely outgoing and energetic, and one seemed like a little snot LOL ... but the one thing I noticed about ALL of her puppies was that they all were stable in their personalities. Meaning that they were all not scared (new objects didn't spook them), they all were very tolerant, and they all were well socialized. What I mean by socialized is that even if their personality was a little reserved the puppies did not mind being around new people and new dogs (no aggression or fear in these situations). They all had their own unique personality, but they were all very stable.

I completely agree with DBlain & Gracielove. Good breeding genetically doesn't mean great personalities. And bad breeding doesn't mean bad personality. The genetics & personality trait can be a tricky thing.

But in my particular case I think breeding & the way the puppies were raised were both attributing factors in how Dexter turned out. I know that it isn't the same for every dog, though.

I really enjoy reading the different opinions of everyone. I think you both had excellent points that both made a lot of sense. ^-^

[Clyde_Dexter]

Originally Posted by DBlain

Dexter sound like a great dog and a lot of fun to be around.

I don't want to come off wrong when I say this because I am very much supportive of rescue groups and I bow down to those that take on pups with issues, but it also speaks to why some people want a puppy and not a rescue. However on the other hand some dogs regardless of good breeding have issues, my last purebred Kirby, came from a good breeder who was known in the show ring for having nice dogs, however he was a 4 lb ball of angry aggression, that was not happy unless you were playing tug of war with him, but you had to be careful playing with him because he would bite hard to get his toy. He also showed absolutely no affection toward me and had lots of weird hangups. The pair of yorkies I had before him were like living teddy bears and I spent years with them visiting nursing homes, they would look at me like I hung the moon, Kirby would not even look at me Now I have Lola a yorkie mix, when I got her I was not sure what to expect, all I knew is that Kirby came close to completely turning me off yorkies, so I wanted something a little different. Lola has probably the best personality of any dog I have ever had and I got her at 4 months old from what I realize now would be considered a broker. Sometimes it's the luck of the draw on the personality of your dog, but I think it helps to socialize and train them from an early age.

You will enjoy doing the therapy, I am assuming you will visit nursing homes and so forth, the people really enjoy seeing the dogs, especially if they can do tricks or wear cute outfits. YOu know I think I will look into it with Lola, thanks for inspiring me.

Dexter definitely can dress up & he has a few cute tricks up his sleeve
I do plan to visit nursing homes and so on. I'm very happy that I was able to inspire you in some way! You should let me know how looking into being a therapy dog for Lola goes!