Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ

Therapy Dog Questions:

I am looking to volunteer with my dog, how do I get started?

To become a Therapy Dog team with CIC, your dog must attend CIC’s 8 week Therapy Dog training class. However, to join this class, you must successfully complete CIC’s Foundational Skills Training Class OR be an active membership with a traditional therapy dog organization OR pass an evaluation with one of CIC’s trainers. Once you are a Therapy Dog team with CIC, you can access your online portal for upcoming volunteer opportunities!

My dog is young/excitable/energetic/doesn’t listen well, but they LOVE people, would this be a good fit for them?

Maybe! One perk of CIC’s programming is that it is active, skills based work for your dog. This means it’s a good fit for younger, more energetic dogs compared to traditional therapy dog work at hospitals or nursing homes. While many CIC Therapy Dogs can do both types of therapy dog work, the excitable dogs fit best with CIC’s programs! Our Foundational Skills class will provide you with the dog training skills to help them navigate their big feelings, help them understand what we’re asking of them, and ensure you know proper methods to manage their energy. That being said, student and dog safety is first and foremost, so dogs that can’t regulate emotionally after training likely won’t be successful as a Therapy Dog.

My dog can sometimes be nervous or fearful, especially around certain types of people or in certain situations, would this be a good fit for them?
This answer is a bit more difficult to provide succinctly. Some of our best Therapy Dogs can be fearful of certain situations or specific populations of people — but this means that their volunteering locations are limited to ensure they aren’t going somewhere that may trigger fear. There is also an important distinction between a startle response to stimulus and uncontrollable fear when triggered. An example would be this — a janitor accidentally enters the gym at the school with a large cart, banging against the door on his way in. We might expect most dogs to jump at the sudden noise and new person, but once reassured, they settle down and go back to business, happy to work with their student. This would be a startle response. A fear response would be much more dramatic - the dog may begin barking, tuck their tail, tremble and try to run away. Dogs that have full fear responses cannot provide therapeutic interactions because they have triggered their sympathetic nervous system and are experiencing fight or flight emotions. Please reach out to Taylor to discuss your dog’s situation.

My dog doesn’t really like other dogs, would this be a good fit for them?

CIC Therapy Dogs first priority is the human students, NOT the other dogs. You will never have to let your dog interact with another dog, on leash or off leash, during classes or volunteer sessions. We ask all volunteers to be respectful of their dogs entering another dog’s “space bubble” during a session. If your dog can co-exist near 2 to 3 other dogs while on leash, they will likely still enjoy volunteering with CIC! However, if your dog experiences a lot of anxiety being in close proximity to other dogs, then CIC may not be a good fit for them. Please reach out to Taylor to discuss your dog’s situation.

If I become a CIC Therapy Dog can I volunteer at hospitals, nursing homes, or libraries?

When you become a certified Therapy Dog through Canine Inspired Change you will become eligible to volunteer at CIC’s many contracted schools and organizations in which CIC provides a 6 to 10 week long program. On occasion, CIC will host reading programs or provide one time sessions for different facilities such as a hospital or nursing home. Outside of CIC programming, your badge can be used to become a volunteer with the University of Minnesota’s PAWS team or with Interim Hospice. Other organizations may accept CIC’s badge for you to become a volunteer with them, however, this is often a case by case basis. You will need to check with the organization you wish to volunteer with to find out what their requirements might be. We are happy to answer any questions the organization might have for you. Please note, any volunteer sessions done outside of CIC’s programs are not covered by CIC’s insurance.

Dog Training Questions:

Do you provide dog training for dogs that aren’t going to be Therapy Dogs?

Yes!! A big part of CIC’s mission involves providing thoughtful, relationship based dog training to our community. Your relationship with your dog can be just as important as your relationship with your family or friends. We’re here to strengthen that. You can sign up for private training sessions or join one of our awesome classes. Learn more about our classes here.

Do you train dogs to be service dogs or emotional support dogs?

We do not train service dogs at CIC. We can provide training assistance for emotional support dogs, schedule a private training session to get started.

Do you offer financial assistance for dog training?

Yes we do offer financial assistance for both private training and training classes. Scholarships are available to help cover part or all of your training. Click here to apply! Our scholarships are available thanks to those in our community that take our existing classes and to our donors at CIC. If you wish to make a donation for our scholarship fund, reach out to Kate via email.

More questions coming soon.