"If you wonder how your dog can become a therapy dog, this is a great place to start. This book details our journey to becoming a therapy dog team from unruly behavior to training that ultimately led to passing a therapy dog test and to spreading joy and love in facilities accepting therapy dogs. It is also about perseverance and discovering something new and amazing about your dog, yourself, your bond with your dog, and what type of impact pet therapy has on others."--Provided by author

Therapy dogs transform the lives of students daily as they work with children in elementary schools. This collection of true stories details some of the amazing benefits from just a little loving care given by an elementary school therapy dog named Teddy. Teddy is a real-life therapy dog who worked with the school counselor at Whittier Elementary School in Clinton, Iowa, from 2003 to 2015. For over twelve years, students and adults alike have been drawn to Teddys warmth and unconditional love. From I just saw Teddy and felt better, to helping children cope with grief and loss of loved ones, these stories will warm your heart! Included as a bonus are just some of the love notes Teddy received from students over the years as well as retirement greetings as he left his school. In addition, see what Teddys handler, Karla, learned from him!

David Frei, the publicist of Westminster Kennel Club and the founder of Westminster's therapy dog charity, Angel on a Leash, along with his wife Cheri, a minister at Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of New York-Presbyterian, retell heartwarming stories of therapy dogs who change the lives of needy children at hospitals and rehabilitation centers. angelonaleash.org

Are you looking for a new and meaningful way to work with your dog? Do you want to improve the lives of those who would benefit from visits with a volunteer canine "therapist"? Then think about becoming a Therapy Dog team. The 2nd edition gives you all the information you need to select, socialize and train your dog for this important and rewarding work. Learn about certification, liability, and getting started. Includes a complete course outline for teaching therapy dog classes!

A practical guide for dog owners outlines methods for training and conditioning dogs to interact with the elderly, the handicapped, and the mentally disadvantaged

Avalanche a white, seventy-four pound Labrador retriever developed a special bond with Susan's husband, Joe. When Joe died suddenly on a family vacation, both Avalanche and Susan mourned his loss. But the relationship between dog and owner thrived when they became volunteers at a local hospital and enriched the lives of patients in their small hometown. Molly an orange-red Newfoundland mix was rescued by Emily. Naturally friendly, Molly was an excellent candidate to be a therapy dog. Molly and Emily visited hospitals and hospices and also listened to children read at an elementary school. Through it all, Molly was patiently teaching Emily an important life lesson. Stories about dogs like Avalanche and Molly form the basis of Transformation of the Heart a collection of engaging tales about eighteen therapy dogs and how they help each person they visit. But equally important, the stories show the power of partnering with a loving canine. It provides a unique insight on how the therapy dogs also heal the souls of their handlers. Heartwarming and inspiring, Transformation of the Heart demonstrates animals' unconditional love and their capacity for understanding situations that humans cannot. It reveals how dogs have the power to transform our hearts.

Learn to communicate with your dog—using their language “Good reading for dog lovers and an immensely useful manual for dog owners.”—The Washington Post An Applied Animal Behaviorist and dog trainer with more than twenty years’ experience, Dr. Patricia McConnell reveals a revolutionary new perspective on our relationship with dogs—sharing insights on how “man’s best friend” might interpret our behavior, as well as essential advice on how to interact with our four-legged friends in ways that bring out the best in them. After all, humans and dogs are two entirely different species, each shaped by its individual evolutionary heritage. Quite simply, humans are primates and dogs are canids (as are wolves, coyotes, and foxes). Since we each speak a different native tongue, a lot gets lost in the translation. This marvelous guide demonstrates how even the slightest changes in our voices and in the ways we stand can help dogs understand what we want. Inside you will discover: • How you can get your dog to come when called by acting less like a primate and more like a dog • Why the advice to “get dominance” over your dog can cause problems • Why “rough and tumble primate play” can lead to trouble—and how to play with your dog in ways that are fun and keep him out of mischief • How dogs and humans share personality types—and why most dogs want to live with benevolent leaders rather than “alpha wanna-bes!” Fascinating, insightful, and compelling, The Other End of the Leash is a book that strives to help you connect with your dog in a completely new way—so as to enrich that most rewarding of relationships.