By Ruth Rainey, Nelson’s Pet Mom and Wife to Head of School Jay Rainey
Nelson and I completed the Touch Therapy Program in November 2024. We took three sequential classes with Duo Dogs—Basic Obedience, Pre-Touch Therapy, and Touch Therapy. It took about a year and a half to get the classes done, and each one was a prerequisite for the next class. Dogs and handlers need to be approved for Pre-Touch and Touch Therapy enrollment based on their performance in Basic Obedience. Midway through the Touch Therapy class, the trainer had individual evaluations to make sure that it was appropriate for the team to continue in the class. Nelson did really well in all the classes, and what I have learned is that he is smart, social, laid-back, happy, and undeterred. Overall, it was a great bonding experience. Nelson and I are volunteering at MICDS and other places in the community as well.
In Basic Obedience, we were introduced to numerous commands, such as “sit,” “down,” “touch,” “leave it,” and “climb.” The teacher would introduce the command and the desired behavior; then, they would teach us how to break it down into smaller steps to ensure success. We would practice the skills in class and ask questions. For homework, we reviewed each command with our dogs, and then, in the next class, the teacher called on us to demonstrate competency in each skill. Nelson‘s major motivation to master all the commands was the “high value” treat as a reward. In the class and at home, he got loads of treats practicing these new skills.
In Pre-Touch Therapy, Nelson and I expanded on the basic commands, and practiced skills such as “heel,” “rise,” “front,” “side,” and “back” and how to apply those skills to situations such as greeting people, door manners, and maneuvering in tight spaces. For homework, we were required to go to different locations in the community to practice these skills, and our trainer gave us detailed information on how to make the outings successful. Nelson and I went to Home Goods, the Plaza Frontenac stores, and Lowe’s. At Plaza Frontenac, Nelson pulled me toward the movie theater because he smelled the popcorn! We also practiced using the elevator in the mall. At Lowe’s, we passed a few tall ladders and a moving forklift. Each outing tested our skills and allowed us to spend time together in new environments. Other topics we learned in Pre-Touch Therapy included appropriate grooming for dogs, how to read your dog’s body language, and how to advocate for our dogs when needed.
The Touch Therapy class combined all the previously learned skills and added exposure to new environmental challenges, such as hospital and mobility equipment, unfamiliar sights and sounds, and an obstacle course. All of these new challenges tested our knowledge of how to manage our dogs and also gave us an opportunity to learn more about their temperament. Community volunteers helped to create simulated experiences in the classes that we might encounter in our work as a Touch Therapy Team. The simulations ranged from children running and screaming, adults wearing costumes, and patients and caregivers sitting in a hospital room, to seniors living in a care facility. In order to pass the class, the teams had a final demonstration, the Canine Good Citizen test, and a written test.
It was a long process, but worth it! Duo Dogs printed trading cards for Nelson to share with people. He keeps them in his cape when he volunteers.
When you see Nelson out and about on the MICDS campus, be sure to congratulate him on becoming a Duo Touch Therapy Dog!