Last Thursday, our Superintendent Mr. Bell made his weekly visit to Beaver, except this time he surprised us with a very special guest that had us swooning! Meet Tyrone's Therapy Dog, Legacy! Legacy is owned by Tyrone Public Schools and was trained from a puppy to provide love and service to the staff and students at Tyrone. The district even had a dog naming contest to name Legacy and many people have volunteered their services to keep Legacy nicely groomed and fed.

While visiting our school, many students asked Mr. Bell what tricks Legacy could do, and Mr. Bell responded that the only "trick" Legacy has been taught to do is give lots of love. Bell shared that he has seen Tyrone's student attendance and behavior greatly improve since having brought Legacy to Tyrone, and the same can be said for his staff attendance and morale.

Obtaining a therapy dog is an achievable goal for a school district that wants to add one to its school community. While creating a dog therapy program may initially seem overwhelming, it doesn't have to be. With the right resources, planning, and support, the process can be much more manageable than you might think.

Selecting the Dog Breed

Begin by reaching out to local area breeders, explaining the purpose and use for the dog. In many cases, the breeders would be interested in donating due to the intended use as a therapy dog. Remember, the school district can provide a tax receipt for tax donation purposes. The Goldendoodle breed is a great selection for a therapy dog due to the fact that they are highly social and extremely smart. They are great choices for allergy sufferers due to their non/low shedding coats. No dogs are truly hypoallergenic, but Goldendoodles tend to shed less and be less reactive than most breeds.

Goldendoodle

Goldendoodles are a specialty breed of a golden retriever and a standard poodle. By combining these two breeds, the result is a highly intelligent, great companion dog with a cheerful, calm and friendly personality. There is no dog that is truly hypoallergenic, but Goldendoodles are less likely to provoke allergic reactions than other dogs. Goldendoodles are easy to train, known to be friendly with strangers and other dogs and extremely social. When looking at dogs for the purpose of a therapy dog as opposed to a service dog, one wants a the most social dog you can find.

After you receive the dog, reach out to local veterinarians and groomers in the area. Some are more than willing, in most cases, to sponsor the school dog.

Liability Insurance

When looking into liability insurance, check your district liability insurance. Most districts currently have coverage without even realizing it. That can be verified with your district insurance agent. Separate policies can be purchased for $175 annually through Petcare Affiliates Insurance that provide a 2 million dollar policy. Once the dog is certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs, a 2 million dollar policy is included in the annual membership.

Training

Research training facilities in your area that adapt to your school needs. There are many training facilities that offer weekly trainings to attend. That option is more reasonably priced but takes longer to achieve certification. Legacy received her training from Spirit Dog Ranch in Tulsa in their Therapy Bootcamp Program. While the cost is higher, the dogs reside for a period of 14 days for the first bootcamp and 18 days for the second bootcamp. While residing with the trainers, the dogs are worked with constantly for that period of time. The trainers come to the school for a limited number of private trainings in addition to the handlers taking the dogs to Tulsa for private trainings in public. After completing both bootcamps and all private lessons, Legacy attended two 6-week training courses for advanced therapy and Click N Treat. Upon completion of both, she was tested and certified through the Canine Good Citizen Test. Once she passed, certification for Alliance of Therapy Dogs was obtained.

Thank you to Mr. Bell for sharing Legacy with us for one day! We fell in love with her and now the question flashes like a neon sign: Does Beaver Schools have a need for a Therapy Dog? We'd love to get your feedback!