I would like to train my puppy to work in a nursing home. How do i start?

I am getting a Labrador retriever and i would like to train it well enough, so that its able to walk around the nursing home lifting up peoples moods. How do i go about doing so. Oh and are the dogs that do that considered service dogs? or what are they called?

You have to get it trained very well and then make it take the canine good citizen test and then after it passes that you can probably find a bunch of places to take him

Good for you to want to make a difference. Your lab should be obedience trained and earn his Canine Good Citizen, and have a calm demeanor. Not every lab can do this! But the ones can can are very nice. Many rescue dogs can do this sort of work, not just labs. It's temperament that counts. They are absolutely NOT service animals, which, as defined by the ADA must be trained to perform tasks. http://www.ada.gov/svcanimb.htm

In the UK they are PAT dogs - Pets As Therapy dogs.They are not considered service dogs in any way that will allow any special treatment such as going in shops or anything. In fact in the UK they have trouble insuring the dogs for 3rd party liability and this has now been taken up by the PAT dog association. See if you can find the right organisation, however, if you haven't yet even got the dog then you really have no idea whether his temperament will be sound enough. They go through rigorous testing.

Each dog is different. You won't know if your dog even has the right disposition until it gets older. Service dogs MUST be calm. First & foremost. Since Labs are on the hyper side it may take time to find the right one. Good luck.

Contact T.D.I. They are THERAPY dogs. Service dogs assist disabled people. Your dog will have to be evaluated and tested by a certified T.D.I. evaluator. If you pass, you will also need to join T.D.I, and purchase their insurance. Check their site for age limitations.EDIT: DOGS DO NOT HAVE TO PASS THE CGC TO BECOME THERAPY DOGS! So, to you who have said this, quit giving out incorrect info. The dog/owner have to be tested by a certified T.D.I. evaluator, and be supervised during their first three visits to the nursing home/hospital/wherever.

Dogs that go into hospitals, nursing homes, etc, are not service dogs; they are therapy dogs. (Service dogs are the ones that help disabled people, the blind, etc.)My dog is a certified therapet. We had to complete a 10 week course and he had to pass an extensive test.There is a page on my associations website where you can read more about pet therapy: http://www.mvpta.com/press.phpGood luck. It's great that you want to do this!

make it take the canine good citizen test

Before even being considered, your dog needs to pass the Canine Good Citizen test, if he hasn't already. After that, your dog can go into training to become a therapy dog. The test is: allowing a friendly stranger to groom the dog, walking politely on a lead, sitting and allowing a stranger to pet him, reaction around crutches, wheelchairs, breathing machines, etc, and coming when called. It's pretty similar to the CGC test. After that test is passed, the dog will get a vest with an "in training" patch... after several visits, some training and another test, the dog will be a registered therapy dog and you'll get a "therapy dog" patch and some paperand try this web sight http://www.doglogic.com/therapy.htm

They are called Volunteers! You need to start out by socializing and training your Lab. A "Good Citizen" obedience trained dog is preferred. I used to have a 9 lb Chihuahua (big girl) that I took to the nursing homes. It is heart warming how much the residents enjoyed her visits. Some of the old folks aren't quite with it any more and may want to hug a little to hard and your dog must be well enough trained to not panic over unusual behavior.

They are called "Therapy Dogs". A dog must be socialised and reasonably obedient before it can become a Therapy Dog. If your dog is not fully vaccinated when you get it, you can socialise it by carrying it around the outside perimeter of your local Supermarket. You can also take it to the school gates when the kids are coming out. Have a pocket full of healthy treats and ask anyone who stops to admire your dog to give it a treat. If possible you should also expose your dog to noise, you can do this by standing outside fire and police stations, if your puppy seems worried by the noise DO NOT PLACATE IT. After the vaccinations have taken effect, take him to puppy classes and tell the trainer that you want your dog to take the Good Citizens Award". There are three levels, bronze silver and gold and this will help your dog to qualify as a Therapy Dog. I suspect that you are in the UK and puppy classes are fairly cheap. If you want to locate local classes try the Kennel Club site.You might need to contact another organisation before it qualifies to visit nursing homes, try Googling "Therapy Dogs"Good luck with your new dog, Labs are fantastic and with an owner like you, I am convinced that it will qualify.