Therapy Dog Consultation, Training, and Evaluation
Tilly’s Place can support you at all stages of becoming a therapy dog/handler team with your current or future dog. All consultation, training, and evaluation services are with Laura Poleshuck, the founder and Executive Director of Tilly's Place. Scheduling is flexible to meet your needs.
Laura can provide guidance in the following areas:
How to select a potential therapy dog
Dog qualities needed for successful therapy dog work
Ideas for exposure to environments and people
Therapy dog training and skills needed
The process to become certified as an Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist
The process to become a volunteer with your dog
Therapy dog/handler team evaluations
Safety and liability insurance
Setting up the environment for success
Animal welfare practices
Ideas for animal-assisted therapy and/or animal-assisted education programming, if applicable
Laura has worked extensively with professionals and students in OT, PT, SLP, social work, and literacy to incorporate therapy dogs into the university, therapeutic, and educational settings. If you are interested in volunteer work she can provide guidance for you as well.
Therapy dog consultation and training
Our focus is on positive training techniques and animal welfare. Laura can assist you with therapy dog training for the professional therapeutic, educational, or volunteer setting, drawing from her knowledge gained through qualifications below:
Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Knowledge-Assessed (Certification Council of Professional Dog Trainers)
Certified Animal-Assisted Intervention Specialist (C-AAIS), the Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals
Degrees in education, occupational therapy, clinical psychology, and child development (PhD, OTD, MS, OTR/L)
AKC Temperament, S.T.A.R. Puppy, and Canine Good Citizen Evaluations
As a Temperament Test (ATT) Evaluator (American Kennel Club) and a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, Laura can help assess your puppy/dog for therapy dog potential.
As a Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and S.T.A.R. Puppy Evaluator (both American Kennel Club), Laura can assess your dog for basic manners and social skills, precursors to becoming a registered therapy dog.
Professional and volunteer therapy dog/handler team assessments
Currently, either of the following evaluations can qualify you for liability insurance when incorporating your therapy dog into professional practice. Laura is an evaluator for both programs:
Therapy Animal Evaluator for Professionals (pilot program)
The Association of Animal-Assisted Intervention Professionals (AAAIP)
