Ideal therapy dog

[Mrs M]

Another vote for greyhound

 

[Andy in Germany]

Greyhound, Whippet, Lurcher. They love being fussed and there is not too much attention for them. My Saluki is a bit aloof though, they are a dog that are a bit up themselves.

Another vote for greyhound

You could be on to something there as many of my clients have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: it's be good to have dog guaranteed to have more energy than them...

 

[NorthernDave]

Get a Jack Russell.
You'll need therapy shortly afterwards.

So it would seem:

View: https://youtu.be/A4N7G29GWQI

We've got a JRT cross and most of the time he's a character and full of energy, other times he's a stubborn nightmare.
As the saying goes, you can tell a terrier, but you can't tell it much...

Greyhound, Whippet, Lurcher. They love being fussed and there is not too much attention for them. My Saluki is a bit aloof though, they are a dog that are a bit up themselves.

We see a couple of Saluki(?) out on walks and they are really standoffish, you know like those kids that thought they were really cool at school?

We used to have a Border Collie cross (with a Labrador, we think) and he was the most placid, even tempered dog I've ever encountered.

 

[twentysix by twentyfive]

Therapy Dog? Get a cat - a proper moggie

 

[Venod]

Bedlington Whippet cross or pure Working Bedlington (but not with a fancy haircut) non shedding and a reputation for being fearless.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Therapy Dog? Get a cat - a proper moggie

True: nothing more therapeutic than 5kg of cat on your face, purring loudly

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

At the old Hospital (before the PFI rebuild), one of the 'P.A.T dogs was a Great Dane

She was a typical, placid, gentle Dane, admired by all the staff


Sadly nowadays. they don't come for some reason (building management saying no??)

 

[Accy cyclist]

I can't see why you've not mentioned Labradors. Ok, they moult like jiggery, but if you get a nice, steady placid bitch you'll be on to a winner.

From my experiences i wouldn't get a brown/chocolate one. One of my neighbours has bred dogs and owned labradors for decades. He says black ones like he has now and gold ones are fine but not brown ones. I find them too bulky and stupid. I've nearly been knocked over by one when its owner came out with the usual 'he's only being friendly'.

 

[Shut Up Legs]

I have 2 therapy bicycles.

 

[jefmcg]

I'm currently going through training to be a therapy dog handler as an additional qualification to my Occupational Therapy training. I

And the training doesn't include suggestions of suitable breeds/mixes?

 

[Dave 123]

From my experiences i wouldn't get a brown/chocolate one. One of my neighbours has bred dogs and owned labradors for decades. He says black ones like he has now and gold ones are fine but not brown ones. I find them too bulky and stupid. I'e nearly been knocked over by one when its owner came out with the usual 'he's only being friendly'.

Yes, there’s no such thing as an intelligent chocolate Labrador.

 

[Andy in Germany]

And the training doesn't include suggestions of suitable breeds/mixes?

Of course, but a lot of it is opinion -and given as such. Besides, I am a great believer in collecting a wide range of opinions and experiences from different people before making a decision...

 

[Saluki]

You could be on to something there as many of my clients have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder: it's be good to have dog guaranteed to have more energy than them...

You are having a laugh, aren’t you? 40mph couch potatoes. Laziest dogs on the planet.

 

[Andy in Germany]

You are having a laugh, aren’t you? 40mph couch potatoes. Laziest dogs on the planet.

Good to know: this is why I'm asking: I don't have experience with many dog breeds, and most that I know are terriers...

Actually I'm not allowed to have a therapy session longer than 45 minutes at a time without changing dogs, but still, a greyhound probably wouldn't work too well with my clients...

 

[captain nemo1701]

I'm surprised you've ruled out Spaniels, Springers in particular

Springer Spaniels are the amphetamine freaks of the dog world, perpetually mad.