Ask a Local Expert: Does your 4-legged friend have what it takes to serve others?

March 12, 2019 Utah Channel 3

FEATURE — Have you ever wondered what the difference is between a service dog, therapy dog or emotional support dog? Or have you ever considered if your dog has what it takes to help others?

Owner Anita DeLelles of WOOF Center For Hydrotherapy, Health & Training can help you find the answer. She said her professional trainers use positive reinforcement training to work with your dog on specific behaviors that could lead to them becoming a therapy or service dog.

WOOF has developed a unique program to guide service and therapy dog team candidates to success, and although service and therapy dogs are different in their ultimate goals, their initial training is very similar. DeLelles and her team are dedicated to improving the lives of companions and their animals.

Therapy dogs are trained to be a social butterflies and to volunteer to help others, such as giving comfort with reading children or cheering up seniors at a nursing home. While helpful, they do not have the same rights as service animals and are not permitted to access restaurants or the grocery store.

WOOF offers classes that teach therapy dogs to deal with loud noises, to avoid picking medicine off the floor and how to negotiate wheelchairs and other obstacles.

A service dog is trained to perform specific tasks for the owner. An example would be service dog Washington, a current trainee at WOOF that watches over Dalton, who has autism and elopement disorder – which means the young boy dashes off without warning. To prevent this, the pair are attached by a tether, and Washington is trained to hold his place firm when Dalton tries to run.

Many veterans who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder also find that having a dog that is trained to calm them down is very help in alleviating their symptoms.

“We can evaluate your pup or, with the help of a local rescue, find the perfect dog to pair you with,” DeLelles said.

WOOF, Southern Utah’s premiere training, health and activity center for dogs, is conveniently located in the historic Santa Clara district at 3199 Santa Clara Drive.

For more information and to find out if your dog can be trained for service or therapy, call WOOF at 435-275-4536 or visit their website.

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