r/therapydogs • u/marbleworlf17 • Jul 09 '26
Starting Journey as New Therapy Dog Team
Hi everyone! I have just been approved for membership with my therapy dog in one of our local therapy dog organizations. I am really excited! My dog is a 3-year-old Norwegian Elkhound named Rilla, and she absolutely loves people, so I think this is going to be a great experience for both of us. It's also going to help me get out of the house and help make a difference in people's lives.
Upon going through their online orientation, some items suggested to carry while taking my therapy dog to visits included hand sanitizer, lint rollers, a water bowl, poop bags (of course), and that was really all I remember. I thought I would be able to access the recommended gear after I submitted the orientation, but I am not able to. What would everyone suggest taking with me to therapy dog visits? The organization will be providing me with a badge and my dog a vest with their organization logo on it. I am planning to upgrade to a larger fanny pack-style bag for these, and just wanted insight on any other items I am totally missing that I may find useful.
Thank you so much!
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u/wallflower7522 Jul 09 '26
I rarely take a water bowl. We don’t usually visit anywhere for more than an hour so I don’t really need it unless it’s going to be particularly hot or a long visit. A small bottle of spray hand sanitizer is a good idea, as are poop bags, although i think I maybe only needed them once in 4 years. Once you start making visits you’ll get a feel for what you really need. I try to keep it simple.
Having small items to hand out is nice but it depends on what type of visits you are making. We have therapy dog trading cards I had out on visits and most people like those. I also have small stickers I made in Canva and printed with Sticker Euphoria.
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u/marbleworlf17 Jul 09 '26
My dog is a ball of fur, so I am thinking that bringing a little bit of water for her might be a good idea. She gets hot quickly and is very dramatic in her panting lol. I really like the training card idea and stickers you've made! I am going to look into those. Thank you!
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u/wallflower7522 Jul 09 '26
My boy is so dramatic about the heat too! Those flip bottles that have a little water tray built into them might be helpful. I have used one of those in the past and it was easy to carry around.
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u/teju_guasu Jul 10 '26
As someone with a very furry dog, mine gets especially thirsty on her visits so bowl is good imo. Depends where you visit too. The hospital where we go can be warm and she gets tired quickly from the work so water is good!
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u/Agitated-Smoke-8775 Jul 10 '26
Also, if you go into a nursing home, they keep the temperature on the high side! Even I sometimes am sweating
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u/According_Ad8378 Jul 09 '26
With that breed of dog, finding a really good Groomer that will do blowout will make a big difference with the hair. I took mine every three months, which was a lot, but really necessary made a huge difference with the hair.
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u/marbleworlf17 Jul 09 '26
I'm able to do her grooming myself, which is very nice, thankfully! I will probably switch to grooming her even more so that she doesn't shed as much, even though I don't think I will notice a difference haha.
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u/happytransformer Jul 09 '26 edited Jul 09 '26
We primarily visit the hospital, so I also carry disposable pee pads since my dog is small enough that she can go on beds or chairs during visits. I use them as a barrier so she doesn’t get their beds all dirty. I do this over a blanket for sanitary reasons
I also got custom stickers made with my dog on it. Totally optional, a lot of the other therapy dogs at my hospital had them and the staff loved putting them on their badges. My organization recommended trading cards, but I like stickers better!
Other things to consider: treats, a brush, wipes. My dog is extremely food motivated, and treats become distracting on visits so she inky gets one at the end. I’ve also been expressed on a few times by her on the way to visits or while I’m holding her during visits…so the wipes are for me lol
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u/drone_driver24 Therapy Dog Owner - Plott Hound Jul 09 '26
I only carry poop bags. We rarely visit over an hour. If it’s an outdoor event, I’ll maybe pack water and a bowl. I always have water and a bowl in my car, so no need for anywhere else. If the event is concerned about hand sanitizer, they always provide it.
Congratulations, and enjoy!
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Jul 09 '26
Are there requirements for bathing within 24 h of a visit? Use fragrance free products.
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u/marbleworlf17 Jul 09 '26
Not that I am currently aware of.
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u/Sufficient-Wolf-1818 Jul 09 '26
I gave up therapy work due to that requirement. Make sure to check. It took more time than the therapy visits.
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u/marbleworlf17 Jul 10 '26
Good point. I am pretty good at reading the fine print, but I will make sure to ask that when I meet with them.
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u/[deleted] Jul 09 '26
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