New! North West Area Upcoming Screening Event

New! North West Area Upcoming Screening Event

Hearts of Gold Therapy Teams are making a difference in the lives of both the young and young-at-heart!

We are thrilled to open a new area to support Gainesville, which will be called our  North West area

If you are interested in joining, complete this request to become a handler team and bring your well-mannered, golden-hearted, four-legged sidekick to our first screening event in Gainesville!. Our area coordinator, Russ Crowder, will contact you. 

GRRMF Hearts of Gold therapy team consists of dogs who have a stable temperament, canine good manners and a friendly, easy-going personality. We will introduce your pup to medical equipment, give you one-on-one helpful tips, and practice different testing stations to help you and your dog prepare for assessment as a therapy team. Those that pass our screenings may join Hearts of Gold as a therapy team after completing three supervised visits with an evaluator. Your area coordinator will contact you by email and share a list of facilities requesting monthly scheduled therapy visits.

Your dog should display the following:
1. Possess a physical calm – no barking, pawing or jumping when greeting others
2. Friendly – willingness to meet new people
3. Canine good manners – basic obedience commands, sit, down, stay
4. Cleanliness – bathed, brushed, nails trimmed

Testing stations will evaluate your dog’s reaction to different situations and how you work together as a dog/handler team:
1. Leash behavior – loose lead, heels, responds to gentle corrections
2. Medical equipment – response to wheelchair, walker, cane
3. Social behavior – response to crowds, other dogs, coughing, loud noises, hand movements
4. Leave-it command – can walk past food / treat
5. Examination – allow stranger to touch head, ears, tail, feet
6. Handler evaluation – positive attitude, appearance, ability to oversee/maintain control of dog

Therapy dogs are a special breed!

×

- Want To Adopt -

If you are writing us about adopting a dog and do not have an adoption application on file with us, use this link to review our policies and process and complete an application.

If you have completed our adoption application, and/or have another inquiry, please use the email link to contact us.

Adoption Application Email Us