Our first West Coast quarterly screening for 2024 is scheduled in the Tampa Bay area (Pinellas Park) for teams interested in joining our GRRMF Hearts of Gold program.
Saturday, February 24, 2024
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM
Broderick Recreation Center, 6101 66th Avenue North, Pinellas Park 33781 (in the Arts & Craft Room)
If your pup and you are interested in becoming a GRRMF Hearts of Gold handler team and attending this screening event, click here and our area coordinator will contact you when your request is received.
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
