comfort dogs....

[strollingbones]

we have all seen them....a group of goldens that go in after a disaster and comfort people...

now answer this? how hard is it to train a golden to let people love on it and to love on people back......

how long does this training take?

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Well, I would think the best way would be to train them from puppyhood. Cuddle them a lot and socialize them a lot, make sure they're exposed to lots of different people.

Aren't goldens kind of friendly dogs to begin with? Sorry, I don't know much about the breed except to know that they're very popular dogs.

 

[Gracie]

Golden Retrievers and Labradors are excellent cuddle dogs with good temperment. And training is what Koosh said...they must be around lots of different people, cuddled a lot, socialization with other dogs, playgrounds to know kids, etc.

My yellow lab is not a trained comfort dog but she would do great at it without training. She is naturally a cuddle butt.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Golden Retrievers and Labradors are excellent cuddle dogs with good temperment. And training is what Koosh said...they must be around lots of different people, cuddled a lot, socialization with other dogs, playgrounds to know kids, etc.

My yellow lab is not a trained comfort dog but she would do great at it without training. She is naturally a cuddle butt.

Actually, one of my dobermans is a real cuddler...once she gets to know you a little bit. Visitors will come to my house and at first she'll be a little suspicious. But next thing you know they're sitting on the couch and this 75-pound doberman gets up there settles in next to them and lays her big, noble head on their lap. : ) And she's so warm and comforting!

People who don't like dogs would probably not like visiting at my home! lol

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

Speaking of dogs, I'd better go out and pick up the day's dog poop in the back yard. It's 10:36 p.m. and still light out. That's one of the awesome things about our summers here...the amount of daylight we get!

 

[theDoctorisIn]

My friend trained her dog Jake as a comfort dog, and got him certified. She takes him around to the area hospitals on the weekends.

I think the training took a few months.

 

[Gracie]

I adore dobermans. But, comfort dogs should be fluffy so people can bury their heads in their soft coats. My blue dobie was my lap dog. He, too, weighed about 75-80 lbs. But he was a junk yard dog I rescued. Stuck in a cage in piles of poop, never let out except at night. Pistol whipped from one of his previous owners and scars all over his head. He was considered a vicious dog by the people who gave him to me. I considered him my best friend. He didn't like cats, either, but when I brought him home I showed him the cat and said one word. "Mine". And he never bothered it. Ever. He also almost chewed the hand off my landlord becaues the landlord ignored the Beware Of Dog warnings I had all over the fence and thought he would come in anyway. Big mistake. But I am glad he didn't sue me. He said it was his fault for entering the yard and the dog was just protecting his territory. Which is true.

 

[Kooshdakhaa]

I adore dobermans. But, comfort dogs should be fluffy so people can bury their heads in their soft coats. My blue dobie was my lap dog. He, too, weighed about 75-80 lbs. But he was a junk yard dog I rescued. Stuck in a cage in piles of poop, never let out except at night. Pistol whipped from one of his previous owners and scars all over his head. He was considered a vicious dog by the people who gave him to me. I considered him my best friend. He didn't like cats, either, but when I brought him home I showed him the cat and said one word. "Mine". And he never bothered it. Ever. He also almost chewed the hand off my landlord becaues the landlord ignored the Beware Of Dog warnings I had all over the fence and thought he would come in anyway. Big mistake. But I am glad he didn't sue me. He said it was his fault for entering the yard and the dog was just protecting his territory. Which is true.

Oh, my God, how can people abuse an animal that way. I'll tell you what, people who will treat an animal that way are not to be trusted. There's something wrong with them. I'm glad he got to come and live with you, Gracie.

 

[strollingbones]

people are not worth they skin that is wasted on them.....

i adopted a dobie that was 30 lbs at 6 months...beaten and starved the police were gonna put him down...he was left in a barn full of stolen goods...when they got him to the vet...he licked the vets hand and all bets were off.....he went from being put down to total rescue...he had two type of mange and mites...the vet donated her time and the meds needed....(one was a 400 buck wash used on cattle) so now all they needed was a permanent home for an abused doberman..they ran a pic of the poor thing in the local paper..ribs showing....nails curling...it was horrible....he has maybe two square inches of hair left...my husband and i were headed out of town...when i ask him if he had seen the article....he started tearing up....and just pulled over at a phone booth (remember those) and told me to call about the dog...great dog...we adopted and got him good to go.....


gracie i have a blue now.....damn bag of recessive genes....

 

[strollingbones]

but the whole point is....goldens are lovebugs...simple as that.....

 

[Wolfsister77]

I don't know how much training is need to make a Golden love on people since that seems to be in their nature. I think it would be a lot harder to get then NOT to love on people.

 

[Granny]

but the whole point is....goldens are lovebugs...simple as that.....

Oh, they are wonderful. Nursing home next to my apartment complex has a house dog. The patients love him to pieces. Everybody loves him. He is just perfect for that environment ... and spoiled rotten! (In a good way.)

He's really funny - he's got this sort of "howl" when people he's never seen come around, but they are assured he will not hurt them. His one little quirk is that for some reason, he does not like men wearing hats. It just tears him up.

 

[boedicca]

we have all seen them....a group of goldens that go in after a disaster and comfort people...

now answer this? how hard is it to train a golden to let people love on it and to love on people back......

how long does this training take?

My sister has a comfort dog. I think part of it is just the sweet nature of the dog. Part of it is socializing so that the dog is calm around strangers. Her dog has been socialized from the time he was a puppy - he just seems happy where ever he goes.

 

[earlycuyler]

we have all seen them....a group of goldens that go in after a disaster and comfort people...

now answer this? how hard is it to train a golden to let people love on it and to love on people back......

how long does this training take?

Not long at all. Most dogs come with a predisposition to this already. They need to learn manners is all, no jumping, no unauthorized slobbering up of faces, no squirting when meting new people.