Training a therapy dog

. In this time, I hope to read up on all that I can.

 
 
I'd start with websites.  Here's some organizations to google:
 
Therapy Dogs International, Inc
Delta Society
Therapy Dogs, Inc
 
Kathy Diamond Davis wrote a book about training therapy dogs.  I haven't read the book, but I have read and really liked articles by her I've read.

Thank you, I will check out some of her work.

I'll be honest, there's nothing- other than an unflappable, stable temperament- that a pet should not be trained to do that a therapy dog will do. Jump on and off furniture on command (Don't you make your dog move if he's taking up the whole sofa or bed?), walk politely on leash, nice manners- all of it is stuff he should be learning anyway. I'd focus on socializing him as much as possible and letting him be a puppy. Therapy work can be emotionally draining and you don't want to burn him out on it too quick. 

He can still be a puppy because the therapy work isn't too intensive.  For instance, with the organization, we might go to libraries and let children with autism pet Bauer while they listen to someonen read, visit a children's hospital, etc.  Bauer will definitely be able to enjoy his "puppyhood" though.

Here is a great site for tricker training theropy dogs.
 
[linkhttp://www.clickertraining.tv/product.html?item=KPDLVDBHBR]http://www.clickertraining.tv/product.html?item=KPDLVDBHBR[/link]

Hi Bauer!
We need to have all the skills on the AKC Canine Good Citizen test.  We need to be nice to other dogs and all kinds of people.  Mom used to make us "meet and greet" people in uniforms and baseball caps and beards and all sizes and shapes of other dogs.  We need to go up stairs and in elevators and through revolving doors and sliding doors.  Mom makes us sit and wait before going through.  We can do "paws up" or "paws down" in case someone in bed or a wheelchair can't reach us to pat.  We have to be able to "leave it" even if the stuff is stinky smelly and got food on it.  We can't get scared when someone makes a loud noise or their hands shake or grab us by mistake.  There's lots of skills we have, and we even do tricks to make the people smile, but we are grown up dogs.  Don't worry, if you are sweet like us, you'll make it! 
Love,
Sioux, CGC, TDInc.
Maska, CGC, TDInc.

Bauer-
We just finished Gracie's Therapy Dogs International  training and cert with Gina Lyn Hayes and she gave each participant a book called "Therapy Dogs Today: Their Gifts, Our Obligation" by Kris Butler.  Anything reco'd by Gina Hayes is GOOD STUFF in my book.  Looks like you can find it here: [linkhttp://www.dogprograms.com/books.htm]http://www.dogprograms.com/books.htm[/link]