Flash player is required to view weather conditions. Download

site web  

Thanks to the volunteer efforts of a group of dedicated young 4-Hers, Warren County has 24 more Certified Therapy Dog teams, including club members Zack Fry, Adair Kamentz, Gretchen Kesler, Kelsey Kramb, Bailey Webber, Kathryn Wilkie and their dogs.

The Clover Canine 4-H Club recently taught a therapy dog testing preparation class at the Warren County Fairgrounds.

The club members led two one-hour class sessions and two one-hour training sessions with the canines, helping the participants learn how to pass the Therapy Dogs International, Inc. test.

TDI is a volunteer organization dedicated to regulating, testing and registration of therapy dogs and their volunteer handlers for the purpose of visiting nursing homes, hospitals, institutions and wherever else therapy dogs are needed. As of 2006, more than 15,000 dogs and approximately 13,000 handlers were registered with TDI.

To belong to Therapy Dogs International Inc., all dogs must be tested and evaluated by a Certified TDI Evaluator. A dog must be a minimum of one year of age and have a sound temperament. Each dog must pass the American Kennel Club's Canine Good Citizen Test and a temperament evaluation for suitability to become a therapy dog.

The test also includes the evaluation of the dog's behavior around people with the use of some type of service equipment (such as wheelchairs and crutches).

For more information about therapy dogs, visit the Therapy Dogs international Web site at www.tdi-dog.org.

If this sounds like something you and your dog would like to do, the Clover Canine 4-H club teaches the class every winter. You can be placed on the waiting list by calling Jill Rogers at (937) 546-7425.

In addition to helping others get their dogs certified for therapy work, the members of Clover Canines compete at the Warren County Fair, Ohio State Fair and the club's own Fun Match and have business meetings, training sessions and even Dog Camp.

They also perform community service projects with their Certified Therapy Dogs, including the "Reading With Raider" program at the Salem Twp. Public Library and the Franklin-Springboro Public Libraries.

Warren County 4-H is the youth development program of The Ohio State University Extension. Youth programs available to 4-H members range from aerospace clinics to cultural exchanges to

shooting sports to zany camps at 4-H Camp Graham.

Any Warren County youth who is at least 5 and in kindergarten through the age of 18 is eligible to experience the fun of 4-H programs.

Vote for this story!