Do therapy dogs go after birds and deer?

chaseDo therapy dogs go after birds and deer?
There is a difference between a therapy dog and a guide or service dog. A therapy dog requires about 8 weeks of training and a service dog 18-24 months of training. Service dogs receive significantly more ';proof'; training than do therapy dogs. Service dogs, including guide dogs, are trained to ignore distractions.





Most therapy dog programs only test candidates around other dogs so just because a dog is a therapy dog is no guarantee he won't go after non-dog/non-human animals.





Remember that a dog is a dog. A well trained dog will ignore distractions like other animals when he is at work, but may well go after them when he is off command. This is certainly true of therapy dogs who do not receive as much training as competition or working dogs in the area of distractions.





My dog is a lovely reliable service dog. Once upon a time we did therapy dog work too as a service activity we could do together. If I'm walking him on a trail and a deer crosses our path he will definitely come to attention. He knows he cannot pull the leash, but I know that if I let him go he'd be after that deer in a millisecond.





Many service dog programs intentionally select for dogs with low prey drive. I personally prefer dogs with high prey drive because they are much easier to train and to exercise vigorously, even on days when I cannot walk. So I pay the consequences for my choice with additional proof training to ignore prey behavior in other animals when my dog is on command.





Many dogs who live in homes with other pets come to make a distinction between pet animals in the home and ';prey'; animals outside. When my dog encounters pet cats, birds, rabbits, mice and even farm-raised deer he treats them like the furniture.Do therapy dogs go after birds and deer?
You are talking about guide dogs I hope.





Guide dogs are very well trained animals so when they are on duty they wouldn't chase birds or deer.