These dogs aren't in need of therapy — they help give it. They are the therapy. It's well known in the medical community that animal visits to long-term care facilities often bring about tremendous reactions from the patients. The dogs that make the grade for these types of assignments must be wellbehaved and love affection. Therapy dogs seem to have a sense for who needs them most, though they give their all to everyone. If this is something that sounds interesting to you because you think your dog could make a difference — and you have the time to work with him and go to the place that needs you — learn more about what's involved from an organization like the Delta Society (www.deltasociety.org) or Therapy Dogs International (www.tdi-dogs.org).

Dogs who work as therapy dogs are certified to do so after receiving specialized training. They are then able to work with different kinds of people in need in different kinds of environments. You can see how this dog is responding to this boy.

Other Neat Stuff

There are other options to compete with your dog, including Flyball, Flying Disc (Frisbee), and Canine Freestyle.

Flyball is fast-paced and exciting. Dogs are run against each other in lanes. They are released onto a course that has several hurdles they must jump on their way to a flyball box. At the box, they press a lever that shoots out a tennis ball. The dogs must catch the ball and return over the hurdles. It's finish first or go home. For big and small dogs alike (with different hurdle heights) Flyball is governed by the North American Flyball Association, and it confers three different titles: Flyball Dog (FD); Flyball Dog Excellent (FDX); and Flyball Dog Champion (FbDCh).

Flying Disc (or Frisbee) events don't seem difficult to figure out. Many folks do this all the time with their pets out in the parks, right? Wrong! This stuff is fast, furious, and wicked. To see some of the top Frisbee dogs do their stunts and tricks, and compete against others, is so spectacular that the best dog/handler teams are often chosen to entertain stadium crowds. Visit www.iddha.com or www.ufoworldcup.org.

Canine Freestyle is basically dancing with your dog. That's right! Handlers and dogs pair a piece of music with a choreographed series of movements to create a dance routine, just as other dancing pairs do. The routines need to satisfy certain requirements, but artistic expression counts for a lot of points, too. Performances can be truly mesmerizing. Take a look at the World Canine Freestyle Organization's Web site: www.worldcaninefreestyle.org. If you are curious and impatient and just have to see people dancing with their dogs right now, search for “canine freestyle” on www.youtube.com.