Becoming the owner of a Canine Good Citizen and then becoming a therapy dog team is a rewarding volunteer activity for everyone involved. Join Professional Dog Trainer Jean Conte for the six-session canine good citizen or pet therapy class sponsored by Spectrum Generations Coastal Community Center in Damariscotta and held at The Lincoln Home, 22 River Road in Newcastle, each Thursday at 6 p.m. at beginning on January 9 and continuing through February 13. Four-footed friends and therapists give something special to enhance the health and well-being of others.

A therapy dog is a dog with an outstanding temperament who tolerates other animals, visits with people and loves children. Training therapy teams properly from day one is the key to success. General obedience training and Canine Good Citizen Certification is a very necessary beginning, but what is also required is the desensitization and orientation course that Jean will be offering.

A course such as this allows the dog and owner to experience many things that do not occur normally at home, walkers and wheelchairs being a prime example. Dogs are highly sensitive to noises that we barely hear or tune out regularly. The high pitched whine of a respirator for instance, can be very irritating to a dog’s ears, so dogs must adapt by degrees to noises such as this.

This is your opportunity to take the first steps towards becoming a member of this volunteer organization dedicated to making a difference in people’s lives one paw print at a time. There is a $70 participant fee payable to the instructor. For more information and to register, call 207-563-1363. Minimum class size is five participants.

For dogs who haven’t received their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) certification, Jean is offering a six-week class which will begin on January 9 at 5 p.m. The CGC program was designed to help pet owners feel confident that their dog is trained well enough to enjoy accompanying them out in public. The CGC has also become a standard first step for handlers wishing to train their dogs for therapy work. CGC teams are ambassadors for dog friendly communities. This six-week class at the Lincoln Home in Newcastle will focus on the 10 requirements for passing the AKC CGC test. The CGC test will be administered during the last class. Participant fee is $70. Minimum class size is five participants. To register, call 207-563-1363.