MARQUETTE, Mich. (WLUC) – TacoMo Dog Training’s healthy minds project is in its second week of training four therapy dog teams.
The project hopes to address the lack of therapy dogs in the U.P.: a problem that has been ongoing since Covid.
The course runs for six weeks and prepares the teams to go on to serve the community: whether that’s in nursing and veteran’s homes, working with kids, or providing comfort to those suffering from anxiety or depression.
An important aspect of the healthy minds project is training their dogs ethically. Kim Benson-Custard, the owner of TacoMo Dog Training, said they’re careful to use only positive reinforcement and force-free training techniques.
“Unfortunately, our industry is very unregulated,” Benson-Custard said. “Because anyone can train without any legality, we see a suffering where dogs aren’t getting the same kind of treatment. We want these dogs that are going into this therapy program to get the best possible treatment to set them up to succeed.”
Healthy Minds is also making the therapy dog training process more accessible to people in the community.
“We wanted to be able to provide the funding because funding is oftentimes something that will hold somebody back from volunteering,” said Benson-Custard. “If they don’t have the funds but they have the time they might say, ‘Oh i can’t do that program.’ But by doing this program we’re paying for their registration, we’re paying for their class, and we’re providing the right kind of training for these guys that, again, will help them to succeed.”
All of these aspects of the project are driving toward one goal: getting therapy dogs where they are needed most.
“We need these dogs,” said Benson-Custard. “We’ve seen these dogs in action. I’ve been part of Superior Land Pet Partners for eleven years. I’ve visited with dogs myself and I’ve seen firsthand the impact that they have on the community.”
TacoMo Dog Training hopes to continue its Healthy Minds Project next year. For more information, go to TacoMo Dog Training’s website.
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