Can my dog* make the grade to be a CAAA pet therapy volunteer?

Minimum age:   1 year. 

Basic training requirements:

• Walks calmly on leash without pulling
• Attentive to handler (e.g., watches handler, waits for direction; responds to commands)
• If overexcited at any point, calms down in response to handler’s guidance and commands
• Doesn’t jump or put paws on people or beds, unless invited by handler
• Doesn’t lick or give kisses without being invited and will stop when told to do
• Responds to basic commands such as: sit, down or stand still; responds to a “leave it” type of command, when tempted with food, trash cans, etc.
• Doesn’t eliminate or relieve him/herself inappropriately, especially indoors.  This includes territorial and scent marking and submissive urination.  

Temperament:

• Shows absolutely no signs of aggression, including  aggression over food or toward people or other animals
• Shows no excessive fear or anxiety;  recovers quickly, if startled
• Comfortable with and adaptable to:

• strangers, including people with awkward movements; groups of people 
• strange environments with strange smells, sounds (e.g., public address systems; shouting voices;  noisy carts)
• Unfamiliar equipment (e.g., walkers; wheelchairs; floor polishers; vacuums).
• Unusual touching (e.g., palsied hand movement, having his/her body manipulated by handler to position it to interact   

Presentation: 

• well groomed (including odor-free; clean, clipped nails; no ticks, fleas)
• on a collar free of decorations or tags that could scratch a resident
• No spike or pinch collars are allowed. A cloth or nylon collar preferred.
• Always on a leash:  a short leash (3 ft. or less) is recommended for working dogs in a facility.  <No retractable leads or long lines>

While passing the American Kennel Club’s Canine Good Citizen test is not a requirement, it covers most of the behaviors needed in social pet therapy dogs.  It can serve as a good reference point to help you evaluate your dog.  Visit AKC website at:  http://www.akc.org/events/cgc/training_testing.cfm  

*Cats and other species are evaluated by similar standards for behavior and temperament.

Draft #3 Nov 2009