Dog Requirements

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

Generally speaking, CAAA dogs must:

• Always be under control and responsive to basic obedience commands
• Consistently exhibit good manners and a sound, stable, friendly, temperament
• Be well presented

Minimum age:   2 years.  
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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
• 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   

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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 break-away collar is 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

Cat Requirements

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

Generally speaking CAAA cats must:

• Always be under control
  
• Consistently exhibit good manners and a sound, stable, friendly temperament
  
• Tolerate exposure to unfamiliar environments and settings—particularly indoors and those with loud noises, lots of people, possibly other cats and dogs, and high level of activity
  
• Be well presented

Minimum age: 2 years

Physical Health:

• Pass an annual veterinary wellness check
  
• Maintain valid rabies and leukemia vaccinations

Temperament:

• Likes to be held and touched by strangers
  
• Shows no signs of shyness, aggression or fear
  
• Demonstrates a soft, neutral body posture and relaxed facial expression at all times
  
• Vocalizes minimally and without signs of distress

Presentation:

• Well groomed: odor-free, clean, no ticks or fleas
  
• Nails, including dew claws trimmed before each visit
  
• Brushed before each visit to remove loose hair
  
• Doesn’t eliminate during visits
  
• If wearing a collar, it’s free of decorations or tags that could scratch a resident
  
• Transported in, out & around facility either on leash & collar or in a crate/carrier

Other:

• Facilities may have additional requirements (e.g., some require cats to be declawed)
  
• Visits are done in rooms behind closed doors, so cats can’t escape and people who are allergic to cats aren’t exposed 
  
• Handler provides a towel or lap robe to put cat on and a lint remover to pick up cat hair