How to Certify a Therapy Dog or Cat

What is a therapy dog or cat? A dog or cat that has gone through a therapy certification program is one that has a proven mellow temperament, is sociable, and is comfortable even in a strange environment with strange people. If you have a pet with this kind of personality and you want to do volunteer work with him/her to make the lives of others better, here is a little more information about certifying and using a therapy dog or cat.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. 
   Therapy dog in 'uniform'

   A therapy dog or cat will make the rounds with you at hospitals, nursing homes, schools, libraries, recovery centers and all sorts of locations where the unconditional love of a pet can work miracles. This is volunteer work that will enrich your life, those of so many other needy people and create a fun outing for your pet.

2. 

   First, all dogs should be obedience trained. Your dog will need the right personality and will need to be well controlled since every encounter may vary.

3. 

   There are many pet trainers who are licensed or certified to train your pet. You can find them locally or search for lists on the Internet. You can take a course with one of these trainers. Some suggested sites for further research are listed the resources below.

4. 

   There will be a test you and your pet need to pass for certification. There will also be a small fee.

5. 

   Once you have certified your dog or cat, you can begin working together. Make sure your pet is bathed before making visits and ALSO after, especially if you have been visiting medical facilities. There are many groups you can join that not only certify, but support members. If you ever considered working with your pet, doing therapy work can change peoples lives. This has to be one of the more powerful and rewarding ways to work with a pet.

Resources

• Pawsabilities Unleashed
• Therapy Dogs International
• Love on a Leash
• The Humane Society re:therapy pets

[Soulsearcher83]

on 1/3/2009 I'm training my golden to be a therapy dog and I'm pretty excited about it. Good advice and very helpful. 5 stars.

[Sush56]

on 11/22/2008 Great advice to get your therapy cat of dog certified. Thanks!