The therapy dog
The vast majority of therapy pets are dogs. Therapy dogs can be any size, color, shape, gender or breed (other than coyote & wolf hybrids). Primarily, they must enjoy being around people!
To be a therapy dog, your dog:
- will need to have been evaluated by a veterinarian in the past year.
- must be able to ride in a car well; so that s/he isn’t stressed when arriving at a visit.
- must be well house trained; no accidents.
- must wear a 4-ft leash, harness or leader at all times while on a visit. Smaller dogs may be leashed or harnessed and transported in a stroller or basket.
- must be comfortable around all breeds of dogs. Being calm around cats and rabbits is a bonus!
- most importantly, must love people. A skittish or overly excitable dog can be unpredictable, which means therapy work may not be the right fit for him/her.