A woman who hasn’t spoken in three weeks will talk to a golden retriever. Nobody fully understands why, and it happens constantly.
You already own the hard part. The certification is eight Tuesday nights.
Certify the Family Dog
Therapy-dog certification turns your pet into a standing visit at a memory-care unit or a children's hospital. The dog does most of the work.
What you'll need
- A calm dog, at least a year old, that likes strangers
- A class through Alliance of Therapy Dogs or Pet Partners
- A standing monthly visit once you're cleared
Pitfalls
- Be honest about your dog. An anxious dog will fail, and pushing it is unfair to everybody.
- Memory care is the hardest place to find volunteers and the place a dog helps most.
- Go the same day each month. Residents remember the dog long after they've stopped remembering names.
A cheerful heart is good medicine. — Proverbs 17:22