Caring Canines
Caring Canines Pet Therapy
Caring Canines is a pet therapy program created by Dogwood Acres Pet Retreat to provide certified pet therapy teams who offer unconditional love and a peaceful presence to those in need in our community.
Caring Canine’s mission is to partner with local organizations to provide volunteer pet therapy teams who enrich lives by promoting physical and emotional health, and to help comfort and bring happiness to those in need.
Therapy Opportunities are Limitless:
- Peaceful presence for hospice patients, residents of assisted living facilities, nursing homes, and hospital patients of all ages.
- Reading companionship for child literacy programs.
- Comforting support for victims of domestic violence.
- Soothing care for victims of natural disasters.
- Stress relief for caregivers, students, employees, and anyone in need.
Get involved!
... and make a difference in the lives of others in need
Start by contacting us. We will first guide you through the certification process.
Get Involved!
… and make a difference in the lives of others in need
Once certified, we will help you determine the best therapy match for and your pet through our program partnerships.
What makes our team special
One of the cornerstones of Caring Canines is the requirement for participating volunteers to be registered therapy teams – screened, tested and qualified in temperament and skills to do animal-assisted interactions. We are affiliated with Pet Partners® Therapy Animal Program to ensure our teams achieve the highest standards in certification.
Established in 1990, Pet Partners’® Therapy Animal Program trains and screens volunteers and their pets for visiting animal programs in hospitals, nursing homes, rehabilitation centers, schools and other facilities, ensuring that “both ends of the leash,” people as well as animals, are well-prepared to participate in animal-assisted therapy programs. Pet Partners’® Therapy Animal Program is the only national registry that requires volunteer training and screening of animal-handler teams.
Upon certification,
Our Caring Canine Handlers…
- Posses the skills needed to visit safely in hospitals, nursing homes, classrooms, and other facilities.
- Remain in good standing in the organization with which they have registration, credentials and insurance, and comply with their ethics, policies and procedures.
- Observe all rules of privacy and confidentiality, and represent Caring Canines with discretion and in a professional manner.
- Successfully meet all facility health requirements, background screening and safety codes.
- Always stay with their animal and are in control at all times.
- Will intervene immediately if a participant is not treating their dog properly and will calmly coach the participant on the best way to pet and handle their dog.
- Keep safety as their #1 priority.
Our Caring Canines...
- Are current on their rabies vaccination and any other vaccinations as required by state and local laws.
- Are healthy and free from parasites, disease, infections, and illnesses.
- Will not be treated with oily flea treatment (e.g. Top Spot etc.) within one week of a visit.
- Are bathed prior to every visit.
- Have no history of biting or aggression or are trained for protection or bite work, even if part of a dog sport.
- Are not discriminated against based on characteristics such as age, breed or handicap.
Join our community!
Stay up to date with the latest Caring Canines news, events, and to see just how our pet therapy teams make a difference!
Start by contacting us. We will first guide you through the certification process.
join our community!
Stay up to date with the latest Caring Canines news, events, and see just how our pet therapy teams make a difference!
Once certified, we will help you determine the best therapy match for and your pet through our program partnerships.
Become a Pet Therapy Team
If you are considering becoming a Caring Canine Pet Therapy Volunteer Team certified through our affiliated Pet Partners® Therapy Animal Program, here is some information for your consideration.
Necessary Skills
Before you can begin the process your dog must have good foundational obedience skills including a reliable “sit”, “down”, “stay”, “come when called” and “leave It”. Your dog should be able to walk at your side with a loose leash. Click the following link to view examples of the skills you and your dog will be evaluated on during the Pet Partners® Therapy Team Evaluation. Click Here for the Team Evaluation PDF
Good Candidates for the Therapy Animal Program
Typical Attributes of a Great Therapy Animal are:
- Is comfortable being crowded by a group of people
- People-oriented/sociable, friendly and confident
- Will initiate contact, stay engaged, make eye contact, and allow their behaviors to be re-directed
- Is able to cope with stressful situations
- Knows how to respect personal boundaries; doesn’t jump up on people
- Is non-aggressive towards animals and people
- Is comfortable being touched, at times awkwardly
- Is controllable, predictable and reliable
- Well-mannered interactions with other animals
- Reliability despite distractions
- Ability to be cued from different positions
- Able to disregard food or toys on cue, i.e. with a “leave it” command
- Comfort level around health care equipment
Typical Attributes of a Great Handler are:
- Is friendly – makes eye contact, smiles, etc
- Is a proactive advocate for their animal
- Is a considerate and caring leader
- Develops a relationship with their animal that reflects a loving partnership
- Prepares themselves and their animal for each visit
- Assesses a visit before, during and after
- Knows how to enhance their animal’s abilities to be its best with the people it’s visiting
- The handler is aware of signs of animal stress, behaviors, and positions, and can reassure their animal with cues, or commands (as needed) to help the animal be successful
the certification process
Complete the Handler Course
You may take an in-person workshop, or if there are no instructors in your area, you may take the Handler course online.
For in-person workshops, go to https://petpartners.org/learn/online-education/ and search by state for currently scheduled classes, or search PetPartners.org to contact a local instructor to inquire about future courses.
To take the course online, go to https://petpartners.org/learn/online-education/
Animal Screening
Upon completion of the Handler course, you can begin your registration paperwork. This includes an Animal Health Screening Form to be completed by your veterinarian. Written proof of rabies vaccination is required.
Team Evaluation
A critical step in the registration process is the team evaluation. During this approximately 45 minute event, you and your animal will meet with a Pet Partners licensed evaluator and complete a role-play of a therapeutic visit in the community. Because teams evaluate individually, you should schedule your session early.
Go to https://petpartners.org/learn/online-education/ and search by state to see current evaluation dates, or search PetPartners.org to contact a local evaluator to inquire about future evaluation dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Click the link below for answers to frequently asked questions regarding preparation and other requirements related to becoming a Certified Pet Therapy Team.
Caring Canine Community Partners
Our partnerships with local organizations offer our volunteer pet therapy teams a variety of programs to enrich lives and make a difference in our community. Through Our Program Partnerships, Volunteer Opportunities are Limitless!
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