Therapy Beagle Extraordinaire

As many of you know, Banjo has a full-time job as a therapy dog. As part of a program that rehabilitates shelter dogs in correctional institutions, Banjo had an inmate trainer/handler who for several months helped to train Banjo to make him "adoptable." Of course, I've always known Banjo as the most well-behaved, chilled out dog in the universe, but I suppose there may have been a time that he wasn't. The world may never know the real, pre-therapized Banjo.

But what does it take to be a therapy dog, you're asking? Well, after Banjo's training, he had to pass a series of tests from the Delta Society to receive his credentials. The Delta Society trains and employs volunteers and their pets to visit various animal-assisted programs such as those found in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and the like, and therefore requires the proper training for both human and animal partners to ensure everyone's health and safety.



To become a registered Pet Partner team, there are 4 steps:

Train the human-end of the leash by attending a Pet Partners team training course. You have the option of completing a workshop or, if you cannot physically attend one, you may complete the home study version (To find a workshop near you, click here.) The human training course will teach the skills you need in order to safely visit the animal-assisted facilities, and include topics such as: facility health and safety codes; identifying and decreasing stress in your animal; preparing for animal visits; and the special needs of specific client groups.

Have your animal partner's health screened by a veterinarian. Your animal must pass a general physical exam, be current on rabies and other immunizations, and be free of internal and external parasites, disease, infections, and illnesses.

Have your human-animal team's skill and aptitude evaluated. You will be evaluated by a Delta-Licensed team evaluator, in order to see how well the handler interprets the animal's behavior, and how well the animal responds to the handler. To ensure everyone's safety, the animal must be under control AT ALL TIMES. The evaluation consists of two parts: the Pet Partners Skills Test (PPST) that shows the animal's understanding (and compliance) of basic commands; and the Pet Partners Aptitude Test (PPAT) that is designed to simulate the conditions you may encounter on your facility visit in order to tell what environment you and your animal are best suited for.

Submit your registration application. The application costs $75 for a handler with one animal. Check out the details of the application submission process here.