Therapy pets willingly give of themselves and have unconditional love and acceptance of the elderly and handicapped, whether adults or children. They should be able to motivate people to talk, reminisce on the past, or accomplish something they haven’t done or tried in years. It could be as simple as a smile or one spoken word, but it could be the first time this has happened in forever. Therapy animals often produce “miracles” by their mere presence.

They can be of any breed: mixed-breed, purebred, small, large, retired from showing, or active showing. Dogs should be familiar at least with Novice Obedience and, preferably, Advanced Obedience work and should know or learn some tricks. Dogs are expected to get along with other dogs well, as they will work in close surroundings with other pets. Dogs must get along with adults and children and be comfortable in new and unusual environments.