volunteer with your dog as a
therapy dog team
Volunteer as a therapy dog team to bond with your pooch as you help others heal. Canine Therapy Corps offers two ways you can provide support to others throughout the Chicagoland area.
Goal-directed therapy teams help individuals recovering from physical and emotional trauma by playing an integral part of the healing process - for example working with people to help restore balance, strength and/or motor skills.
Visitation therapy teams bring joy, comfort, and stress relief to individuals in hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools and a variety of other settings.
Not sure which path to take? Register today for a complimentary 15 minute evaluation.
Ready to take our assessment or want to learn more? Complete this form and someone from our team will be in touch!
PATH TO BECOMING A THERAPY DOG TEAM
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All dogs are eligible for certification without reference to breed, gender, reproductive status or size. In order to be certified, a dog must possess the following traits and skills:
At least one year old
All candidates are required to submit a health certificate, dated no earlier than six (6) months before the date of submission, and signed by a licensed veterinarian. As long as the dog can participate in active exercises for an hour, a physical disability does not prevent a dog from being certified
Has a calm, friendly temperament and is not overly reactive, fearful or playful around other dogs
Is under the verbal control of its handler and is housebroken
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We currently offer two certification tracks - the Blue Team for goal-directed work and the Orange Team for visitation. A link to each assessment is shown below. If you still have questions, contact us at info@caninetherapycorps.org and we will be happy to help you determine the best path for you and your dog.
Blue Team Assessment
Orange Team Assessment
Canine Good Citizen Test (prerequisite for the Orange Team Assessment) -
The most difficult part of the test is not so much the individual skills, but the ability to respond to cues reliably despite distance, distractions and/or duration.
You can view a live test demonstration by attending one of our Certification Information Nights or viewing one of the test demonstration videos posted on YouTube.
You do not have to train your dog with us to take our certification test - having your dog pass the Canine Good Citizen test is good preparation. In fact, it's a prerequisite for the Orange Team (visitation) certification. Canine Therapy Corps offers an advanced class designed specifically to prepare you and your dog for our certification.
If you are unsure what type of training your dog needs, ask for an appointment to assess where your dog needs work.
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Complete the reservation form below to sign up for an upcoming test.
Reservation Form for Therapy Dog Assessment
To sign up for a Therapy Dog Assessment, complete this form. Once your registration is received, you will get an email with an invoice for your test fee.Animal Certificate of Health
Your vet must complete this certificate before you can test your dog. IMPORTANT - If we have not received this completed certificate by the Monday prior to a Therapy Dog Assessment, your dog is not eligible to participate in the certification session.Therapy Dog Assessment Exercises
Want to get a head start on the testing process? Here's a copy of the tests for you and your canine to review.Blue Team (Goal-Directed)
Orange Team (Visitation)
Canine Good Citizen Test (prerequisite for Orange Teams)Important Therapy Dog Assessment and Preparation Information
A list of other important tips and requirements to help you prepare for the therapy dog assessment.
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Once registered for our goal-directed test, you and your dog are eligible to take a 1-hour practice test, typically available in the 2 week period prior to a test date. Registered candidates will receive notice of the date and time of these sessions.
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Upon passing the test, dog handlers must attend an orientation to learn the "dos and don'ts" of being a therapy dog team.
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You've passed the test and attended orientation. It's time to start making a difference! All certified therapy dog teams will receive a monthly email we call the Volunteer Communication System or VCS. This email contains a list of available volunteer opportunities.
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To ensure a safe and fulfilling experience for everyone (including your dog) the following standards apply:
Volunteers must submit a certificate of health signed by a vet each year.
Volunteers and Dog Trainer Program Leaders should watch for any changes in obedience and temperament - this includes signs of anxiety, shyness, aggression - anything that indicates the dog is not a willing participant. Any observable changes should be reported to the Program Leaders and the Canine Therapy Corps office.
To ensure training standards are kept up, volunteers and their dogs are required to attend complimentary drop-in training sessions once a year. A dog in its first year of service must attend two drop-in training sessions, including one within the first four months of certification.
We ask our therapy dog teams to volunteer at least once a month. If a team goes more than 6 months without volunteering, they will be placed on inactive status and will have to re-take the test before accepting another opportunity.
Goal-Directed Therapy (Blue Teams)
In our goal-directed programming, therapy dog teams are an integral part of the treatment process. Volunteer teams and program leaders (a clinician and a professional dog trainer) work alongside program partner staff to promote improvement in physical, social, emotional, or cognitive function. The populations we serve include those battling substance use disorder; veterans suffering from PTSD; adolescents with histories of trauma, abuse and neglect; children on the autism spectrum; and people of all ages recovering from severe physical injury. Our overarching goal is to help each individual achieve the highest quality of life possible.
The assessment for Blue (goal-directed therapy) Teams requires a higher level of obedience than the Orange (visitation) Team assessment. This is due to nature of our goal-directed programs and what is expected of dogs working in those settings. Even though the test is more challenging, goal-directed work is extremely rewarding and crucial to our mission. Blue Teams may also take part in visitation opportunities if they wish. Some other things to note:
Blue Teams tend to work in groups, alongside other volunteers, two program leaders and program partner staff.
The Blue Team assessment fee is $50. If a team does not pass, they can take the test over as many times as necessary without paying an additional fee.
Blue Teams pay an initiation fee of $100 for supplies due prior to scheduling orientation. This fee covers items such as volunteer insurance, a Canine Therapy Corps t-shirt, and therapy dog cape.
Visitation (Orange Teams)
Visitation Teams bring joy, comfort, and stress relief to people in hospitals, assisted living facilities, schools, and a number of other settings. Our Orange Teams have also offered support and good cheer at conferences and trade shows, corporate workplaces, group homes, and universities during finals week.
The Orange Team assessment is designed to evaluate the skills needed in a visitation setting, so it’s a bit less demanding than our goal-directed test.
Orange Team assignments may be with other teams or the team may work alone.
The Orange Team assessment fee is $35 per test. If the team needs to retest, they pay an additional $35.
Orange Teams pay an initiation fee of $100 for supplies due prior to scheduling orientation and if more than one person in your household wants to be a handler, an additional one-time fee of $20 per handler applies. These fees covers items such as volunteer insurance, a Canine Therapy Corps t-shirt, and a therapy dog bandana.