In order to visit at retirement homes and schools one must pass a series of tests to become certified as a therapy dog and handler team. The tests are fairly straightforward and they are designed to determine if the dog can handle new and strange situations and whether or not he will accept petting and crowding by strangers. The dog must prove that he is able to encounter people in wheelchairs, using walkers and with physical limitations that may cause body language that is new to the dog. The dog should be able to wait patiently and calmly in the care of a stranger (the handler leaves the dog with a stranger while the handler leaves the room). The dog is asked to walk through a crowd while on leash and get bumped and grabbed by outstretched hands. In another test the dog is required to walk calmly on a leash while noisy objects (such as a stainless steel bowl or a metal chair) are dropped to see if the dog will react to loud noises in an inappropriate manner. The dogs are allowed to be startled, they just need to recover quickly and not react with any aggression or strong fear. The dog and handler are also required to meet another dog and handler team who will stop and have a quick chat as some hospitals or retirement homes employ many therapy teams at one time. In this test the dogs are allowed to notice each other, but should not be overly interested in the other dogs. Once again aggression is not tolerated, nor is a strong and exuberant desire to play. While working, the dog will need to display that he is more interested in his handler than in other dogs. The dog and handler are to walk through a "milling" crowd in which they will be lightly bumped and jostled. The dogs also need to display that they can tolerate an adult or child running up to the handler to tell him some very exciting news. The dog once again is allowed to notice, but not to jump up or act aggressively or fearfully. Another important test for the dogs is to quickly calm down after a play session or enthusiastic praise. This test is to help determine if the dog is able to refocus after being stimulated as many things in retirement homes or schools can be stimulating (i.e., waiting for treats or even sitting through fire drills) The dogs are also required to take food gently from strangers and this is very important since many elderly residents have very soft, sensitive skin.

Another common requirement to almost all therapy dog programs is a high level of commitment from the handler. The people with whom the teams visit become very attached to their canine callers and they really look forward to their visits. An irregular visiting schedule or inconsistent visits can really be quite upsetting for the facilities and their residents.

If you are considering therapy work and you are committed to making regular visits; seek out the organizing body in your area and ask them about their testing criteria. Depending on the organization the tests may vary, however they all seem to be fairly consistent. Almost all retirement homes and hospitals require that your dog be certified and insured before you can visit. Once your dog is certified, they are usually insured by the certifying organization. 

As you can see there are many avenues to therapy work and although we seem to be unable to choose just one, I'm sure there is one that would be just right for you.