Studies have found a definite correlation between animal therapy and emotional health. Petting a dog can lower blood pressure, relieve stresses and also ease loneliness and depression. Sharing your companion through therapy dog activities takes very little time out of your day but the rewards to all involved are immense. Shibas do make wonderful Therapy Dogs. Everyone they touch or who touches them benefits greatly from the warmth and compassion they have to share.

There are many organizations throughout the US and Canada working with animal therapy. Find one convenient to you that will work well for you and your companion. Each organization follows their own guidelines, training and testing. Some include insurance coverage for their members. Each has their own programs to help you after you have passed your testing and evaluation.

Following is an summary of screening and testing conducted by an evaluator who has been trained to determine the acceptance of dog and handler to the program. There are many variations, depending on the organization, and this is sampling of exercises which might be used in testing. There is no specific order in which these excises are given, this also depends on the organization and the evaluator. Some organizations include all of these exercises in testing while others may use some of their own. Again, it depends on the organization, what type of therapy work you are being evaluated for and what guidelines the organization follows. continued...