Therapy Team Foundations 1:1 Training

Preparing thoughtful, resilient teams for meaningful therapy work.

Therapy Team Foundations is an 8-session private training program designed to prepare dogs and their handlers for the skills, judgment, communication, and partnership involved in therapy assistance animal volunteering.

While we prepare teams for the skills they may encounter during a Pet Partners evaluation, passing an evaluation isn't our only goal.

We help prepare both you and your dog for service because it’s your relationship that walks into a room, not just your dog.

Our goal is to help you become the kind of partnership that can enter someone else's space thoughtfully, safely, and with respect for everyone involved—including your dog.

🐾 A Different Approach to Therapy Team Preparation

Therapy work happens in dynamic environments. People may move, speak, touch, or interact in unexpected ways. Dogs encounter unfamiliar equipment, noises, smells, spaces, and emotions. Handlers need to make decisions while supporting their dog, themselves, and the people they're visiting.

That's why our program goes beyond practicing evaluation exercises. Throughout eight private sessions, we'll develop three areas together:

• Dog Skills. Build the practical skills needed to navigate greetings, handling, distractions, crowds, unfamiliar environments, and other situations therapy teams may encounter.

• Handler Skills. Learn to read canine body language, communicate clearly, recognize consent and choice, manage interactions, advocate for your dog, and make thoughtful decisions in changing environments.

• Partnership Skills. Learn how to notice, communicate, recover, adapt, and move through the world together.

💙 What We'll Explore

Over eight sessions, we'll work on:

• Calm, comfortable interactions with people

• Therapy dog evaluation skills (sit, down, stay, come, etc.)

• Loose-leash movement and navigating crowds

• Attention and communication around distractions

• Canine body language, consent, and choice

• Working around other dogs and environmental changes

• Advocacy and supporting your dog during interactions

• Medical equipment, unusual movement, sounds, and handling

• Facilitating meaningful visits rather than simply accompanying your dog

• Working together in real community environments

• Evaluating readiness, finding the right fit for you and your dog, and guidance registering with Pet Partners.

Community outings are incorporated into the program so we can observe and coach your partnership outside the training environment.

More Than an Evaluation

A therapy animal evaluation is an important milestone. Ethical, enjoyable volunteering is the destination.

Throughout Therapy Team Foundations, we'll ask more than, "Can my dog perform this skill?"

We'll also explore:

How does my dog feel about this interaction?
What is my dog communicating?
How am I affecting our teamwork?
Can we recover together when something unexpected happens
When should I support, advocate, pause, or stop?.

Our job is to help prepare that partnership for the privilege and responsibility of being invited into someone else's space.

Program Investment

Therapy Team Foundations: $760

Includes 8 individualized private training sessions, guided community practice, and session Practice Guides. Each team progresses through the Therapy Team Foundations curriculum with coaching tailored to the individual dog-and-handler partnership.

Complete our Therapy Team Foundations inquiry form to tell us a little about you and your dog and begin the conversation.