Evaluation

Preparing for Your Evaluation Observing an Evaluation Practice, Practice, and More Practice Simulating an Evaluation Your Performance Counts, Too Evalutation Day

Predictable and Complex Ratings Carried Dogs Walked Cats Other Species Evaluation Overview

Tips for the Skills and Aptitude Exercises

Tips for the Skills Exercises         1 – Review Handler’s Questionnaire        2 – Accept a Friendly Stranger         3 – Accept Petting         4 – Appearance and Grooming         5 – Out for a Walk         6 – Walk Through a Crowd         7 – Reaction to Distractions         8 – Sit on Command         9 – Down on Command         10 – Stay in Place         11 – Come When Called         12 – Reaction to a Neutral Dog Tips for Animals That Are Carried         8/9 – Animal Passed to Three Strangers      10 – Stay in Place on a Lap or Table

Tips for the Aptitude Exercises         A – Overall Examination         B – Clumsy Petting         C – Restraining Hug         D – Staggering and Gesturing         E – Angry Yelling         F – Bumped From Behind         G – Crowded and Petted by Several People         H – Leave It         I – Offer a Treat         J – Overall Handler Assessment

About this Page

I created this page to share my tips on how to pass the Pet Partners evaluation. I recommend that you study them while practicing for your evaluation, and then again shortly before evaluation day. It is also very important that you study the information presented in the Handler Student Guide, as this page only supplements that information.

I realize that there is a lot to read here, but spending time preparing for your evaluation will greatly help you to relax, and anxiety is one of the major reasons people fail. That said, nothing beats the actual experience of an evaluation to discover your weaknesses. So please don’t be discouraged if you fail the first time; you will very likely pass the second.

Much of the inspiration for my tips came from what I call “head bangers,” unnecessary mistakes which I would see my students make even after I had thoroughly tutored them in class. You’ll know them by the graphic at the left, which expresses exactly how they make me feel!

Knowing the pitfalls and how to practice to avoid them should greatly help you to succeed. Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.

Peter Christensen
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Preparing for Your Evaluation

Observing an Evaluation

The best way to get the feel of an evaluation is to attend one in person. It’s a great way to learn what is expected of you and your animal as you see some teams pass their evaluations so easily, while you learn even more from seeing other teams fail.

Contact the evaluator and arrange to attend either as an observer or a volunteer. Volunteering for a half day is best, and you don’t have to know what to do ahead of time. You will simply be playing the role of a person in a facility during the evaluations.

And it’s always helpful to watch an evaluation video again and really get the routine down well.

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Practice, Practice, and More Practice

If I asked you to walk across a room, would it make you nervous? Of course not. And if you practice the exercises of the evaluation enough, they won’t make you nervous either. And what about your animal? It turns out that most of your animal’s nervousness comes from you, right down the leash as they say.

Here’s a real head banger borrowed from Skills Exercise 10, Come When Called:

When the handler switches their leash to the 10 foot leash provided by the evaluator, they often remove their leash before attaching the 10 footer. This leaves their animal completely unattached, and usually the evaluator has just told them how to do it properly!

Obviously nerves got the best of them, and they were neither listening to the evaluator nor thinking clearly. But it’s a great example of how practice can make an evaluation go so much more smoothly.

The solution is to practice the exercises correctly until they become a matter of routine. Like walking across a room.

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Simulating an Evaluation

As I wrote above, “most of your animal’s nervousness comes from you.” But it can also come from being asked to perform in a new environment, and with new people. My experience is a great example of this.

I used to joke that my second dog would be ready for therapy animal work when he was 40. Then at 3, when he settled down some, I felt he might be ready and started practicing the evaluation exercises in my home. Everything was going well, so I arranged to practice at a neighbor’s.

We were doing fine there, too, until she went to touch his feet and give him a hug. I was shocked! He was my cuddle-bug, and I was sure he’d have no problems interacting with other people. But he jerked away.

I realized that he’d only been cuddly with people in my home. Because of his high energy level and wanting to jump up on people, I’d mostly held him back outside my home. I also realized that the only time anyone had ever touched his feet or held him firmly was to trim his nails.

Are you thinking this is an obscure problem that doesn’t relate to your animal? The fact that it is such an obscure problem brings home the point that you don’t know what will show up until you actually practice the exercises of the evaluation with others outside your home.

But your neighbor’s home isn’t much like the room you’ll be evaluating in, so you also need to visit different environments. Home Depot, Lowes, PetCo and PetSmart all allow people to bring dogs inside; check with them about other species. But remember, you’re going there to practice, not to be social.

Before you visit a business, always phone to be sure it’s okay to take your animal inside. And make sure they understand that it’s not a service animal.

Also, you may be surprised to find how helpful shoppers will be if you ask them to role play an evaluation exercise or two with you!

Once you see that your animal is comfortable in the building, it’s great to interact with others. But before you allow them to make contact, explain that you are practicing for a therapy animal evaluation and that you would like them to behave in a business-like manner.

I’ve practiced at my insurance agent’s office after phoning ahead and asking the staff to play it cool when we come in. None of that high-pitched sweet doggie talk our dogs love so much!

Even better than visiting a business, get a few students from your training class together for a practice in a garage or other suitable area. Do everything you can to simulate an actual evaluation from the moment each team arrives to the moment they leave. It’s good practice for everyone, both two-legged and four.

Don’t forget to practice sit and down! These are so easy at home that you might not think to practice them in a stressful situation. Many times an evaluation has been going just fine until the dog was asked to sit, at which time it froze under the stress.

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Your Performance Counts, Too

The evaluation score sheets are divided in two with one side for the handler and the other for your animal. You each receive a score for every exercise, and they are equally important.

While the first part of the evaluation is designed to ensure that you and your animal have the skills necessary to visit successfully, and the second is designed to ensure that you have the aptitude to visit successfully, you will treat both parts the same. To be successful, you must be both proactive and interactive with your animal, the evaluator, and the volunteers.

In my first evaluation, the volunteers weren’t instructed to play their parts correctly. Aptitude Exercises D and E were conducted simultaneously, and the “staggering and gesturing” and “angry yelling” role-players all acted at the same time. Then instead of quieting down and warmly calling my dog to come to them for a visit, they abruptly turned and hurriedly walked toward us like Zombies!

I instinctively reached down and picked my little dog up, in the same moment worrying that I would be marked up for my behavior. And was I ever! Marked up positively for being proactive.

To be interactive is to be involved in the process, just as you would be on a visit. This means that you will be speaking with the evaluator, and volunteers at appropriate times, rather than standing by as an observer.

Another way to show your interest is to bend over or crouch down along with the evaluator and volunteers, should they do either to be closer to your animal. And touching your animal gives it the assurance that it is safe with you in this strange environment.

If you are physically unable to get down with your animal or doing so would make you uncomfortable, explain your situation to your evaluator so that they will not misinterpret your posture as your being disconnected with your animal.

It might not be necessary to be so close to your animal with every interaction at a facility where you and your animal have become comfortable and confident. But it is necessary anytime you encounter a situation that might be stressful, like in an evaluation!

The single greatest cause of teams failing evaluations is the handler not practicing PETS: Presence, Eye contact, Touch and Speech. Keeping closely in-touch with your animal is the most important thing you can do to ensure success in your evaluation, as well as in visits with clients.

See to it that your animal has a good time while visiting with others, and they will feel comfortable and be at their best.

From the time you arrive at the evaluation site to the time you leave, role play that you are on a visit with your animal. Treat the volunteers as you would the residents of a facility. And so that you don’t fall out of character when you speak to your evaluator, speak to them as you would the activities director or volunteer coordinator of a facility.

When your evaluator asks you to perform the exercises, imagine that they just want to be sure that your visits will be safe. And don’t worry about over-playing your role; your evaluator will love it.

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Evaluation Day

Plan to arrive early enough that you are not rushed. Even better, allow yourself time to go for a walk around the area to get into a relaxed, confident state of mind.

However, it is best to not interact with other teams you encounter outside the evaluation facility. You are being evaluated from the time you arrive to the time you leave and should the animals misbehave, both teams could be deemed Not Ready.

Keep in mind that evaluations are normally run on a very tight schedule. They may last the full day, and usually each evaluation is run right after the one before it.

The evaluators and supporting staff will be in “work mode,” focusing on their tasks in order to keep things running smoothly and on schedule. Please do not interpret this as their being unfriendly or unsocial, and do what you can to help keep things moving along.

Here’s a checklist to ensure that you’ve prepared properly:

Your animal should be bathed within 24 hours, groomed, and wearing the same equipment you will use on your visits.

For a list of acceptable equipment, see your Handler Student Guide or watch the video Acceptable Equipment. And note that while bandanas and vests may be worn during visits, animals evaluating for the first time with Pet Partners should wear only their collar or harness and a leash.

You should be looking professional with no jeans or open-toe shoes, smell of strong perfume, cologne, tobacco or alcohol.

Be sure to give your animal the opportunity to potty before your evaluation begins.

Be prepared to discuss your animal’s stress signs (see Exercise 1 – Review Handler’s Questionnaire).

Be prepared to present the following items to your evaluator upon entering the facility:

Certificate of Course Completion or your ID badge if you are renewing

Completed Handler’s Questionnaire Form (Handler’s Questionnaire Form)

Your animal’s current rabies vaccination certificate (not your vet bill) and rabies tag if you are evaluating with a dog, cat, horse, donkey, llama, alpaca or pot-bellied pig

A treat for your animal for the Offer a Treat exercise (treats are otherwise not allowed during your evaluation)

A soft brush without any rigid plastic or metal

A towel, small blanket or basket, if your animal will be placed on a table or laps

There are additional requirements for children, and those evaluating with animals they do not own. Check with your instructor or evaluator.

And finally, a reminder of some things you must avoid as they could get you a Not Ready:

Dropping your leash.

Your animal jumping up on a person or piece of equipment.

Your animal vocalizing more than once or twice out of stress or excitement.

Your animal licking a person more than once or twice. (more)

Your animal mouthing a person or piece of equipment, e.g., its leash.

Your animal crossing your midline to reach the neutral dog. (more)

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Predictable and Complex Ratings

Many teams will be quite pleased to receive a Predictable rating. This rating is suitable for working in slow-moving environments such as assisted living homes, hospices, libraries, and many others.

For teams interested in working in busier environments, such as classrooms, and hospitals with staff, family and carts moving through the halls and coming from all directions, it will be necessary to achieve a Complex rating.

Each exercise in the evaluation is graded with a 1, 2, or Not Ready. Here are the minimum requirements to pass the evaluation:

Predictable: To receive a Predictable rating, you need to receive a 1 in most exercises; you may receive a Not Ready in any two of the Exercises D-I.

Complex: To receive a Complex rating, you need to receive a 2 in the ten exercises specified; you may receive a 1 in the others, but no Not Ready’s.

It gets a bit daunting trying to visualize this, so I created the following chart:

Minimum Requirements for Predictable (P) and Complex (C) Ratings

No		Skills Exercises		P		C		No		Aptitude Exercises		P		C
1		Review Handler’s Questionnaire		1		1		A		Overall Examination		1		2
2		Accept a Friendly Stranger		1		2		B		Clumsy Petting		1		2
3		Accept Petting		1		1		C		Restraining Hug		1		2
4		Appearance and Grooming		1		2		D		Staggering and Gesturing		1*		1
5		Out for a Walk		1		2		E		Angry Yelling		1*		1
6		Walk Through a Crowd		1		2		F		Bumped From Behind		1*		1
7		Reaction to Distractions		1		1		G		Crowded & Petted by Several People		1*		2
8		Sit on Command		1		1		H		Leave It		1*		1
9		Down on Command		1		1		I		Offer a Treat		1*		1
10		Stay in Place		1		2		J		Overall Handler Assessment		1		2
11		Come When Called		1		1
12		Reaction to a Neutral Dog		1		1

*You may receive a Not Ready in 2 of the Exercises D-I and still receive a Predictable rating.

Note that some of the exercises that are most difficult for some teams, such as Reaction to a Neutral Dog and Leave It, only require a 1 for a Complex rating.

Lastly, remember that both you and your animal are graded independently, and the lower of your two grades is used to score the exercise. Therapy animal work truly is a team effort, and this is reflected in the scoring of the evaluation.

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Carried Dogs

Very small dogs must be carried for their own safety, as well as that of those who might trip over them. And some of our big dogs are bigger than our miniature horses, and no one would want to carry them! This topic addresses the mid-sized or “small dogs.”

Very Small Dogs: If your dog is very small, it would not be safe to have it on the ground and so it must be carried in all of the exercises of your evaluation (where you have the option to carry it) and during visits.

Big Dogs: If your dog is too big to easily carry with one hand, then all of the exercises of your evaluation must be conducted with your dog on the ground. This is because you will often need one hand free to conduct visits, and if you can’t hold your dog easily in your other hand you will need to put it on the ground.

Small Dogs: If your dog is small enough that you can easily carry it with one hand, but large enough that you feel it could safely visit on the ground, then you get to decide whether or not you want to carry it in certain exercises of your evaluation and during visits.

Some of the exercises of the evaluation may be easier to pass if your dog is carried. However, if you carry your dog in an exercise of your evaluation, you must carry it during visits under similar circumstances. This will be noted in your records, and non-compliance will void insurance coverage.

For example, if you choose to carry your dog during Accepting a Friendly Stranger, then you will be expected to carry your dog when meeting clients. Similarly, if you carry your dog in Walk Through a Crowd, you will be expected to carry your dog walking through crowds. And so on.

During non-visit times, such as walking into a facility or walking between visiting areas, you may walk your dog on the ground even if you carried it in your evaluation. However, should you encounter people, you may need to pick up your dog depending on which exercises you carried it in your evaluation.

It gets a bit daunting trying to visualize when you carry or walk a small dog, so I created the following chart:

When Small Dogs Are Carried or Walked in the Evaluation

No		Skills Exercises		Answer		No		Aptitude Exercises		Answer
1		Review Handler’s Questionnaire		walked		A		Overall Examination		optional
2		Accept a Friendly Stranger		optional		B		Clumsy Petting		optional
3		Accept Petting		optional		C		Restraining Hug		optional
4		Appearance and Grooming		optional		D		Staggering and Gesturing		optional
5		Out for a Walk		walked		E		Angry Yelling		optional
6		Walk Through a Crowd		optional		F		Bumped From Behind		optional
7		Reaction to Distractions		optional		G		Crowded & Petted by Several People		optional
8		Sit on Command		optional*		H		Leave It		walked
9		Down on Command		optional*		I		Offer a Treat		optional
10		Stay in Place		optional*		J		Overall Handler Assessment		optional
11		Come When Called		walked
12		Reaction to a Neutral Dog		optional

*Performed differently if carried; see Tips for Animals That Are Carried.

Review Handler’s Questionnaire is an important time to let your dog roam the evaluation area (on leash) and sniff all there is to sniff. This will help ensure that your dog isn’t distracted by smells during the other exercises in which it will be on the ground.

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Walked Cats

If your cat is trained to walk on a leash, then you get to decide whether or not you want to walk it in certain exercises of your evaluation and during visits.

Some of the exercises of the evaluation may be easier to pass if your cat is carried. However, if you carry your cat in an exercise of your evaluation, you must carry it during visits under similar circumstances. This will be noted in your records, and non-compliance will void insurance coverage.

For example, if you choose to carry your cat during Accepting a Friendly Stranger, then you will be expected to carry your cat when meeting clients. Similarly, if you carry your cat in Walk Through a Crowd, you will be expected to carry your cat walking through crowds. And so on.

During non-visit times, such as walking into a facility or walking between visiting areas, you may walk your cat on the ground even if you carried it in your evaluation. However, should you encounter people, you may need to pick up your cat depending on which exercises you carried it in your evaluation.

It gets a bit daunting trying to visualize when you carry or walk a cat, so I created the following chart:

When Cats Are Carried or Walked in the Evaluation

No		Skills Exercises		Answer		No		Aptitude Exercises		Answer
1		Review Handler’s Questionnaire		walked		A		Overall Examination		lap/table
2		Accept a Friendly Stranger		optional		B		Clumsy Petting		lap/table
3		Accept Petting		optional		C		Restraining Hug		lap/table
4		Appearance and Grooming		table/lap		D		Staggering and Gesturing		optional
5		Out for a Walk		optional		E		Angry Yelling		optional
6		Walk Through a Crowd		optional		F		Bumped From Behind		optional
7		Reaction to Distractions		optional		G		Crowded & Petted by Several People		optional
8		Sit on Command		lap*		H		Leave It		carried
9		Down on Command		lap*		I		Offer a Treat		optional
10		Stay in Place		lap/table*		J		Overall Handler Assessment		optional
11		(not performed for cats)		na
12		Reaction to a Neutral Dog		optional

*Performed differently for cats; see Tips for Animals That Are Carried.

If you choose to walk your cat in any of the exercises, then Review Handler’s Questionnaire is an important time to let your cat roam the evaluation area (on leash) and sniff all there is to sniff. This will help ensure that your cat isn’t distracted by smells during the other exercises in which it will be on the ground.

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Other Species

Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, rabbits, rats, horses, donkeys, llamas, alpacas, pot-bellied pigs and birds can all be used in therapy animal work. However, the Handler Student Guide is generally oriented toward the most common therapy animals, dogs and cats. Or another way to describe the orientation would be large dogs that walk on the ground, and small dogs and cats that are carried.

In the tips presented on this page you will find headings indicating tips for evaluating with different species. You may also find a little information on how an exercise differs for different species, but these are not complete instructions on how the evaluation is performed for that species. If you will be evaluating a species other than dog or cat, it is important that you obtain detailed information on how your evaluation will be conducted from your instructor or evaluator.

The following chart presents a summary of how the evaluation is modified for different species:

Pet Partners Evaluation Guidelines for Different Species

In addition, here you will find some tips for different species that weren’t appropriate for the exercise-specific information found further down the page:
Rabbits and Guinea Pigs: These small prey animals are quite different from predator animals like dogs and cats. They are “wired differently,” and doing well in an evaluation is more about their mental and physical comfort and trust in their handler, and less about training. Though of course socialization is critical, and they must be comfortable around numbers of people.

It is also important that they become familiar with their harness before your evaluation. You can’t expect your animal to feel comfortable wearing a harness that you bought just a day earlier. Also a soft bed with sides may help them feel secure.

Nervous handlers sometimes touch their rabbit or guinea pig throughout the entire evaluation. While it depends on the particular animal, this can be quite annoying and create more stress. Talking in a low, calm voice is reassuring.
Rabbits: If you have a truly solid relationship with your rabbit, the world could be falling down around you while you were holding your rabbit and it would be fine.

A cat harness that attaches on the back may work well for your rabbit. Use a non-flexible, light weight, short leash if your rabbit will be on the floor. With a flexible leash, your rabbit won’t know where the end is and may try to move too fast and get hurt.

How fast a rabbit twitches its nose can be a sign of how stressed it is. The faster it twitches its nose, the more stressed it is. Stroking a rabbit’s ears is comforting to most rabbits. Also, your rabbit should be able to see your face during your evaluation, though you don’t want to stare at it as that could be interpreted as threatening.
Guinea Pigs: Guinea pigs are fairly settled when you have a solid relationship with them and you are holding them. However, after 15 or 20 minutes they may become restless and will want to go back to their safe spot, typically their crate. If you see this restlessness, ask your evaluator if you can take a quick break. With guinea pigs, signs of restlessness may also indicate the need to urinate.

A kitten harness may work well for your guinea pig. Use a flexible leash and never walk your guinea pig on the floor like you would a dog. Guinea pigs don’t have flexible backs, and may bolt and get hurt. The leash is only for emergencies only.

Guinea pigs like to be rubbed on the bald spot behind their ears.

Llamas and Alpacas: It has been suggested that only a small percentage of these animals are suitable for therapy animal work. As with all therapy animals, they must enjoy human interactions. And they must be consistent and reliable in the following capabilities:

Llamas must be comfortable moving about in small spaces, and able to back up!

Following their handler’s cues

The lead is your connection to your animal and an important tool in communicating what you want. It should always be handled professionally and respectfully, without drawing attention.

Dexterity in movement in confined spaces

They must be able to step around beds and chairs and other furniture. And because they may be too big to turn around in confined spaces, they must be accomplished at backing out.

Standing quietly without moving, spitting, stomping or kicking

When being confronted by friendly strangers, multiple petters and dogs, these animals must not react in a manner that would be dangerous to others. One wrong move could potentially injure a fragile client.

They must leave plants alone

Of course you should be watching your animal and keeping it under control at all times, but for safety your animal should be trained to “leave it” on its own when it comes to something edible. Picture a favorite house plant or recently delivered flowers.

Fully house-trained (diapers are not permitted)

Comfortable working apart from their herd

Because llamas and alpacas are herd animals, some will not be comfortable working apart from their herd. A suitable candidate for therapy animal work will be content interacting with people without others of their species present.

I once observed a pair of llamas that were brought to an evaluation. The first to evaluate did fine, but the second would not stop looking toward the door, wanting to be with the other llama.

Assuming that this second llama would be content working on its own, it was suggested that it would have performed better had the two llamas been brought separately, and at different times.

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Evaluation Overview

In order for the tips presented on this page to be meaningful, you must be familiar with the complete description of each exercise as presented in the Handler Student Guide.

As a supplementary aid which may be helpful in your practices, the following two charts present an overview of the Pet Partners evaluation:

Part 1 – Skills Exercises

Part 2 – Aptitude Exercises

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Tips for the Skills Exercises

As indicated in the Predictable and Complex Ratings chart, to receive a Predictable rating you must receive a 1 or 2 in every skills exercise. You may not receive a Not Ready in any skills exercise and pass your evaluation.

All of the skills exercises must be passed in order to move on to the aptitude exercises. If the handler or animal receives a Not Ready in any skills exercise, your evaluation will be stopped for the day and the team will be given a score of Not Ready.

In order to receive a Complex rating, you must receive a 2 in the five exercises marked with a ♦, and a 1 on all other exercises.

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1 – Review Handler’s Questionnaire

In this first exercise you will be given free time while your evaluator looks over your paperwork. Use it wisely.

You will be allowed to walk or carry your animal around the room. If your animal will be walking in any of the exercises, be sure to let it walk now so it can sniff the ground. And it is very important to cover the entire room, letting your animal sniff all there is to sniff. I have seen people cover only half the room, only to have their animal distracted in later exercises by the scents it hadn’t sniffed earlier.

Remember that from the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, you are being evaluated. As you walk around the room, be sure that your animal is well-behaved and doesn’t get its nose where it doesn’t belong. It should only be sniffing the air and ground, not someone’s handbag or a tabletop.

You will be asked not to interact with others as you walk around the room, so for this exercise do not role play that you are on a visit to a facility as you will in the other exercises.

Also, be prepared when you walk in the door as first impressions count.

Sitting at the side of the room as a volunteer, I watched a woman walk through the door with a large, energetic dog. The evaluator approached her and asked if she had her paperwork, brush, and treat for her dog.

I watched in amazement as she rifled through her huge shoulder bag looking for these things. It seemed to take forever, and all the while her dog was pulling this way and that, making her task more difficult. Not once during this process did she look to see what her dog might be getting into. She just jerked on the leash to pull it back when its pulling interfered with her search.

Stress Signs: Take special note of item 12 in the Handler’s Questionnaire: “What signals does this animal demonstrate to indicate stress, fatigue or over-stimulation (i.e. yawning, excessive blinking, shaking, whining, etc.)?”

It is important that you answer this question to show your evaluator that you will be able to detect stress in your animal and take appropriate action. Telling your evaluator that your animal is very comfortable around people and never shows signs of stress will only lead them to believe that you do not know your animal well enough to begin therapy animal work, and you could get a Not Ready for your evaluation.

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2 – Accept a Friendly Stranger ♦

Animals on the Ground: This exercise is simple enough, but you may need to practice it just the same as your animal must stay by your side as your evaluator approaches.

If your animal approaches your evaluator, you will receive a Not Ready for your evaluation. If your animal tries to approach your evaluator but you are proactive and keep it at your side, you will receive a 1 and you cannot receive a Complex rating. You can only receive a 2 if your animal stays by your side.

Notice that I said that you can only receive a 2 if your animal stays by your side, but I didn’t say that you can’t be proactive in keeping it there. Anticipating your animal’s reactions and being proactive in keeping it under control are always looked upon favorably.

When someone you know approaches you, you are likely in the habit of letting your animal go up to meet them ahead of you. Meeting a stranger, or a client in therapy animal work, you cannot allow this unless the person is showing an outward interest in meeting your animal. Otherwise, you cannot be sure they don’t dislike or fear animals, or have allergies to them.

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3 – Accept Petting

If you skipped down this page to these tips, go back and read Your Performance Counts, Too. If you don’t role play properly, you will get a Not Ready for your entire evaluation.

How does your animal like to be petted? My Schnauzer doesn’t like his beard messed with! Most dogs don’t appreciate a hand reaching down to their heads, as most people are inclined to do. Many llamas and alpacas don’t like their faces, legs, feet or rear touched. Who would know?

Be proactive in minimizing stress by guiding everyone who pets your animal. Demonstrate how your animal most enjoys being petted, as your touch will also reassure your animal.

Animals on the Ground: As described for the above exercise, your animal should stay by your side. So practice this exercise with someone circling around you.

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4 – Appearance and Grooming ♦

Note that “appearance and grooming” applies to you, too! It’s on the score sheet. No open-toe shoes, and dress appropriately for the type of facility you would like to be visiting. Some evaluators frown upon jeans, even if a facility permits them.

Animals Other than Birds: Be sure to take a soft brush for your evaluator to use in this exercise, one that a mentally or physically-challenged person could use to brush your animal without harming it. And be sure to practice having your animal brushed with this brush by people your animal doesn’t know.

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5 – Out for a Walk ♦

Those who do best in this exercise are almost always speaking to their animals as they walk. It helps to keep their attention so that they are less likely to become distracted.

Encourage your animal, and give it accolades for doing well. And don’t worry about looking silly, as the evaluators love it when you act it up a bit: “Good job, Cecilia!” It also helps to keep the mood light, which in turn helps to keep the two of you from becoming nervous.

You will see all of the above in the evaluation video at 1:45.

Animals on the Ground: It is important that your animal walk with a loose leash. However, there is no need for it to be unnecessarily long, allowing your animal to move further from your side. If there is extra length in your leash, wrap it around your hand to take up some of the slack.

Generally speaking, a loose leash is required for a Complex rating, while “some tight lead” is acceptable for a Predictable rating. But it’s fine if your animal begins to wonder off course, so long as you act quickly to guide it back using vocal directions and/or your leash. The point is that your animal should be walking with you, and not be pulling away from you.

It may help to tell your animal when you are going to make a turn.

Horses, Donkeys, Llamas and Alpacas: A guiding lead to help your animal understand what you are asking them to do is appropriate, but having to drag or manhandle your animal is not. Your animal should easily follow your lead, accepting directional guidance.

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6 – Walk Through a Crowd ♦

In visiting a facility, you won’t have time to visit with everyone you see. And some people dislike or fear animals, or have allergies. The purpose of this exercise is to demonstrate that you can pass through a crowd without visiting.

One volunteer will likely pass behind you, another in front, and you may meet the third in the middle. Politely maneuver around them.

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7 – Reaction to Distractions

This exercise demonstrates that your animal is comfortable around moving objects and loud noises. It is similar to the previous exercise, but with the introduction of a visual distraction in front of the team and an auditory distraction behind it.

As is the case in every exercise, your actions are being evaluated as well as your animal’s. You are expected to proactively guide your animal around moving objects, and to support your animal by checking in with him after you hear the noise.

The auditory distraction can be pretty loud, so practice this at home. And make sure it happens when your animal isn’t looking.

Even if your animal seems oblivious to the noise, still check in with him to earn brownie points with your evaluator: “Oh, what was that, Rover? Good boy!”

You can’t hear what the handler is saying to her dog after the clipboard is dropped in the evaluation video at 3:30, but she’s talking to him. Good job handler!

Llamas and Alpacas: The visual distraction will be something small moving on the ground in front of your animal’s feet.

Other Animals: The visual distraction will be a piece of medical equipment such as a walker or wheelchair. Be sure to practice with a walker or similar object, and if a wheelchair isn’t handy a shopping cart in Home Depot, Lowes, PetCo or PetSmart will do. Or a shopping cart outside your supermarket.

Carried Animals: Even though you will be carrying your animal around the equipment used in this exercise, check in with them to demonstrate that you are being proactive in keeping them from becoming stressed.

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8 – Sit on Command

9 – Down on Command

Horses and Pigs: Exercises 8 and 9 are not performed.

Llamas and Alpacas: Sit and down are replaced with different exercises. In Exercise 8, you guide your animal to back up. In Exercise 9, you guide your animal to move forward, then backward, through obstacles such as tables and chairs or a simulated doorway.

Very Small Dogs, Cats, and Other Animals That Are Carried: See Tips for Animals That Are Carried for Exercises 8 and 9.

Dogs Other Than Very Small, Carried Dogs: Students frequently ask how many times you can give a cue, and how long your dog has to respond. There is no perfect answer because each evaluator may see it a bit differently.

What’s important is that your dog is responsive to you. But the evaluation is a stressful situation, and your dog is not expected to respond instantly.

Here are some tips to ensuring success:

1. Before you give a cue, make sure you have your dog’s attention and that he is looking into your eyes.
2. If your dog knows hand signals, give both a verbal cue and a hand signal simultaneously. Note that a verbal cue and hand signal must be given simultaneously or they will count as two cues.
3. A big mistake is to show impatience yourself and give rapid multiple cues; you will get a Not Ready for your evaluation. It’s likely that your evaluator will permit up to three cues, so make the most of each one you give.
4. If your dog doesn’t respond to your first cue immediately, give it more time before doing anything. If it still doesn’t respond, giving another cue under the same conditions is likely to get the same result!

Walk your dog around you in a little circle. This is just a quick little move; you are not walking around the room. But as you do it talk to your dog to get its attention, or more to the point, pull its attention back from whatever was distracting it. Complete the little circle and with your dog looking into your eyes give a second cue.

5. A failure on a third cue will very likely cause you to get a Not Ready on your evaluation. So if the second cue fails, you need to do something greater to relax your dog and get its attention.

Ask your evaluator if you can take a quick break to ease the tension of your evaluation, and take your dog out of the room and have fun for a couple minutes. You’ll likely return ready to go.

Note that you can use more than one cue on these exercises and still receive a Complex rating.

Don’t forget to practice sit and down away from home. These are so easy at home that you might not think to practice them in a stressful situation. Many times an evaluation has been going just fine until the dog was asked to sit, at which time it froze under the stress.

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10 – Stay in Place ♦

Horses, Llamas, Alpacas and Pigs: Holding the leash, you stand to the side of your animal for 30 seconds. You may speak to your animal, but not touch it.

The distance you stand from your animal is 4 feet for horses; 2 feet for llamas and alpacas; and 3 feet for pigs.

Be sure to stand to the side of your animal, as it is less likely to follow you if you move to its side than out in front of it.

Very Small Dogs, Cats, and Other Animals That Are Carried: See Tips for Animals That Are Carried for Exercise 10.

Dogs Other Than Very Small, Carried Dogs:

Your actions in Exercises 10 and 11 are a bit complex, so begin by reviewing these two exercises in the evaluation video at 4:20.

These tips are all based on things I have seen done poorly:

1. Always be holding a leash that is attached to your dog, else your dog will be free and not under your control. In other words, do not drop one leash as you go to work with the other.
2. Always attach the second leash before removing the one that is attached to your dog, else your dog will be free and not under your control. When the handler switches their leash to the 10 foot leash provided by the evaluator, they often remove their leash before attaching the 10 footer. This leaves their animal completely unattached, and usually the evaluator has just told them how to do it properly!

Don’t make the mistake of not practicing switching leashes because it sounds like something a second-grader could do. Under the pressure of your evaluation, you’re a first-grader again.

3. Be sure the 10 foot leash is completely untangled and unwound, as you see in the video. I often see handlers coil it up neatly, then unwind it as they walk away from their dog, with each action of the unwinding pulling on the rope and in turn on their dog.

Each little jerk on the leash as it is unwound is like calling, “Come Rover, come!”

4. Put your dog in a sit or down. The instructions in the Handler Student Guide for this exercise say “sit, down or stand (handler’s choice),” but in a stand it’s just too easy for your dog to move forward.

You must receive a 2 in this exercise in order to receive a Complex rating, and the score sheet for the exercise for a 2 reads, “stayed as placed entire time.” So if your dog takes just one step, you can only receive a Predictable rating.

Sit and down are the safer choices.

Do not put your dog in the sit or down until just before you are ready to walk away. Your stay cue will be more effective if it immediately follows your sit or down cue. Also, if you put your dog in a sit or down at the outset of the exercise, it is likely to get up again as you move around it changing the leash and preparing to walk away.

5. In the video, the evaluator asks the handler to walk away with their back to their dog. If your evaluator asks you to do this, you can still maintain eye contact with your dog by looking over your shoulder. But if you are not asked to turn your back, simply back up the 10 feet. Turning your back on your dog and walking away is practically asking your dog to follow, and is counter-intuitive to Pet Partners’ philosophy of always proactively managing our animals.

In this exercise maintaining eye contact is as good as saying, “Stay put!”

Picture yourself placing a cookie in front of a very small child, telling them not to touch it, and leaving the room. Good luck!

Now picture the same scene, only instead of leaving the room you stand there looking into the child’s eyes. Much better odds.

6. For stay, my hand signal for my dogs is a stop sign made pretty much right in their faces. So I use that simultaneously with the auditory cue, and I hold my “stop sign” as I walk away. Between my eye contact and my hand signal, they get the idea.
7. After walking to the end of the leash, your instructor should tell you to return after three seconds. If they don’t, return on your own as soon as you’re sure it’s been a full three seconds.

Most handers wait until the evaluator directs them to return, and I have seen them stand there for a long time before the instructor realized they needed instruction and told them to return. This is just asking for trouble.

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11 – Come When Called

Cats and Other Animals That Are Carried, Except Small Dogs: Exercise 11 is not performed for cats and other animals that are carried, except small dogs.

Horses, Llamas and Alpacas: Exercise 11 is not performed.

All Dogs and Pigs: As you saw in the video, you attach the 10 foot leash at the beginning of Exercise 10 and remove it after completing Exercise 11.

In Exercise 11, after walking to the end of the leash you remain there while your evaluator pets your animal. Then when instructed, you call your animal to come to you. As shown in the video, it’s okay to be exuberant. Just don’t yell, as that would be inappropriate in a facility.

The Handler Student Guide instructs that we can pat the ground, and I pat my thigh instead. We are competing with our evaluator for our animal’s attention, and we need to demonstrate that we can call our animal away from a client when necessary.

According to the score sheet, the handler needs to use a conversational tone and subtle hand cue in order to get a 2 in this exercise. However, in this exercise you only need a 1 to get a Complex rating on your evaluation. So if you have any doubt that your animal will come when called, use a more exuberant tone and hand cue.

Also note that multiple cues are permitted, though they will also result in a score of a 1. But they may really help!

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12 – Reaction to a Neutral Dog

This is one of the most difficult exercises for most teams with dogs, especially larger dogs that are not carried. It’s the one that most often gets them a Not Ready and sends them home to practice.

Carried Animals: This exercise should be pretty easy for carried animals, so long as your animal doesn’t react poorly to seeing the neutral dog.

Walked Animals:

I have seen so many people nod as if they understand their evaluator’s instructions for this exercise, and then perform it as if they hadn’t listened at all. Or didn’t understand what was said. This is especially true concerning the meaning of the term “vertical midline of the handler.”

The following tips are written for larger dogs that are walked, but many of them apply to other animals:

1. Hopefully your evaluator will tell you before the neutral dog is brought into the room, and if this is the case, prepare your dog for it. Tell your dog before your dog tells you, as it is best if your dog remains silent.

People say that it’s so hard to practice for the neutral dog entering the room, but that’s just not true. When you are walking your dog, watch for other dogs. And when you see one before your dog sees it, get down with your dog and say something like, “Doggie, no bark, doggie.” This will teach your dog how to behave when you tell it there is another dog present.

If you don’t do this and your dog gets in a quick bark or two to tell you it sees another dog, it may be okay with your evaluator if you get it under control right away. But signs of aggression are not acceptable, whether in the form barking, growling, or non-vocal body language. A dog exhibiting such signs of aggression needs more socialization with other dogs before it is ready for therapy dog work.

2. Ideally this exercise should be done with a loose leash, but it’s not the time to show off your loose leash skills. If there is extra length in your leash, wrap it around your hand to take up most of the slack.
3. As you meet the other handler in the center of the room, you are required to stop, say hello and shake hands, though this can be done quite quickly. But before giving your attention to the other handler, you may do well to put your dog in a sit so that it knows not to move toward the neutral dog. This is being proactive, taking action to ensure things go well before they go badly. I watched a woman with a large St. Bernard (well, that’s redundant!) perform this exercise. As they reached the center of the room where her very strong dog could have easily crossed over to greet the neutral dog, she said “Just a moment!” and turned her back on the neutral dog handler. Using her own body as a barrier between her dog and the neutral dog, she put her dog in a sit. Then, while keeping an eye on her dog, she turned to briefly greet the neutral dog handler before continuing on and completing the exercise.

The volunteers and others in the room fell silent as they had never seen anything like this before. But at the completion of the exercise, the evaluator looked around the room with a big smile and a thumbs-up. It was a perfect demonstration of being proactive to safely keep a large dog under control.

4. During this exercise, your dog is not allowed to cross your vertical midline, either in front or behind. That’s basically a straight line going forward from between your eyes. And behind you, too. Don’t rejoice too quickly after you successfully pass by the neutral dog and handler. If you’re not on-guard, your dog will cross behind you to get to the neutral dog!

Those who do well in this exercise often have their head turned a bit so that they have an eye on their dog from start to finish.

You can be very vocal and friendly in greeting the other handler, but your attention should never leave your dog. Your evaluator will understand your priorities.

Also be sure to keep your dog at your side so that it would have to move either ahead or behind you before it could cross over to the neutral dog. If you let your dog walk ahead of you, it will be in position to cross over directly.

If your dog has a problem passing other dogs without moving toward them or otherwise misbehaving, here are a few training tips:

1. Find a park where you will pass other dogs on your walk, and will have space to move off the path.
2. When you see another dog approaching, move 10 yards off the path and get down with your dog and hold and comfort it and talk about the approaching dog in a way that will calm it.
3. After you are comfortable at 10 yards, move to 8 yards. But don’t do it too soon. If you move too quickly and your dog misbehaves, it will set you back in your training. Baby steps.

Also remember that anytime you let your dog do something, you are sanctioning it in your dog’s eyes. So it’s important to do whatever is necessary to avoid bad behaviors.

4. Continue progressing in 2-yard increments until your dog is comfortable watching dogs pass at 2 yards, and then move onto the path. But still get down with your dog and hold and comfort it on the path while the other dog and handler pass.
5. When you are confident you will do well, it’s time to try walking your dog past other dogs. Make sure that, as in the neutral dog exercise, the handlers pass together and the dogs are on the outside. Pretend you are being evaluated and never let your dog cross over.
6. When I practice this I just give the briefest hello to the other handler, even when they are outgoing and friendly toward me. Then after we pass, I turn around and call to them, “I’m sorry, we were practicing passing other dogs politely. Now as a reward for doing well, we’d love to say hello!”
7. Then as you approach to say hello, explain that you want to practice having your dog sit first. This is the final step! Top of Page
   Tips for the Aptitude Exercises

As indicated in the Predictable and Complex Ratings chart, to receive a Predictable rating you must receive a 1 (or 2) in every aptitude exercise, except that you may receive a Not Ready in 2 of the Exercises D-I.

In order to receive a Complex rating, you must receive a 2 in the five exercises marked with a ♦, and a 1 on all other exercises.

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A – Overall Examination ♦

B – Clumsy Petting ♦

C – Restraining Hug ♦

The Handler Student Guide describes the purpose of Exercise A as follows:

“This exercise demonstrates that the animal will accept and is comfortable being examined by a stranger. It also demonstrates that the handler knows how to present the animal on a visit and how to help the animal welcome being touched all over.”

I bolded the key words to success in these exercises.

As I described above in Simulating an Evaluation, I had no idea that my second dog, my little cuddle-bug, would not accept hugging or the touching of his feet from a stranger. Practicing the entire evaluation with someone your animal doesn’t know well is the only way to be sure about these exercises. And if you can’t practice an entire evaluation, you can practice the exercises one or two at a time. Just be sure it’s with strangers to your animal.

Also key to success in these exercises is that you are supporting your animal as you go through them. For most animals, this will mean talking to them and petting them right along with your evaluator and the volunteers. It’s like holding your child’s hand when they are doing something a bit scary.

Just to ensure that last point sinks in, take a minute to watch it done properly in the evaluation video at 8:50. The dog even looks up to its owner as if to ask, “Is this okay?” You’d better be looking back!

Even though Clumsy Petting calls for exuberant petting and speaking, and you know your evaluator will not hurt your animal, remember that you are role playing that you are on a visit to a facility. Demonstrate advocating for your animal by asking your evaluator to be gentle and speak softly when you see them do otherwise. And in Restraining Hug, ask your evaluator to hug gently before they give the hug.

Animals that Like to Lick: Does your animal like to lick? It will probably be okay with your evaluator if your animal gets in a quick lick or two, so long as you are proactive in stopping it and keeping it from happening again and again.

But if your animal likes to lick, it can be a problem when your evaluator hugs your animal. We came up with a great solution at a practice after my face got a good licking, and your evaluator will never be the wiser!

It’s great to be down with your animal and touching it along with anyone else. So if your evaluator kneels to hug your animal, you should kneel and touch it, too.

And if you are worried about your animal licking your evaluator’s face, you can place your hands around your animal’s face to control it without it being obvious what you are doing. You won’t be cheating, either; you are being proactive in ensuring your animal’s good behavior.

Birds: Exercise C is not performed.

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D – Staggering and Gesturing

E – Angry Yelling
In these exercises it is important that you give attention to the volunteers acting out their roles. If the two volunteers start their yelling while you are still visiting with the “staggering and gesturing” person, take notice of them. Wouldn’t you do that anywhere else if someone in the room started yelling? Of course you would. You could be in danger.

And with all the action going on, it will be all the more important that you tend to your animal to ensure its comfort and safety.

The volunteers are supposed to stop acting out and calm down before they acknowledge the presence of your animal and ask if they can pet it. If they don’t, protect yourself and your animal as I shared I had done in my first evaluation in Your Performance Counts, Too, above.

Small Dogs and Cats: It isn’t safe for a person requiring a walker to reach down to a small dog or cat. Therefore even if you choose to walk your small animal so that you don’t have to carry them in similar circumstances on visits, you should pick them up to visit with a person using a walker. Or offer them a chair.

Approach the walker, pick your animal up for the visit, and then put it back down to complete the exercise so that it’s clear that you are not performing the exercise with a carried animal.

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F – Bumped From Behind

Horses, Llamas, Alpacas and Pigs: These animals are bumped from the side.

Carried Animals: Carried animals are not directly bumped; the handler is bumped on the side away from the animal.

It is highly unlikely that your animal will react to being bumped in this exercise, if it even notices. So it’s understandable that you wouldn’t react, either. But you should!

In the Handler Student Guide the description of the purpose of the exercise includes, “demonstrates that the handler can… help the animal recover from the surprise.” And there’s a checkbox on the score sheet reading, “attended to animal’s needs after bump.” But it’s a head banger!

Very few handlers remember to check in with their animal after it’s bumped. And many are so unobservant that they don’t notice it themselves, right after the evaluator has explained that their animal would be bumped in the exercise.

Though it won’t be noted on your score sheet, you should also check in with your animal after you hear the loud noise in Exercise 7 – Reaction to Distractions. It’s demonstrates to your evaluator that you are tending to your animal.

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G – Crowded and Petted by Several People ♦

Keep three things in mind during this exercise:

1. Join the group in petting your animal. It will very likely feel comfortable so long as you are one of the group.
2. Interact with the group, both in conversation about your animal and in giving them instructions in how to pet it.
3. Be alert, as this is likely when your evaluator will bump your animal as described in the previous exercise. Even though this exercise calls for crowding and petting by several people, and you know the volunteers will not hurt your animal, remember that you are role playing that you are on a visit to a facility. Demonstrate advocating for your animal by asking the volunteers to move slowly, pet softly, or take turns, as is appropriate. Don’t let it throw you if your evaluator doesn’t present the exercises exactly as you saw them in the video, or as presented by another evaluator.

For example, they could conduct the above four exercises individually, stopping between each exercise. Or they could run them all together, moving from staggering and gesturing to angry yelling to crowded and petted by several people, with the bump coming somewhere in the process.

However your evaluator conducts your evaluation, they should explain it as they go. Be sure to be attentive to their instructions.

Horses, Donkeys, Llamas and Alpacas: While dogs and cats and other household pets are often raised in busy homes with activity coming from all directions, these animals may find such chaos disturbing. Because of their size and the danger of them hurting someone with a sudden reaction, they must be comfortable with unexpected movements such as their legs being grabbed, someone reaching under them, or their being bumped by furniture or equipment.

Hopefully you will not experience these extremes in your evaluation, but your animal should be prepared for them nonetheless.

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H – Leave It

Dogs: In the Pet Partners therapy animal program, dogs are not expected to behave perfectly, as if they were being judged in an obedience trial. They are expected to behave extremely well, but as a result of two factors: Good training and guidance from their proactive two-legged partner.

In this exercise, do not rely only on your dog’s training, leaving it up to your dog not to make contact with the toy. In the Handler Student Guide the description of the purpose of the exercise includes, “demonstrates that the handler… can prevent the animal from mouthing or picking up the toy.”

The Handler Student Guide also says, “Some sniffing of the toy is acceptable.” Sniffing the air is fine, but be proactive and don’t let your dog get close enough to grab it.

Cats: For carried cats, your evaluator will pass by you carrying a toy to test your cat’s reaction.

Llamas and Alpacas: A plant is used in place of a toy. Also see the suggestions for dogs, above.

Pigs: The leave it exercise is replaced with a food aggression exercise.

Birds: The leave it exercise is replaced with a peck response exercise.

Horses, Rabbits and Guinea Pigs: Exercise H is not performed.

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I – Offer a Treat

This exercise demonstrates that you know how to explain to a client how to safely give your animal a treat, and that your animal can gently take a treat from a client’s hand. Treats are usually placed in an open palm facing up.

Here are two important reminders:

1. You are not allowed to carry treats with you during your evaluation. You should give your evaluator a suitable treat for your animal, along with your brush, before your evaluation begins.
2. If you do not wish to have clients give your animal treats when you visit facilities, you can decline the treat when it is offered in this exercise. However, even if you will be declining the treat, it will still be offered in order to demonstrate that your animal will follow your lead and not take it. This is important because clients will be offering your animal treats, sometimes without asking first.

Also note that if you decline to have your animal take the treat, it will be noted in your records. If you later change your mind, you will have to re-evaluate before clients will be allowed to give your animal treats. Non-compliance will void insurance coverage.

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J – Overall Handler Assessment ♦

This is the only exercise of both the Skills and Aptitude exercises that scores only the handler. It asks whether or not you were:

1. Proactive, anticipating your animal’s needs
2. Skilled in attending to your animal while interacting with others
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   Tips for Animals That Are Carried

For very small dogs, cats, and other animals that are carried, these tips replace those given above for Skills Exercises 8, 9 and 10.

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8/9 – Animal Passed to Three Strangers

Birds: Exercise 8 is not performed for caged birds, and is replaced with a different exercise for uncaged birds. Exercise 9 is performed as described for Other Carried Animals.

In Exercise 8 for uncaged birds, the bird steps up onto a hand or arm offered by a volunteer, where it must remain perched for 30 seconds. After the 30 seconds, it steps back onto a hand or arm of the handler.

Other Carried Animals: While your animal sits briefly on each of three volunteers’ laps, you are not only welcome to speak to it, but you can and should pet it to further give it comfort. Here are some additional tips:

1. Observe which volunteer makes your animal most comfortable, as your evaluator may give you the opportunity to select a volunteer to be used in Exercise 10.
2. At your evaluator’s direction, pick up your animal and place it on the next volunteer’s lap. Do not allow a volunteer to pass your animal to the next volunteer as you must always be in control of your animal.
3. Never place your animal directly on a lap. It must be placed on a towel, small blanket, or kept in a container such as a basket. And you must always hold onto its leash, something that’s easy to forget when you are busy handling a towel or blanket.
4. Be careful to ensure that your animal is comfortable on a lap before letting go of it. If it doesn’t feel secure, it will scramble its feet and look as if it’s struggling to jump off. Not something your evaluator wants to see.

I have seen handlers fumble, and their animals scramble for footing, when they try to pass their animal to the next volunteer with their towel or blanket held under it. It works best to let the volunteer situate the barrier on their lap before you place your animal on it.

Of course you will not have to concern yourself with your animal scrambling for footing if it is kept inside a container such as a basket. But short of that, consider using a barrier with a firm bottom.

For example, you might create a bed consisting of a pad such as those made to go inside dog crates, sitting on top of a piece of cardboard, all enclosed in an easy-wash homemade polar fleece pillow case. Picture a thinner version of the pillow you sleep with, with a piece of cardboard between the bottom of the pillow and the pillow case.

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10 – Stay in Place on a Lap or Table ♦

Birds: Exercise 10 is not performed as it is replaced by Exercise 8.

Other Carried Animals: In this exercise you cannot pet your animal, but you can talk to it.

I witnessed a very small dog receive a Not Ready in this exercise because it looked uncomfortable the entire time, as if it wanted to jump to the handler. The handler and dog held direct eye contact, and I could imagine the dog thinking, “Get me out of here!”

It will be to your advantage to have the volunteer continuously petting your animal, so be prepared to make suggestions should they stop or should your animal look uncomfortable. You will be viewed in a positive light for being proactive and giving the volunteer instructions on how your animal likes to be held and petted.

You might also find it helpful to be looking at the volunteer rather than your animal. Holding eye contact with your animal might serve to further draw its attention to you, making it less likely that it will stay put.

On the other hand, don’t be shy about looking directly at your animal if it looks to you for reassurance. Acknowledge it, then direct the attention back to the volunteer with more instructions on how your animal likes to be petted.

Your goal should be to encourage your animal to give its attention to the volunteer during the exercise.

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