Join Dogs On Call, Inc.

Membership in Dogs On Call is limited to registered Delta Society Pet Partners® teams, and current Delta Society members. Included in the $15 annual dues, DOC members and teams receive:

  • Help with facility placement
  • On-site facility orientation and training
  • Mentor support
  • Quarterly newsletter
  • Networking with others who have an interest in the work of therapy dogs

 

In addition to regularly scheduled animal-assisted facility visits, DOC teams participate in Safety Saturday on the Square, the Madison Children's Museum Safety Day, Mound's Dog Fest and the Badger Kennel Club's Dog Fair. DOC teams also make presentations and demonstrations at various events in southern Wisconsin.

 

Would you and your dog make a good DOC team?

Dogs On Call is always looking for caring people interested in volunteering with their canine companions.

 

A therapy dog can be any breed or mix. It must be at least one year old and have lived with your for at least six months. Dogs trained to aggressively protect or actively bite, even as part of a dog sport like Schutzhund, may not be considered. A therapy dog is interested in meeting people, has an easygoing friendly temperament, is well mannered, and enjoys seeking out the company of adults and children in many different settings.

 

As for the human handler, you must be at least 16 years of age, enjoy interacting with a variety of people, and have time for regular volunteer work. You must have good control of and communicate well with your dog. You should also be comfortable with patients who may have serious medical or health conditions.

 

If you can answer "yes" to the following questions, you and your dog may be DOC material.

  • Does your dog follow basic obedience commands like come, sit, down, stay, and leave it?
  • Is your dog friendly to ALL strangers?
  • Is your dog willing to be handled a lot, and enjoy, not just tolerate it?
  • Would your dog accept a "full body" hug from a child without resisting?
  • Would your dog remain under your control when moving through a crowd?
  • If a person near you began yelling hysterically, would your dog be startled, instead of panicked?
  • If a large metal container were dropped nearby, would your dog be curious, instead of frightened?

 

If you're ready to spend more quality time with your dog and make a difference in the lives of others, follow the steps outlined below to become a registered Pet Partners team and a DOC member.

 

Step 1: Complete the Pet Partners team training course

Learn the skills necessary to visit safely with your dog in hospitals, nursing homes, classrooms and other facilities. Visit the Calendar to find the next class available; a home-study version of the training course is available through Delta Society if you cannot attend an on-site course.

 

Step 2: Complete health screening for your dog

To assure that your dog is healthy and free from disease, infection, and illness, a health screening must be completed by your dog's regular veterinarian. The signed health screening form must be included in your Delta Society registration packet, and must be completed within the past six months of registration.

 

Step 3: Complete team evaluation

The team evaluation process will evaluate you as an animal-handler team, how well you interpret and manage your dog's behavior, and how well the dog responds to you. The two parts of the evaluation include: 1) a skills test to show whether your dog can be controlled, follows basic commands, and has basic good behavior skills; 2) an aptitude test to demonstrate how well you interact with the evaluator and the assistants who will present a series of scenarios simulating conditions that may be encountered on a visit (mechanical noises, rough petting, loud voices). If you pass, you will be given copies of signed test forms to include in your Delta Society registration packet.

 

Step 4: Submit registration packet

Submit your registration packet to Delta Society, including your registration fee. The packet consists of the following forms: 1) photo and photo ID form for your ID badge, 2) application form, 3) volunteer policies and procedures agreement, 4) volunteer review questionnaire to assess your knowledge of the material covered in the Team Training Course Manual, 5) handler's questionnaire, 6) animal health screening form, 7) a volunteer contact form, and 8) the completed team evaluation test forms.

Dogs On Call dog image