Considering bringing your pet into your work as a therapy animal? Before you begin planning what that work could look like, it’s important to ask yourself: Would this role be a good fit for them?
Therapy animal suitability is highly individual. Species, age, health, temperament, energy level, behavioral history, and the work you plan to do together are all potential factors.
A Golden Retriever who loves meeting adults in a quiet office may feel differently about a busy elementary school. An energetic dog who thrives during movement-based activities may be less comfortable with long periods of quiet interaction. Even animals of the same breed, age, or background can have very different preferences.
There is no single personality that makes an animal a perfect therapy animal. Still, these eight signs can help you recognize whether an animal may be a strong candidate for partnering with you in your professional practice.
1. They Genuinely Enjoy Interacting With People
One of the most important qualities of a therapy animal is an interest in connecting with people outside their immediate family.
Look beyond whether your animal simply allows people to approach or touch them. Do they voluntarily seek out interaction? Do they appear relaxed and interested when meeting someone new? Do they choose to stay engaged?
Therapy animals should have opportunities that enrich their lives. The role should include interactions they genuinely enjoy.
The population you work with matters, too. Consider whether their preferences align with the people they are most likely to meet in your professional setting.
2. They Have the Skills They Need for the Setting
Therapy animals do not need to perform perfectly or respond like robots. They do need enough training and reliable manners to safely navigate their environment.
For dogs, that could include comfortably walking with their handler, settling when needed, responding to basic cues, and disengaging from something when asked. Other species may demonstrate readiness through species-appropriate behaviors and general manners.
Training methods matter, too. Any preparation you do for therapy animal work should support the animal’s ability to make choices and communicate.
Positive, relationship-based training can help build the skills you need while preserving an animal’s ability to tell you when they are comfortable, interested, unsure, or ready to step away.
3. They Recover Well From New or Unexpected Experiences
Professional environments can be unpredictable.
A school bell may ring unexpectedly. A wheelchair might move nearby. Someone could drop an object. A client may become emotional. A hallway could suddenly become crowded.
A promising therapy animal candidate does not need to be completely unaffected by every unfamiliar sight, sound, or experience. It’s natural for animals to sometimes be startled or uncertain.
Pay attention to what happens next.
Can your animal recover after something unexpected happens? Are they able to return to a relaxed state? Do they continue engaging comfortably with their surroundings?
Resilience and confidence are important qualities because therapy animals may encounter experiences that you cannot fully predict ahead of time.
4. They Are Healthy and Comfortable Participating
You should always consider an animal’s physical well-being as part of the decision.
Therapy animals should be healthy enough for the activities expected of them and free from pain that could be aggravated by their role. Regular veterinary care can help you assess whether your animal is physically prepared for the work you have in mind.
Animals with disabilities can also be wonderful therapy animal partners. Their individual health, comfort, mobility, and needs should guide decisions about what participation looks like.
Continue paying attention over time. Health and comfort can change as animals age or experience changes in their lives. A role that once felt easy may eventually require shorter sessions, different activities, additional breaks, or retirement from the work.
5. Their Temperament and Energy Fit the Work
Think about what your professional practice actually looks like.
Are you a mental health professional working primarily in a quiet office? An educator moving through a busy classroom? An occupational therapist incorporating movement into an intervention?
Now think about your animal. Some animals enjoy settling quietly beside a person for extended periods. Others thrive when they can move, play, demonstrate skills, or participate in more active interactions.
Neither personality is inherently better. The goal is to find a match between your animal’s natural temperament and the work you hope to do together.
The setting matters as much as the activity they’ll be involved in. Consider noise levels, movement, number of people, available space, opportunities for breaks, and how long your animal would be present.
6. Their Behavior Is Mature and Consistent
Animals change as they mature.
A young animal who enthusiastically approaches everyone today may become more selective about social interactions later. Energy levels, preferences, confidence, and behavior can all evolve.
Giving an animal time to mature also gives you more time to understand who they are.
Look for patterns in their behavior. Are their reactions becoming increasingly predictable? Do you have a good understanding of the environments and interactions they enjoy?
There is no need to rush an animal toward this role. Time spent building your relationship and observing their development can give you valuable information about whether animal-assisted interventions will eventually be a good fit.
7. You Know Their Behavioral History Well
Knowing an animal means understanding more than whether they can follow cues.
Ask yourself:
- How do they tell you they are excited?
- What does uncertainty look like?
- How do they behave when they are tired?
- What do they do when they want more interaction? What do they do when they have had enough?
Learning your animal’s individual communication patterns helps you anticipate how they may respond in different situations.
Predictability is especially important when partnering with an animal professionally. You may not be able to predict every moment, but you should have a strong understanding of your animal’s typical behavior and responses.
That knowledge also helps you advocate for them. The more clearly you recognize what they’re “saying,” the sooner you can make adjustments when they need space, rest, or a change in activity.
8. The Animal Has a Strong, Communicative Partnership With Their Handler
Animal-assisted interventions can involve different team structures. In some settings, you may also serve as the animal’s handler. In others, a separate handler may partner with the animal while you focus on delivering the therapeutic, educational, or other professional intervention.
In either model, the animal should have a strong, trusting relationship with the person responsible for handling and advocating for them.
The handler should understand how the animal communicates comfort, interest, uncertainty, fatigue, and the desire to disengage. The animal should also be able to look to that person for guidance and support when something unexpected happens.
This communication may be subtle. A change in posture, a glance toward an exit, a shift in breathing, or a decision to move away can all provide important information about how the animal is experiencing an interaction.
The professional and handler also need to communicate well with each other. When these are two different people, the professional should be able to focus on the goals of the intervention while trusting the handler to monitor and advocate for the animal’s well-being.
A strong AAI team is built on clear roles, communication, trust, and a shared commitment to protecting the well-being of everyone involved.
A Good Candidate Still Needs the Right Professional Setting
Checking many of these boxes is an encouraging first step. It does not mean every professional environment or activity will be appropriate for your animal.
Suitability depends on the individual animal, the professional, the population, the setting, and the work they will be doing together.
An animal who thrives during quiet individual sessions may find large groups overwhelming. Another may love an active school environment but struggle with long periods of sitting still. Preferences can also change as animals mature, age, or gain new experiences.
Continue asking whether your animal is comfortable, engaged, and able to freely communicate throughout your work together. Your animal’s participation should remain a choice.
Want to Explore More?
If these signs sound familiar, your animal may be a promising candidate for partnering with you in AAI.
The next step is looking at how the two of you function together within your actual professional environment.
AAAIP’s Evaluation for Professionals considers the professional and animal as a team, including the animal’s behavior and well-being, the working environment, communication between partners, and the activities you plan to incorporate into your practice.
Learn more about the Evaluation for Professionals and take the next step toward building an ethical, well-prepared partnership here.