Black Pirate Pup Co. Therapy Dogs

Working alongside Pet Partners and other trusted therapy animal organizations as an evaluator and deployable team

What is a Therapy Dog?

Therapy, support, comfort and emotional dogs are pets. Therapy dogs are often used to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, schools, hospices, and disaster areas. Though they may be trained and certified by reputable organizations, they do not fall under the protection of the ADA to access public places because they are not trained to perform a specific job or task for a person with a disability. When access is granted to therapy dogs, it is by courtesy or invitation only and at the discretion of the establishment.

Because a therapy dog's job is simply to be a dog for those in need, they don't have to undergo a lot of specialized training. They do, however, need to be proficient in basic obedience skills and be highly socialized and able to get along well with strangers.

Dogs of any breed, shape, or size can become therapy dogs. In order to be considered for therapy dog registration, a dog should be at least one year of age. They need to be friendly, confident, and well-mannered and not aggressive, anxious, fearful, or hyperactive. You must also be able to demonstrate that either you or the person who will accompany your dog on visitations are able to work well with the dog.

Black Pirate Pup Co. requires all our service dogs to be registered with the American Kennel Club (AKC) and pass their Canine Good Citizen (CGC) and Urban Canine Good Citizen tests (CGCU). With this being said, all dogs in our therapy dog program will be required to go through basic training with us to ensure your dog is proficient in the basic and advanced training commands. Your dog will also undergo elaborate desensitization training so that they won't become rattled in situations involving boisterous children or noisy hospital machines. We consistently follow the Therapy Dog Standards set forth by Pet Partners and Therapy Dogs International.

What is the Therapy Dog Training and Requirements?

Therapy Animal Training — Pet Partners–Aligned Approach

At Black Pirate Pup Co, our therapy animal training is intentionally aligned with the standards and expectations of Pet Partners, emphasizing handler education, animal welfare, and safe, ethical interactions in real-world therapy environments.

Therapy animals are expected to work with unfamiliar people, tolerate a wide variety of handling styles, and remain calm and approachable in unpredictable settings. Our training focuses on preparing teams not just to pass an evaluation, but to sustain therapy work responsibly and humanely over time.

Our Pet Partners–aligned therapy animal training emphasizes:

Emotional neutrality and resilience in varied environments
Comfort with unfamiliar people and appropriate handling
Consent-based interaction and stress signal recognition
Calm recovery following startle or unexpected stimuli
Clear boundaries between engagement and disengagement

Equal importance is placed on handler education. We train handlers to read subtle stress signals, advocate for their animal, manage interactions appropriately, and make ethical decisions that prioritize the animal’s well-being while supporting meaningful human connection.

As a Pet Partners evaluator, we understand that therapy work is not service work. Therapy animals are not task-trained, do not mitigate a specific disability, and do not have public access rights. Our training reflects this distinction clearly, preparing teams for structured, supervised therapy settings consistent with Pet Partners guidelines.

The result is therapy animal teams that are:

Safe and predictable
Calm, friendly, and emotionally steady
Handler-guided and ethically managed
Prepared for real-world therapy visits beyond evaluation day

This approach ensures therapy animal teams are not only certifiable, but responsible, reliable, and sustainable in the environments they serve.

Compliance and Standards

Your dog and you must comply with the basic health standards as follows:

Your dog needs to have had an annual health check performed by your veterinarian within the past 12 months.
He must be current on his rabies vaccination, and it must have been administered by a vet.
He must have received all of his core vaccinations, including for distemper, parvo, and hepatitis.
He must have received a stool exam within the past 12 months, with negative results.
He must also have tested negative for heartworm within the past year, or be on continuous heartworm prevention medication.

Training standards set forth by Black Pirate Pup Co, Pet Partners and Therapy Dogs International are the minimum as follows:

Meeting and greeting new people
Sit/stay and down/stay in a group situation
Coming when called
Visiting with a patient
Reactions to children and unusual situations
The leave-it command
Meeting another dog
Entering the facility
and more

Therapy Animal Team:

Mycaela & Zara

Mycaela and Zara are a certified therapy animal team working in alignment with the standards of Pet Partners. As a trained therapy dog handler and Pet Partners evaluator, Mycaela brings a trauma-informed, ethics-focused approach to animal-assisted interactions, prioritizing emotional safety for both people and animals.

Zara is trained to provide calm, neutral, and supportive presence in a variety of structured therapy environments. She is well-suited for work with children, adults, and professionals in high-stress or emotionally demanding settings, offering comfort through gentle engagement, predictability, and steady companionship.

As a therapy animal team, Mycaela and Zara may be requested for:

Crisis response support following critical incidents
School visits, including stress-reduction and emotional support programming
Hospitals and healthcare facilities
First responder environments, including fire and police departments
Community wellness events

In addition to therapeutic visits, Mycaela and Zara participate in a “Read With Me” literacy program, where children read aloud to Zara in a calm, non-judgmental environment. This program helps build reading confidence, reduce anxiety, and create positive associations with learning—especially for reluctant or struggling readers.

All visits are conducted in appropriate, supervised settings consistent with therapy animal guidelines. Zara is not a service dog and does not have public access rights outside of approved therapy contexts. Each visit is thoughtfully structured to ensure positive experiences, clear boundaries, and ethical animal welfare practices.

Together, Mycaela and Zara offer grounded, compassionate support—meeting people where they are, whether during moments of crisis, healing, or quiet connection.

What to Expect from a Therapy Dog Visit

A therapy dog visit is designed to provide calm, supportive, and positive interaction in a structured setting. Therapy animals offer comfort through presence and gentle engagement—they do not perform trained service tasks or have unrestricted public access.

All visits with Mycaela and Zara are conducted in alignment with the standards of Pet Partners, prioritizing safety, consent, and animal welfare.

During a Therapy Dog Visit, You Can Expect:

A calm, friendly dog who is comfortable around new people
Gentle, supervised interaction such as petting or sitting nearby
A predictable and structured visit format
Clear boundaries to ensure the dog’s comfort and well-being
A handler who actively guides interactions and advocates for the dog

What Therapy Dogs Do Best

Provide emotional comfort and grounding presence
Help reduce stress and anxiety
Support positive social interaction
Create moments of connection and calm

Important Things to Know

Therapy dogs are not service dogs and do not have public access rights outside approved therapy settings
Interactions are always voluntary—for both people and the dog
The handler may pause or redirect interactions at any time to ensure safety and comfort
Visits are designed to be supportive, not disruptive