Dogs must be 1 year of age or older to train and certify. We are not currently certifying puppies. We do not have an upper age limit for certifying adult dogs, but we ask you to be respectful of your senior dog's limitations. We will explore age-related concerns during the Step 1 class. If we have concerns about your dog’s physical or mental health as far as it relates to therapy dog visits, we will not certify you as a team. If you have questions or concerns about certifying your senior dog, please plan to book a pre-assessment appointment.

Please note: We are not currently certifying puppies. Dogs must be at least one year of age to certify.

Therapy dog visits are a wonderful way for young people to bond with their dogs, gain skills and confidence, and learn a service ethic. We accept handlers beginning at 14 years old. Handlers between 14 and 18 must be accompanied at each step by the same legal guardian, and that guardian must accompany the minor handler on all visits until the handler turns 18. Minor handlers must be able to pass all requirements without assistance from their guardian. Guardians are not certified and insured to handle the dog unless they also complete all requirements with the dog.

Step 0: Pre-assessment appointment $35

Step 1: Class: $150

Step 2 : Exam: $45

Step 3: Practice Lab: $40

Step 4: Registration: $50–$85 (we offer senior and veteran's discounts)

Your total outlay to get started will be $285–$320. Maintaining your certification will cost $95–$110 every two years. We do everything we can to keep costs down and we understand that this is a significant investment for our handlers. We work hard to provide the most valuable training and mentoring possible, and we are constantly improving our process and offerings.

(*Prices are subject to change without notice.)

While we don't currently train or cover our teams for animal-assisted crisis response, our certification is accepted by both Hope Animal Assisted Crisis Response and National Crisis Response Canines. Many of our teams are also certified crisis response teams. Watch our video on animal-assisted crisis response for more information.

Because our emphasis is on safety, we want our handlers to control their dogs with communication not equipment. We do not allow handlers to use choke, pinch, prong, or electric collars of any kind. Leashes must be 6 feet or shorter and made of nylon or leather. We strongly recommend front-clip harnesses for therapy dog visits. Face halters are also an option if they need a little extra help. If you cannot control your dog without using a choke or pinch collar, please seek some additional training before enrolling in one of our classes. View the equipment infographic for a visual representation of our equipment requirements.

Depending on your schedule and readiness to test, certification typically takes 6 weeks to a couple of months. You must complete your certification within 6 months of your Step 1 class. View the timeline infographic for a visual representation of our certification timeline. Please note: Due closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, we are currently experiencing a backlog of teams waiting to certify and your process might take longer.

We have a commercial general liability insurance policy which may cover our teams with respect to bodily injury and/or property damage caused or sustained by our handlers or therapy dogs. Insurance applies while teams are conducting volunteer therapy visits only that fall under Project Canine guidelines. It does not cover any activities done during personal time with your dog. It also doesn’t cover activities on private property. If you want to bring your dog into your professional environment we do have connections to insurance for professionals that is available to our certified teams. If you have questions about this please email us at info@projectcanine.org to get the most current information.

We have many handlers with more than one certified dog. Because we assess teams at each step of our process, you must complete the entire process with each dog. Handlers may only visit with one dog at a time.

Our teams must visit on a six-foot or shorter leash unless they have successfully passed our off-leash endorsement exam. This certification is only available to experienced teams who have gone through an application process and received approval.

We don't have a policy dictating how our handlers feed their dogs. We believe that's between you and your vet. Some facilities do prohibit raw-fed dogs, and if you feed a raw diet you will not be able to visit in those facilities. Handlers are expected to abide by any/all policies at the facilities where they visit.

A three-year rabies vaccine is required by WA state law. Beyond that we have no vaccine requirements for our teams. Again, we believe that how you vaccinate your dog is between you and your vet. However, some locations where therapy dogs visit might require more extensive vaccinations (particularly hospitals), and our teams must comply with the policies of the location where they visit.

We currently only certify teams in WA state. If you live outside of this area and would like to become a therapy dog team, please Google "therapy dogs" and the name of your city and state to find a group in your area.

Our certification is accepted by the following national organizations: the AKC, Hope Animal Assisted Crisis Response, National Crisis Response Canines, and Intermountain Therapy Animals. Project Canine certification is also accepted by most facilities and organizations.