We Did It

May 31, 2025 – I realized in the morning that I’ve taken and passed this Pet Partners test, three times, albeit many years ago, twice with sweet golden Zenga and once with Boone the humble greyhound.

Zenga’s penchant for soft fleecy toys was challenged by the miniature Clifford-the-Big-Red Dog stuffed animal that he had to pass during the “Leave It” part of the test, and the evaluator admitted when we were done that she thought we “were a goner” as she saw his wide eyes and raised ears after setting it on our prescribed path. But he heard the unspoken underlying “and I mean it” in my “leave it” request and resisted the urge to grab the little stuffed setter as we passed by.

Boone’s colossally laid-back character made for a colossally stress-free evaluation. He was more likely to lag than drag during the loose-leash walking exercises; he welcomed interaction with people, none of whom he considered a stranger, and he because had no interest in other dogs, whether he knew them or not, ignoring the neutral dog came naturally.

But Ruffian’s big challenges would be 1. relaxing enough to politely interact with strange people in a strange place and 2. getting out of the truck so he could go into a strange place and interact with strange people, neither of which we’ve mastered despite countless trips and training sessions in strange places with strange people.

Appearance and grooming count for this test, so Ruff was subjected to the full spa treatment on Friday night, his resistance to which left me with a pulled hip muscle, but we wouldn’t lose points for a limping handler, so I took that one for the team.

To keep us (well ok, me) calm, we started our Saturday, as we usually do, with a walk in the park, followed by thorough brushing on the grooming table to remove any grassy remains before we headed for the fairgrounds.

Because this evaluation technically begins with the team’s arrival at the testing site, I prepared some strategies for dislodging Ruffian from the truck if he shrunk back to the dark side of his crate when I opened the lift gate and planned to park in a space a little obscured from the entry door.

Fear not, he was right at the front, perfectly placed to show me the deep brown wood tick burrowing into his bright white forehead. I picked it off and tossed it in the dirt, sparing it my usual tick-torture tactics, setting it free to drink on some other dog, then completed a cursory visual check and tactile inspection to make sure this parasite had worked alone, thankful for Ruff’s ivory fur that offers no camouflage for the little bloodsucking critters.

We entered the test building, a cavernous metal structure that houses agricultural exhibitions during the county fair, and as our evaluator reviewed our paperwork, Ruffian and I wandered around to get familiar with the place.

Ruff was uneasy but under control, though he did startle at the giant fan blades spinning slowly and silently on the ultra-high ceiling. The evaluator marveled that no one, neither she nor any of the teams that preceded us, had noticed them all day.

Great to be a pioneer.

We started a little rough, Ruff was obviously stressed, and we finished the first half of the evaluation on the edge of earning a Not Ready rating, which would’ve sent us home immediately. No passing Go, no collecting two hundred dollars, no green participation ribbon.

But Ruffian pulled himself together for his last-chance exercise and proved his Therapy Dog potential. Not only did he accept the hugging, petting and touching of the volunteers, but he looked around for more when they moved away. He showed interest in engagement with very volunteer and earned a “Very polite dog!” bonus comment on his “Offered a treat” exercise.

So, we passed the test. I couldn’t convince him to sit too close to the Very Scary ottoman that held his Certificate of Completion, but we’re good for the next 2 years, plenty of time to refine the skills and build the confidence to face his fears of ceiling fans and furniture.

Road Signs for Ruffian – Pet Partners Therapy Dog
Ten months ago
We faced our fears
With practice and a test
We passed and now
Repeat it all
In only two more years.