Two weeks before the test

Link and me just chilling at the dog club.

I'm getting rather nervous. Sunday two weeks from now, we will know if we passed the therapy dog test. If we pass it, it means that we will have the opportunity to visit nursing homes, day centers for the elderly and medical facilities to visit the patients or people living there.
The test is really a test to see if my dog is suitable for this kind of work. We will only pass if Link appears to be comfortable with the different test situations. He does not have to be done with his training to pass the test, he only has to prove that he likes working with people, that he isn't easily scared and that he doesn't show any signs of aggression.

Link and his Siberian husky friend Varg, who will also take the test in two weeks.

I really hope that Link will pass the test, it would feel so good to be able to brighten people's day with a visit.
A dog can often be a better visitor than a human. There are no awkward silences with a dog, the dog doesn't make you feel bad if you forget something or say something "inappropriate". A dog can just be there and you can tell it anything you want, or tell it nothing, just share a quiet understanding that you are there in this moment together. A dog can also provide a chance to get physical contact, something that often is lacking in institutions.
So I'm getting nervous... In two weeks time we will know. Now we're going to just keep on training Link to be able to relax in many different environments and to keep his cool around other dogs. Wish us good luck!