Canine Body Language Course
Learn to read dog body language, spot signs of stress, and support your current or future therapy dog.
Canine Body Language Course Details
Your dog communicates through movement, posture, facial expressions, and other body signals. Learning to read those signals can help you make the most safe and caring choices for them.
The Canine Body Language Course helps current and future therapy volunteers understand signs of comfort and stress. You will also learn how to respond when your dog needs support, space, or a break.
This course will cover:
- The three stress zones and key areas of a dog’s body that show comfort, uncertainty, or stress
- Common scenarios and how to identify and respond to canine body signals
- Your responsibility to act when your dog needs support, space, or to take a break
The Canine Body Language Course will strengthen the bond you already have with your dog and support you to be their best advocate at home, in public, during training, and throughout therapy animal visits.
Course Pricing
The Canine Body Language Course is free to all Registered Volunteers.
Registered Volunteer: $0 | Non or In-progress volunteer: $49
SHEA Endorsed
Pet Partners is the only therapy animal organization to have courses endorsed by the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America (SHEA). Our Canine Body Language and Infection Prevention Therapy Animal Visits Courses, when completed together, meet the requirements outlined in the 2015 “Animals in Healthcare Facilities: Recommendations to Minimize Potential Risks.”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Our Canine Body Language Course is self-paced and easy to follow. It is designed for people with busy lives who are looking to volunteer with their pet. You’ll hear the lessons read aloud, and you’ll answer real-world, scenario-based questions (think: multiple choice and drag-and-drop). You’ll have a knowledge check at the end, and walk away with a certificate of completion.
You can go at your own pace. Our Canine Body Language Course usually take people 1-2 hours to complete. You can start, stop, and return whenever your schedule allows. Learn at whatever pace works best for you!
The Canine Body Language Course is available for free to all registered Pet Partners volunteers. For all other members of the public, or volunteers still in the process of getting registered, the course is $49.
You will see a Buy Course section on this course page above. Simply enter your email address and click “Next”. You will receive a login code via email, which you can use to log in to the LMS. Follow the instructions on the screen to proceed.
Yes, Pet Partners courses are designed to be as inclusive as possible! The Canine Body Language Course has accurate closed captions, screen reader support, alternate text, keyboard navigation, and learner-controlled playback and display settings. Whether you’re using a laptop or assistive tech, you’ll be able to access everything you need.
It is not! This course is completely optional—it’s for people who want to deepen their understanding of dog body language, how to spot signs of stress, and support your current or future therapy dog.