Requirements
The GPCA Versatility program and title series is designed to honor our dogs for their accomplishments in a number of areas. These accomplishments include a wide variety of activities that cover the gamut from staffing information booths, therapy dog visits, pulling carts in events (or around the property helping owners haul things), showing in dog shows for championships, obedience, rally obedience, and all the other AKC titles offered, sports including mountain climbing, hiking, etc., service work and activities acknowledged with certificates of accomplishment.
Please go to the Workbook to learn more detail, and see how much your dog(s) have already accomplished or how much you would like to accomplish with your dog(s) in the future. Accomplishments can be cumulative, and dogs who have earned titles, certificates, or completed a number of activities over a period of past years are eligible to receive a title.
There are five levels, each one offering its own title for the dog, beginning with the Versatility Ambassador and continuing with the Versatility Emissary, Versatility Excellent, Versatility Advanced Excellent, and finishing with the Versatility Ultimate. Specific requirements are listed in the Workbook. Complete Workbooks are either sent by USPS mail or email to Judy Skorup, Chair, GPCA Versatility Committee.
For more information, contact Judy Skorup, GPCA Versatility Chair at 215–721–8521, or send an email to jaskorup@hotmail.com. Send completed books to Judy Skorup, 237 N. Hamilton Street, Telford, PA 18969
Thea Hynes Memorial Versatility Award (PDF)
AAT & A TITLE REQUIREMENTS: Levels 1, 2, and 3
Pet Partners, formerly known as the Delta Society, has developed guidelines that distinguish between two categories of therapy visits: Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) and Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT). In brief, animal assisted activities are basically thecasual “meet and greet” activities that involve pets visiting people. The same activity can be repeated with many people, unlike an animal assisted therapy program that is tailored to a particular person or medical condition.
Visits are defined as follows: Minimum of one hour in a hospital, nursing home, juvenile detention hall, or other such institution, and on a regular basis. Dogs that have already completed hours of visits can apply these to the title requirements. In some cases, visits may be for more than one hour, so we want to acknowledge the hours, not limit the count to the number of visits. Often, the facility documents the number hours a team has visited the residents.
TITLE REQUIREMENTS:
ALL LEVELS:
1. Pass a therapy dog test and have a card from a certifying organization such as Pet Partners, Therapy Dogs International, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, or other comparable recognized testing organization listed on the AKC website. Dogs who are already certified do not have to be re-certified. Therapy Dog Certifications must be current.
2. Owner of Great Pyrenees must be a current member of the Great Pyrenees Club of America or a current member of a GPCA Affiliated Club.
3. Submit completed Application and all Documentation listed below in pdf file to GPCA Versatility Chair by mid-January. Awards are given annually at the GPCA National Specialty.
LEVEL 1:
Complete AAT & A application and submit verification of 200 hours of service.
LEVEL 2: Advanced
Submit completed AAT & A application and verification of an additional 300 hours of service, totaling a minimum of 500 hours, served in at least two different sites/venues or two different departments in a single institution. A minimum of 20 hours must be served in each of the different therapy programs.
LEVEL 3: Advanced Excellent
Submit completed AAT & A application and verification of an additional 300 hours, totaling a minimum of 800 hours, served in at least three different sites/venues or three different departments in a single institution. A minimum of 20 hours must be served in each of the different therapy programs.
