Puppies For Emotive Therapy's mission is to use a dog in the therapeutic process in order to help children, adolescents, and adults grow cognitively, emotionally, and socially. The goal of P.E.T. is to use a certified therapy dog to engage and motivate a person in ways that cannot be done without the presence of the dog.

P.E.T. is appropriate for children, adolescents, and adults with diagnoses that include primary social-emotional disorders, speech and language delays, reading problems, sensory integration dysfunctions, or attention and impulse control issues.

Through the interaction with an affectionate, non-judgmental and responsive dog, clients have the opportunity to expand their emotional repertoire, practice new ways of relating, learn to read social cues, raise their ability to tolerate frustration, and increase their levels of patience and perseverance. For example, training a dog to listen to a new command requires a great deal of repetition, gentle instruction, and a soft tone of voice. This is a perfect way for a child to learn patience and persistence. There is no better reward and boost to self-esteem than when the child succeeds at teaching the dog to perform a command.

P.E.T. sessions can take place in the psychologist's office, a school, or in the offices of therapists of various disciplines. The length of sessions and goals are determined by the individual needs of each client.