Comfort and companionship are important for individuals struggling with mental health, physical challenges, disasters, or difficult life transitions. Therapists and service providers recognize the benefits of spending time with therapy dogs in these situations.
Benefits of Therapy Dogs
Interacting with therapy dogs brings feelings of happiness and allows individuals to distract themselves from their difficulties. Research has shown that visits with therapy dogs have physiological and psychological benefits.
Traits of a Good Therapy Dog
A good therapy dog must be obedient, calm, and able to interact with strangers. They must also be clean and well-groomed. Some suitable breeds for therapy dogs include St. Bernards, Poodles, Golden Retrievers, Pugs, Corgis, Bichon Frises, and French Bulldogs.
Body Language of a Therapy Dog
Therapy dogs show signs such as being alert, tilting their heads, listening, and wagging their tails. They enjoy being petted by strangers and are obedient, well-mannered, and focused on their job.
History of Therapy Dogs
The first therapy dog was Smoky, a Yorkshire Terrier who helped soldiers during World War II. Therapy dogs are now used in various settings such as hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers.
Difference between Service Dogs and Therapy Dogs
Service dogs are trained to assist individuals with disabilities and have a “no petting” policy. Therapy dogs are volunteers that provide psychological and physiological therapy to individuals other than their handlers. They can be petted and provide comfort and companionship.
The Science of Dog Therapy
Studies have shown that spending time with dogs has positive emotional and physiological effects. Interactions with dogs increase oxytocin levels, decrease stress hormones, lower blood pressure, and improve breathing. Dogs also show empathy by providing comforting behaviors.
Training Your Therapy Dog
There are organizations that can help owners train their dogs to become therapy animals. Training begins with owning a dog with a social disposition and teaching basic commands. Classes and evaluations by organizations can assess the readiness of a dog to become a therapy dog.
Safety Tips for Therapy Dogs
Basic training, using a leash in public, limiting therapy times, and assessing situations beforehand are important safety tips for therapy dogs.
“Therapy dogs provide comfort and companionship, offering a healing presence in times of struggle and difficulty.”
Tips & Things to Know
1️⃣ Therapy dogs need to have certain qualities such as obedience, calmness, and the ability to be friendly with strangers. They should be well-groomed, sociable, and display a friendly disposition through their body language. Certain breeds are known to be more suited to serve as therapy dogs, such as St. Bernards, Poodles, and Golden Retrievers, among others.
2️⃣ Therapy dogs provide physiological and psychological benefits to individuals struggling with mental health, physical challenges, or difficult life transitions. They have been found to lift spirits, provide comfort, and even result in positive hormonal changes in humans. They are used in various settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers.
3️⃣ Training a therapy dog involves teaching them to follow commands, be obedient, and enjoy interacting with people. Organizations like the American Kennel Club and Therapy Dogs International can help train and assess a dog’s readiness to be a therapy dog. It’s essential to expose your dog to various environments and people to help them adapt to different situations. Good basic training and social opportunities are key for a dog to become a successful therapy animal.
Frequently Asked Questions, Answered ✅
1. What are some benefits of spending time with therapy dogs?
– Therapy dogs provide comfort and companionship to individuals struggling with mental health, physical challenges, disasters, or difficult life transitions. They bring feelings of happiness, distract from difficulties, and offer opportunities for interaction with another living creature.
2. What traits make a dog suitable to be a therapy dog?
– Therapy dogs must be obedient, allow strangers to pet them, not easily excited, and be calm around people who are unsteady on their feet. They should also be clean, well-groomed, mellow, and friendly.
3. What are some signs that a dog is good for therapy?
– Good therapy dogs show signs such as being alert, tilting their head, listening, and wagging their tail. They also enjoy being petted by new people, follow directions well, have good manners around people, and stay focused on their job.
4. How did therapy dogs come into existence?
– The first therapy dog, Smoky the Yorkshire Terrier, was adopted by Corporal Bill Wynne during World War II. Smoky’s therapeutic effects were noticed when she lifted the spirits of patients in a hospital. By 1947, civilians were volunteering over 700 dogs as therapy dogs, leading to the use of therapy dogs in various settings today.
5. What is the difference between service dogs and therapy dogs?
– Service dogs are trained to perform tasks and work that helps a person with a disability. They have a “no petting” policy and are protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act. On the other hand, therapy dogs are volunteers that provide psychological or physiological therapy to individuals other than their handlers. They can be petted and have a social disposition.
