Have you ever thought about therapy dog training? If you believe your dog is a good fit for bringing comfort and happiness to people in need, exploring the possibility of making her a therapy dog has never been easier.
What Is Animal-Assisted Therapy?
Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) is where animals and humans join forces to provide comfort and happiness to people who may need it. There are tens of thousands of therapy animal teams in the United States and Canada, and it’s not just limited to dogs – teams can include cats, horses, birds, pigs and even llamas!
Animal therapy can also take a different format than the familiar handler/animal team. For example, there are programs that incorporate hen-keeping into care facilities to keep senior citizens gently employed and engaged with their surroundings and each other. Studies have shown that the Henpower program improves the health and wellbeing of the participants, and reduces depression, loneliness and the need for antipsychotic medication.
Truly, the effects of AAT can be almost miraculous. For example, long-time Pet Partners team Paulette (human) and Sophie (Newfoundland) were on a hospice visit, and when they got there the nurses said that it would probably be a waste of time because the patient had refused to speak since her arrival at the facility. They went into the room anyway, and Paulette said, “if you hate dogs or want me to leave, give me a nod. Otherwise we’re just going to sit right here for a little while.” They all sat in silence for an entire hour, with Sophie at Paulette’s feet. Then they left.
A few days later, Paulette and Sophie returned. When they walked into the room, the patient exclaimed, “The lady with the dog! Come sit down and tell me your name.” No one was more surprised than the nurses at the patient’s enthusiasm, and everyone (including Sophie!) was smiling at the end of the visit.
Benefits of Therapy Dog Training
There are many benefits of becoming a therapy team with your pet. The training that you and your dog go through is a great bonding and enrichment experience. Once qualified, your visits can be the highlight of someone’s week and can mean the world to people in confined or limited situations.
Think you and your pet have what it takes to become a therapy team? Consider the following before signing on.
Your pet will need to:
- Be controllable, reliable and predictable
- Pass a comprehensive health screening
- Pass multi-part skill and aptitude tests
You (the human) will need to:
- Pass multi-part skill and aptitude tests
- Be comfortable working in environments such as hospitals, assisted-living facilities, retirement homes and rehab centers
- Be willing to commit to regular visits at certain facilities
Want to take the next steps? Check out the following organizations: