Therapy dogs

What are Therapy Dogs?

Therapy dogs are dogs specially trained to provide comfort and stress relief to individuals in need. These compassionate canines can be found in a variety of settings including hospitals, nursing homes, schools, and disaster areas. While therapy dogs come in all shapes and sizes, the most important factors are a calm demeanor, willingness to be touched, and a love of people.

The Science Behind Therapy Dogs

The positive effects of therapy dogs are grounded in solid science. Studies in Canine Science show that interaction with a dog can lower blood pressure, regulate heart rate, and reduce stress hormone levels. This means a visit from a therapy dog can have real, measurable health benefits.

Training of Therapy Dogs

Training a therapy dog is a detailed process. It starts with basic obedience skills, but it goes beyond this. The dogs need to be able to handle new places, different people, and unexpected sounds or movements. Training also includes mastering specific tasks that may benefit a person in need, such as offering a comforting paw or calmly resting their head in a person's lap.

The Role of Therapy Dogs in Society

Therapy dogs play a crucial role in many situations. They provide trauma relief for survivors of disasters and accidents. They also help children in schools and libraries by providing a fun, non-judgmental listener for reading practice. In healthcare settings, they bring comfort to patients who may be lonely or in pain.

Therapy Dogs vs Service Dogs

It's important to understand that therapy dogs are not the same as service dogs. While both have training, service dogs have specific legal rights to accompany their owners in places where dogs are usually not allowed. This is because they perform essential tasks for people with physical or mental disabilities. Therapy dogs, on the other hand, are typically invited into places to provide comfort to multiple individuals.