Aubrey Fine’s new book on AAT just came out, Handbook on Animal-Assisted Therapy, and I am pleasantly surprised at how much of general interest is in it. If you’ve been reading the blog for awhile you might remember that Aubrey and I wrote a chapter for it together on “what therapists need to understand about their co-therapists.” I loved working with Aubrey, he and I share so many beliefs and perspectives, and in addition he is such a kind and generous man to work with. We both agreed, as we say in the chapter, that great therapy dogs are often older dogs, who have had a chance to mature and mellow a bit.
As I mature (so to speak) I look forward to being semi-retired and having the time to do AAT or AAA (animal assisted activities). With Willie? Not sure, too soon to say. He is sooo cuddly; last night I got lazy and spend several hours on the living room floor watching TV, spooning with Willie and giving him a two hour belly rub. He loves to lie next to people, his head on your chest, but then, one is required to stroke and rub or a paw comes up to remind you to get back to business….
My pleasant surprise about the new book relate to its sections on the human-animal bond in general and on historical aspects of using animals to improve human health. James Serpell has a fascinating chapter on “Animal-assisted interventions” through history, including animal souls, animism and animals in medieval times as agents of healing. The book, as well as being the ‘must-have’ reference for anyone interested in a AAT or AAA, turns out to be a treasure trove of references and information about people, animals, our social bond and mutual health benefits.Warning: it’s not cheap. It sells for $56 on Amazon, which is more than reasonable given its size (588 pages) and the amount of information in it, and its not beach reading either. But if you’re interested in the topic, it would be a great book to have.
I’d love to hear your AAA or AAT experiences. I know we talked about it last year, but I’d especially like to hear from people who also would like to do it but haven’t yet. Perhaps your questions could be addressed by the pro’s out there? I know lots of you reading this do therapy with your dogs.. your advice for people who would like to get started?
And, oh yeah, I promise not to mention any more books for awhile. Until I do. Sorry, I am a book groupie, (as if it hasn’t been obvious.)
Right now I wish I had more time to read. I’ve been giving talks right and left, have a fun one tonight at the Verona library and next week at the Humane Animal Welfare Society of Waukesha. Working hard on my APDT talk, not to mention my two-day seminar in New Zealand. One day of that is the Advanced Dog Behavior Seminar, which I haven’t done for awhile so will need lots and lots of updating. Doing lots of writing too… finishing an article with Pia Silvani on Dog-Dog Reactivity, recently finished an article for NIH on kids and dogs (that one dragged on forever!), just finished my new column for Bark’s Nov/Dec issue on the mental life of dogs.
Humm, better stop writing this and get back to business . . .
MEANWHILE, back at the farm: It’s blue sky and cool and crisp and you just wanna take the entire week off and gather apples and make cider and pick the last of the basil before the first frost (coming later this week) and mash it into pesto. Willie and the sheep (and I) are loving this weather. 65 F for a high, high 30’s or low 40’s at night. Perfection. But it’s getting dark so early; and now I have to choose between gardening (way behind), practicing with Willie on our driving straight lines or taking a long hike for general health of both me and Willie and to get ready for NZ and the Milford Trek.
Request: Send more hours in the day. Will pay premium price for ones with low humidity, cool temperatures and soft sunlight on fall colors.
The bird feeders are getting busy again. Here’s a Goldfinch and Nuthatch getting a snack of black oil sunflower seeds and thistle seed. . .
And here’s some sunflowers themselves….
Caroline McKinney says
My first dog and I were members of Therapy Dogs of Vermont. We visited hospitals and an Adult Day Services facility. Only problem with the hospital was that she would visit, say hello and then, because she was a Standard Poodle and not a good idea to get on the bed with a patient, she would just lie down on the floor. And i think she got bored after a few rooms. It was more fun at the ADS where she could interact more and do tricks, etc. We all had fun.
Now, with present dogs, we can no longer join Therapy Dogs or Delta Society because they do not allow dogs who are fed raw food. And I don’t feel too good about going places without insurance–just in case.
I would love to do the READ program when present dogs are a little older and more settled
Kat says
Ranger probably could have done therapy work from the time he was a year and knew good manners but handler stress meant we failed our first test and then I took on some other projects that turned out to be all consuming so it’s only recently now that he’s four that we took our TDI (Therapy Dog International) test and passed. Now that we have all our paperwork in hand we can start visiting. We haven’t done any official visits yet but he’ll be great. We’ve visited my 97 year-old grandmother a couple of times and he’s been wonderful. She’s on continuous oxygen now and mostly confined to a wheelchair after a bout with pneumonia last spring. I wondered how he’d be the first time he saw her again but he bypassed all the rest of the family to get to her, sat politely by her chair and offered his head for petting. Macular Degeneration has robbed her of much of her sight and I was surprised to see that without any prompting he’d positioned himself in one of the areas where she does still have some vision–where she could tell it was Ranger and not a great-grandchild. If he’d parked himself in front of her where it would have been most convenient for him to get his head into her lap she’d have only seen a darker shape. I’ve no way of knowing if it was intentional or simply a coincidence or what prompted that choice. All I know for sure is that he had a range of choices for how to present himself to her and that some of them would have been more convenient for him but the one he chose meant she could see him.
We’re looking forward to starting our visiting and hopefully becoming part of our local Humane Society’s education program visiting schools to talk about dog safety and bite prevention as well as becoming one of TDI’s Tail Waggin’ Tutors.
Margaret says
Sorry off topic, but wondered if you were able to catch any of the national sheepdog finals webcast online. It was free and really great to watch – just wondered what you thought of the competition. Thanks again for all of your great writing.
Melanie S says
I was keen to get involved in “Pets as Therapy” and had approached an organisation over here (Australia) through which I could do the certification process, but after seeing a short TV segment (about six months ago) from somene in the U.S. who had long-term experience in AAT I decided that my current dog isn’t the dog to do this with. He’s a whippet, and although he has so many attributes that Would make him a good candidate, he just isn’t all that gregarious.
The woman I saw speaking about AAT said that the dogs really need to be quite outgoing/gregarious if they are to enjoy their work as a therapy dog. I realised that Slipstream could and would do the therapy work if I chose that for us, but he wouldn’t really truly enjoy it. He could/would be a lovely quiet canine presence for those we might have visited but he would have tolerated it rather than really enjoyed it, and I didn’t want to impose a vocation on him that he isn’t ideally suited for.
I hope/plan to have another dog in the future who will take to AAT work like a Duck Tolling Retriever takes to water!
Lis says
I take my Powderpuff Chinese Crested to a local nursing home with the rescue group I’m involved in. Being a small dog, she CAN get up on the bed with the patient, when that’s what the patient wants. She loves visiting, nothing there fazes her in the least, and she has “regulars” who look forward to seeing her twice a month. Those people are always a joy for me, too. Rather sadder are the people who get the delight of seeing her “for the first time” even when we are encountering them for the third or fourth or fifth time on the same visit. 🙁
But overall, it’s enjoyable and rewarding.
Alexandra W says
Okay, personal story time:
I’m doing really well now, but a year ago I was in a psychiatric ward. I was utterly shut down and didn’t want to talk to anyone, not to doctors, not to other patients, and especially not to my parents.
But there was a therapy dog – a big black lab – who came to the unit. I was missing my cats pretty badly, and I had wanted a dog for some time but had never owned a dog before. I came to say hi to this dog, and it licked my face and kept trying to sit on my lap, and I laughed and I cried and I talked to the dog’s handler – and I hadn’t talked to anyone for days. I asked him how he’d trained the dog, where he’d gotten the dog from, how many times a week he brought the dog out to work… I talked and talked, and I had been so silent.
I ended up getting the dog I have now, Romeo, in large part because of that therapy dog – in fact, one of the things that motivated me to get well and leave the unit was the promise that I could get a dog once I came home. I adopted Romeo from the local shelter three weeks after I got out of the hospital; not very long ago at all. It’s really hard for me to express just how important animals have been to me as I’ve dealt with mental illness; I had a wonderful cat who just always *knew* when I needed comforting – he’d just jump on my chest and start purring when I was in pain, as if to tell me there was at least one creature in the universe who was glad I was there. And whenever I’m upset and thinking dark thoughts now, I can grab a leash and call Romeo out for a walk with me, and it’s just such a relief to be with someone but not have the stress of dealing with a person.
Romeo’s mellowing now as he’s getting a bit older, and in a year or two I’d love to do therapy work with him. He’s a confident, loving dog – a little boisterous now, but he’s getting calmer – and I’d really like to give back. That therapy dog helped save my life, and I’d like to complete the circle.
Sarah says
I am a physical therapist and I work in a skilled nursing facility. This has been the type of work I have been doing for 21 years. For the past 12 years, I am always accompanied to work by at least one, if not two, of my dogs. They act more as AAA than AAT dogs, even though I am a PT. For many many years, it was my two pit bull mixes, Anna and TeddyBear, as well as my Greyhound, Roo. All three have passed on, but the torch is still carried by my four Pekingese.
I can’t even begin to describe how the dogs affect both patients and staff in the nursing facilities. There are patients who will only come down to the therapy gym because they want to see the dogs. People talk to the dogs when they won’t say a word to anyone else. The dogs calm agitated as well as anxious patients. The staff love to see them, as well, and they make everyone smile.
I was with Delta Society for several years, but have resigned in light of their new policy of not allowing raw fed dogs to participate in their programs. I have since returned to my original therapy dog group, Love On A Leash. To Caroline, I suggest you check them out online, they are a national group.
I am no expert, but if a beginner has questions, I’d be happy to try to help. : )
Sarah says
p.s. Tricia, PLEASE don’t stop with the book reviews/recommendations!!! I always look forward to see what book has caught your attention, and which one you feel was a dud. We have similar opinions in that area, and I watch to see which ones to get next. This new book by Aubrey Fine sounds fabulous!
Lynn says
Margaret got there before I did. I was there in person (at historic Belle Grove Plantation in Virginia) and it was FANTASTIC to watch. The double-lift finals on Sunday in particular were awe-inspiring, especially when they got to the point when the dog had finished “fetching” the first group of ten sheep through the first fetch panels (still several hundred yards away from the handler) – only to have the handler whistle to them to leave the sheep, and to “look back” for the second group of ten which – unbeknownst to the dog – had been released on the course. So many dogs hesitated – “what, boss, you want me to LEAVE these sheep? but they’ll all escape!!! what makes you think there are other sheep on the field?!?” Many dogs, fighting all their instincts, did manage to leave the sheep they’d painstakingly collected and did go back in search of the second set. What a tribute to an incredible level of trust in their handlers!
We had tears in our eyes watching this. I very much hope that the USBCHA will continue to webcast the National Finals in future years. I am already making plans to attend next year’s finals (in Colorado), but doubt I’ll be able to make it in 2012, when it’ll be on the west coast.
s says
love books so please keep mentioning them! I’d also love an easy pesto recipe if you have one! food, books, dogs – bliss!
I would someday love to do therapy work or rescue/foster work with dogs, but that is when my kids are grown up – I know my limits now. I don’t have the ability and time so would bring my frenetic energy to any therapy which really would do no one any good. I also know the dogs I have are not candidates – one is too anxious although you’d think looking at him he is super calm (his coping mechanism as well as when he’s not subject to his stressors, he is amazingly calm) and the other is a diva – a princess – and she wants to be treated as royalty should. She really should go on tour with Mariah Carey or one of the other divas – she’d have her own wing of a tour bus for sure and treats in any green rooms and backstage…so thinking therapy would not be her cup of tea!
I give those doing therapy huge credit – what a wonderful gift! I’d love to do reading programs after seeing one of my boys struggle hard. Reading to a dog truly can be such a great tool.
s says
I also wanted to add after reading the comments above, @ Alexandra W – your story has tears down my face. What a wonderful ending to a sad time in your life. I wonder if that dog handler has any idea what an impact his dog and his work had on you. I’m glad that you found your way out of the darkness and have a companion to meet your needs. Animals are amazing healers.
Judith says
My old lady and I used to go into elementary schools so Kids could read to her. She passed the TDI test when she almost 13 and she loved the year and half she was able to do this. Jester loved everything about doing this, from the test in the lobby of hospital, to be fussed over in school. She just thought I was taking her on a special trip.
I decided to focus on the kids reading program as she had always loved kids and we do not have children, it proved to be a great choice. She was almost deaf by this time so the noise of the class room did not bother her, but having lots of little kids fuss over her, made her grin.
The only negative was that she was a big dog a German shepherd/beagle mix and some of the kids found her a bit scary, but with her big goofy grin after a few weeks she would win most kids over. I am so glad I had this experience with her, and I think everyone benefited from the experience, kids, dog and handler. Now she is no longer with us I am glad that we could do something together when she was so old.
I now have 2 Border collies and my focus is on agility, my older dog would be a good visiting people in a hospital or nursing home as he puts a smile on everyone face and loves to visit people. But after a lot of thought I have decided not to do the test as he can nip when someone hurts him, we would ace the test though. I am hoping that when my young dog is older we will be able to do therapy dog work. I think you have to be very honest about your dogs character before going into this, will they be solid and will they have fun.
Jackie says
I had a similar experience to Alexander’s except that it was just my parents visiting me who asked if they could bring their friendly dog inside with them to see me. The Day Room filled with patients who never normally interacted with anybody, all wanting to stroke her and say hello. This was about 25 years ago.
I also know of a old people’s ward in our local hospital that bought a budgie. People who hadn’t got out of bed for months were motivated to walk down to the other end of the ward to chat to the bird.
AnneJ says
I had a great experience with my old girl Teak and a facility in Madison. We went once a month and she was a perfect therapist. She never got tired of petting but was so gentle and good. A really special dog. Between our visits one lady lost her husband. It was so sad and Teak seemed to know she needed extra love- she just would not leave the woman’s feet to see anyone else.
AnneJ says
I wanted to add, when I get old if I go into a care facility I really hope people will bring animals to visit me- I can’t imagine living without them.
Rose T. says
Daisy and I just passed our Therapy Dog International test (TDI) about two weeks ago. Not quite sure what we will do with this certification because Daisy can be a little shy at times – but we will give it a try and see if when she matures she will enjoy it more.
Since Daisy enjoys performing, my plan is to possibly do performances and tricks for people in assisted living and schools etc.
Has anyone had any experience in this area of “therapy” – we also want to try the reading to dogs program.
Thoughts?
Rose
Lynn U. says
Just a note to say that dogs may mess with your assumptions about who would/would not make a good therapy dog. I assumed that my outgoing, mellow, confident Bernese Mountain Dog would be great as a therapy dog, but it turns out that any hospital/nursing facility environment makes her very anxious. (Although she wags her tail when she’s nervous, so most people would never know.) I thought my Belgian Tervuren might be too high-energy and silly for therapy work, but he’s great at calmly positioning himself near people in wheelchairs, and is very gentle and comfortable.
Debbie Schoene says
My 4 yo English Springer Spaniel & I became a Delta Society registered pet partner team in Feb. and have been visiting an assisted living/nursing facility these past several months. I also recently completed the local hospice’s training program as I wanted to take Swing into environments in which there are fewer people as I am beginning to think the nursing home is a bit stressful for him. (We occasionally go room-to-room but generally sit in the lounge with several residents gathered around.) I have realized that, altho he seems happy enough to walk thru the doors, he seems a bit agitated for the first several minutes which manifests itself by displays of scratching at his collar and biting the base of his tail, things I never see him do in other situations. By contrast, when he is in unfamilar surroundings in which there are only one or two other people, he seems much more relaxed. I was very impressed with the thoroughness of the Delta training and their empahsis on being aware of the dog’s comfort level.
Dena (Izzee's Mom) says
I may someday do therapy visits to nursing homes or a reading program with one of my dogs. After I retire, and have a few more hours in the week.
Alexandra says
I had hoped that as Copper got older, we might try volunteering for therapy dog work. He already has his CGC and seems to genuinely enjoy meeting & greeting everyone he sees, although right now he is only three and a bit rambunctious. However, it will probably never be an option in our area due to recent rule changes disallowing raw-fed dogs in some programs.
Alexandra says
That said, I agree with AnneJ – if I ever have to be in a nursing facility or long-term hospital stay, I hope someone brings a cat or dog to visit me!
Mary says
ditto Margaret and Lynn’s sentiments about the National BC trials in Virginia last weekend.Watched some on the live webcast and was amazed at the physical and mental endurance of those dogs! Just watching the difficulty of the International Shedding made me frustrated – I can’t imagine what patience the dogs (and handlers) must have to wait out the right moment to make their move. Really remarkable!
Debby says
I like your book reviews. As a matterof fact, I just started reading the Michael Vick lost dogs book and wonderered what your opionion was if you reviewed it. Actually what is your opion on rehabilatating fighting dogs in general.
EmilyS says
My old American pit bull terrier, a rescue from a dogfighter, loves to visit at my mom’s nursing home. I’ve never tried to certify him because he can be a little bad around other dogs, so he’s not an official therapy dog (not needed; her facility allows any well behaved dog). He is sweet and gentle with everyone. I allow him to visit anyone who asks to meet him (or who communicates a desire to meet him) and he stands quietly and gently licks them if they offer a hand. Many of the residents will talk to me about the dogs they used to live with.
JJ says
I’ve been reading and crying over these posts. Can anyone explain what problems there might be with dogs who are fed a raw diet. I’ve never heard of anything like that.
As for my dog, I believe that Duke would not enjoy such work on an formal, ongoing bases, but there are times he has made people very happy. For example, the other day, a man was going by on the street in front of my house on his powered wheel chair. He wanted to pet Duke who I had out on a leash and was just getting home. Duke showed interest in the man. Being a Great Dane, Duke was able to lick his face without having to jump up or even strain. The man got a *giant* grin on his face. The man could barely move his arms or hands, but he was able to kind of throw his arm over Duke’s neck/shoulders as Duke said hi. It was clear that the moment meant a lot to the man. He started telling me about his life and how much he missed his dog.
I was very happy that Duke was able to give of himself a bit that day and that we happened to be out front at that moment.
Frances says
Therapy dogs and their owners do a wonderful job – but many of these posts have reminded me how important it is to make time for other people, even if our dogs are not officially qualified. There is an elderly chap my sister visits who loves my dogs, and loves to reminisce about all the dogs in his life – I must make more effort to take them to see him when I am down there. Then there are the children who can be encouraged to learn how to greet dogs calmly and nicely, the lonely people we meet out walking who just want to chat about dogs, life and the universe … so many ways that we and our dogs can make a difference. Sorry if this sounds a bit pi – I too was moved to tears by Alexandra’s story, and it has set me thinking.
Kat says
About Raw Diets: The nutshell version on the prohibition is that dogs that eat raw proteins can shed pathogens that would be difficult for those with compromised immune systems to handle. Here’s a link from the Delta Society’s prohibition that includes links to the science behind their decision. http://www.deltasociety.org/Page.aspx?pid=638
We had originally planned to be registered with the Delta Society but Ranger eats a largely raw diet so we’re now part of Therapy Dog International which so far as I can tell doesn’t prohibit dogs that eat raw. I am sufficiently persuaded by the Delta Society logic that we plan to be careful about our visiting and when I think it might be an issue we’ll make sure the medical staff knows what he eats so they can make the call about whether a visit is more likely to help or hurt.
And finally a word about why Ranger eats as he does. When we adopted him we started feeding him high end kibbles. In the two years before we switched he had four bouts of gastroenteritis. Several people who’d had similar problems with their dogs recommended Raw so I decided to give it a try. At the end of two weeks of feeding Raw I observed that he was drinking less water (some studies have suggested a link between consumption of large amounts of water and having the stomach twisting –can’t recall the proper name), his stools were smaller and firmer (which I figured meant he was using the food he was eating more efficiently), his coat actually glowed in the sun, his teeth lost their yellow tint and he just acted like he felt really good. In the year since we started feeding a mostly raw diet he hasn’t had any serious stomach upsets and at age 4 his teeth are still white and clean. I also notice that he smells less doggy than his friends that eat only kibble. For him I think a mostly raw diet really is the healthiest.
trisha says
FYI I just posted a new blog about the Delta and raw food diet controversy, in case you are interested in the issue.
And to Alexandra: I just want to thank you for your honesty and brave comments about the challenges you have faced and how you have overcome them. I wish this country (and others I’m sure) could get over its ignorant tendency to separate “mental” diseases from all others. The “mind-body” connection is so strong that it’s inaccurate to even talk about it, given that they can’t, in any functional sense, be separated. No one seems to feel embarrassed about getting the flu, but there is still a stigma about diseases that cause behavioral dysfunction (it’s a problem in dog behavior too). So yeah on you Alexandra for not being afraid to share your story.
JJ says
To Kat and Trisha. Thanks for all that information. So much to learn…
Note: I have been feeding Duke Innova, which I thought was pretty good. Innova was recently bought out by P&G. My store won’t be carrying it any more and the more research I do on the company, the more I’m glad I won’t be supporting them any more. But that leaves me with a big decision. What to feed Duke now? I’m considering everything and really appreciate the additional info on one of my choices. Thanks.
Nanci Byers says
This post is great and the comments are so wonderful. I have been interested in doing therapy work with seniors for several years, but have had to wait for the right dog.
When I did rescue work several years ago, the most heart-breaking stories in my opinion were the (mostly) older cats whose owners’ had to surrender them due to having to move into a nursing home. So these folks had a strong bond with their pet and had to give up all that is familiar, lose most of their rights to make decisions about when to eat, bath etc., and sever their connection to a dear, dear companion–their dog or cat.
A lot of seniors in nursing homes are isolated and may not have family or friends close. They NEED the contact with therapy animals the most. I feel so strongly about this and want to be part of the magic of sharing my sweet, goofy dogs with the folks that need it so desperately.
I hoped my first Irish Wolfhound would be a good fit for therapy work, but I didn’t do right by her and socialize her enough when she was a puppy. She was wonderful with me and my husband, but she just didn’t enjoy being around folks she didn’t know. So, I had to wait.
Now I have an 18 month old female Irish Wolfhound named Isabella. She passed her CGC test at 7 months. She goes up to people and just smiles. If you have never seen a Wolfie and their amazing facial expressions, then please check out my blog to see my sweet girl’s face. http://connectingtonature.blogspot.com
Another wonderful aspect of Wolfies is their great size. They are tall enough to visit bedridden seniors and give kisses. Their presence is so calming and loving.
I have high hopes that Isabella will be doing therapy next spring. She is young yet, and we still need to take the tests, but we shall see.
I also have a 2 1/2 year old Afghan Hound named Pharaoh who has a sweet and silly personality. We adopted him this spring from rescue. He loves to greet everyone also, so I just might be blessed with two therapy dogs.
Our animals give us so much in their connection with us–it’s amazing to me every single day. I also suffer from severe depression and I would not be here today without my dogs and cats loving me and grounding me. The stigma of mental illness is so difficult; I also cried when I read Alexandra’s comment. Thank you for your braveness in sharing your story on this forum.
Although the local group in Utah (Intermountain Therapy Animals) used to be affiliated with Delta Society, they have since formed their own group. This is really good for me because I feed my animals a raw diet and will continue to do so for I firmly believe that it is the best diet for them.
I was and continue to be very disappointed and angry that Delta Society has made this change. It is so sad when politics and money ruin such a wonderful service.
Thank you for discussing this topic and exploring the varied ways that we can share our animals’ exceptional gifts.
Claudia says
A friend sent me a link to a video of Baxter the Hospice Therapy Dog (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIrDbzoOxZc) that she found incredibly inspiring. It took me a few days to play it – I was afraid it was going to be a tear-jerker and those kinds of videos stay with me way too long. When I finally did watch it, I was quite disturbed by what these obviously well-intentioned people were doing to that poor dog. It just seemed really wrong to me. I know it’s something of a moot point – Baxter died last October – but would some of you animal therapy pros please weigh in with your opinions? Am I seeing this all wrong?
Caroline McKinney says
Thanks to the recommendation of Love on a Leash. I will check it out. Sorry, but by the time I got to the bottom of the comments, I have forgotten who suggested it.
And to the person who commented about Therapy Dogs accepting dogs who ate raw–They were the first organization we had to leave because of raw food feeding prohibitions. Are you sure they allow?
Barb says
I’ve been lucky with my two PWDs. They both do therapy work and have since age 2 or 3. I credit their ability to work in the area with my parents’ dog “training” skills. My folks are currently 85 and 92. And when we visit my parents, my dogs MUST behave so they don’t hurt anyone — no jumping, mouthing, rough play, etc.
My parents, on the other hand, love to pet the dogs! I’m sure that you get the picture. We spend some time with my folks, and soon I have two dogs who love to sit for petting. I told my folks that they can’t die; they need to keep helping me to train my dogs! 🙂
My dogs do have preferences. (They both love people and are very biddable.) My 9 year old will go into hospital rooms and be a great companion to the resident for as long as our visit lasts. My 3 year old loves kids. Her idea of a great day is one at the READ program. I’m very blessed with dogs that give back.
Meagan says
I have a pit bull/weimaraner mix that is a therapy dog and we just love it. She enjoys meeting all of the new people, and the folks at the nursing facility really, really love seeing her. She only recently started, but so many of the residents just get so excited when we go, it’s really amazing. We hope to do work with children at some point in the future as well.
Lindsay says
Hopefully this post isn’t “too late to the game” on this topic, but I’m interested learning more about the benefits of a canine presence especially in cases of human illness, aging, disabilities, etc. I’ve found a lot of reading materials/organizations on the Therapy side of this topic, but I think my interest is considered more on the Activity (AAA) side. If anyone is able to point me in a direction for reading materials/discussion/tips for starting my own program, I am very appreciative.