Use of Dogs in Animal Assisted Therapy : Everything You Need to Know

Use of Dogs in Animal Assisted Therapy : Everything You Need to Know

Animal therapy, also called pet therapy or animal assisted therapy, refers to various services using animals to help people with specific physical or mental health conditions. Animals may be able to provide comfort, alert others if someone is in danger, or even perform direct actions to help a person’s condition when they are in need. It is a type of complementary or alternative therapy. It should enhance but not replace other treatments.

On the whole, the goal of animal assisted therapy is to alleviate or help people cope with some symptoms of various conditions where possible.

The exact type of animal therapy can vary greatly depending on what condition the person has, the type of animal, and what kind of therapy they provide.Animal therapy or pet therapy refers to the use of animals as a way to help people cope with and recover from some physical and mental health conditions.

Depending on the function of the therapy, people may choose from various animals, including dogs, horses, and birds. Animal assisted therapy is not the only therapeutic option in most cases, but it can be a good choice for some people.

Pets have a special place in our hearts for a reason. Anyone who has pets or has spent time with a friendly dog or cat can attest to their mood-lifting powers. Research suggests that pets help fight stress and alleviate anxiety, as well as reduce blood pressure levels. During the COVID-19 pandemic, in response to social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home orders that have made almost everyone a little lonelier, many people adopted pets across the world. As the connection between humans and animals grows and gains more clinical significance, animal-assisted therapy (AAT) has been witnessing widespread acceptance among the public, researchers, and clinicians.

What Does Animal Assisted Therapy Do?

Animal-assisted therapy involves animal interactions with patients to help them cope with certain medical conditions or aid recovery from health problems. Some forms of Animal assisted therapy include caring for animals such as grooming, bathing the animals, and feeding them regularly. Under the Animal assisted therapy program, an animal, especially therapy dogs, can also be brought to care or hospice facilities, hospitals, nursing homes, and rehabilitation centers to interact with those in need of comfort.

According to medical providers and therapists who support animal-assisted therapy, patient interaction with therapy animals helps in personal and social development and improves self-esteem, mental health, social skills, empathy, and nurturing skills.

Is Animal Assisted Therapy New?

The term ‘Animal Assisted Therapy’ is relatively new; however, the use of animals to help people overcome illness and/or mental illness is not a new concept. Animal Assisted therapy has its roots that trace back to the ancient Greeks who were the first to use horses to lift the spirits of the severely ill. Between the 1600s and 1940s, mostly horses and farm animals were used to improve the physical and mental health of patients or veterans suffering from injuries. Medieval Belgium marked the first use of pet animals for therapeutic purposes, where pets and people were rehabilitated together. The animals were used as a natural therapy for humans. In response to these practices, animal therapy came into the limelight, especially in academia. Consequently, there was a massive wave of informal experiments involving human interaction with animals to produce a calming effect on patients dealing with stress and anxiety. The first formal research involving animal or pet therapy began in the 1960s with psychologists such as Dr. Boris Levinson finding the positive effect of his dog on mentally impaired young patients. With noticeable changes in human behavior when interacting with animals, animal-assisted therapy has become a n integral part of today’s therapeutic purposes.

What is Pet Therapy?

Pet Therapy is the kind of therapy where pets assist people to heal from physical or mental health problems. It is an interaction between the pet, the patient and the handler. (Sometimes this handler is the pet parent.) The foundation of Pet Therapy is built on the human-animal bond. By forming a bond with an animal, many people come to a state of calm and relaxation. Pet therapy aims to use this human-animal bond to help heal people.

The most common therapy pets are dogs and cats but animals like rabbits, horses, fish, guinea pigs and any other animals who meet the requirements to be a therapy pet can be helpful for this process.

Therapy Pets usually visit hospitals, schools, rehab centers, hospice centers, retirement homes or places where they can help heal patients. These pets have a good temperament, are loving and are people-friendly.

What are the different types of Pet Therapy?

The exact type of Pet Therapy depends on the person’s condition, the kind of pet and the kind of therapy the pet can provide.

Therapeutic Visitation 

This is the most common type of pet therapy. Many times pet parents who have been in health care facilities for a long time miss their pets back at home. In this kind of therapy, other pet parents bring their own pets to visit hospitals to fill this void.

Animal Assisted Therapy 

This is more of a guided therapy. Animal Assisted Therapy or AAT is where the animals have been trained to assist physical and occupational therapists. They help the patients to improve their motor skills and limb mobility. For example – a game of fetch or the act of petting or stroking a pet’s coat could do wonders for the patient’s physical and mental health. AAT has structured sessions with the aim to reach certain goals with the patient.

Facility Therapy 

These therapy pets reside at the care facility and are trained to look after the patients therein. They assist patients with Alzheimer’s disease or other mental illnesses. These pets learn the limitations for the patients in the facility and help to keep them safe.

What are the Top 3 Animals Used as Therapy Animals?

Dogs

A dog is the most ideal therapy animal serving in various facilities. Research suggests that dogs of larger breeds such as Golden Retrievers and Labradors help calm and relax people suffering from stress.

Cats

Cats also serve as great therapy animals as they are easy to bring into indoor facilities. Cats are a better alternative for those who fear dogs and can bring calming effects to people living in assisted facilities.

Horses

Horses as therapy animals are widely used in facilities such as veteran groups and addiction treatment centers, especially for mental health patients.

How Does Animal-Assisted Therapy Work?

Animal assisted therapy works based on several goals of the patient. The type of therapy and its target might also change based on the patient’s condition and the type of help they need. Some of the Animal assisted therapy goals include providing comfort, improving motor skills, reducing the levels of pain, developing social or behavioral skills, and motivating patients towards various activities such as exercise.

The person who handles therapy animals needs to be trained and work under a doctor’s guidance to help patients achieve their therapy goals. The animal as well as its handler also needs to go through various certifications before getting approval for therapy use.

How does it work?

Animal therapy can have several goals, and these will determine how it works. The type of therapy and target for this therapy may change depending on the condition and the type of aid that a person needs. Some examples include:

• providing comfort and reducing levels of pain
• improving movement or motor skills
• developing social or behavioral skills
• increasing motivation toward activities such as exercise or interacting with others

The process of animal therapy itself typically involves the animal’s handler, who is often the owner, bringing the animal to each session. The handler will work under a doctor’s guidance to help the person achieve the goals of their therapy.

A number of organizations train handlers and connect them to healthcare providers. Many handlers work as volunteers. Before getting approval for therapy use, both the animal and the handler will have to go through various certifications with these groups and organizations.

The handler must generally pass an instructional course on how to interact with people and perform the types of therapies that they may provide.

The animal also has to go through certain checks. These will include checking immunization records and performing physical exams to ensure that the animal is generally healthy and free of disease. They will also have to undergo temperament testing to make sure that they behave properly with both the handler and other people.

Additionally, the pair will go through obedience training. This rigorous testing and certification ensures the safety and professionalism of everyone involved and helps give the person access to the best therapy sessions possible.

It is important to note that a therapy dog is not the same as a service dog and does not have all of the same rights. For example, a therapy dog cannot accompany a handler into a business establishment.

How  to Making Your Dog a Therapy Dog

Training a therapy dog is an incredibly involved and costly process. Training involves several steps to ensure that the dog is well-behaved, calm, and capable of working alongside their handler. Dogs are also assessed to ensure they don’t show signs of stress when asked to perform this work. Here’s a general outline of the process to train a therapy dog:

1. Select the Right Dog:

Not all dogs are suitable for therapy work. Dogs are chosen for their friendly and calm temperaments and suitability of the client groups they will be working with.

2. Basic Behaviour Training:

Before starting therapy training, the dog should have a strong foundation in basic behavioural cues such as sit, stay, down, come, and leave it. This establishes a good framework and ensures safety during therapy sessions.

3. Socialisation:

Dogs will be introduced to various people, places, and situations to build their confidence and help them remain calm in different environments. It’s important they’re exposed to children, adults, wheelchairs, crutches, medical equipment, and other common scenarios they might encounter during therapy work.

4. Advanced Training:

Dogs will be trained to perform more advanced tasks like “visit” (approaching and interacting with people), “lap” (sitting on a person’s lap), “heel” (walking calmly on a leash), and “off” (getting off furniture or laps). These cues are crucial for interactions during therapy sessions.

5. Desensitisation:

Dogs will be exposed to various sensory stimuli they might encounter in therapy settings (such as loud noises and sudden movements). This helps them remain composed and unfazed during unexpected situations.

6. Distraction Training:

Dogs are taught to remain focused, even in distracting environments. This is essential for maintaining a therapeutic atmosphere during sessions.

7. Certification and Evaluation:

Dogs should be assessed as suitable by organisations who agree to abide by the Animal-Assisted Services Sector Code of Ethics and Code of Conduct .

8. Continued Education:

Therapy dogs and their handlers are always learning! Even after certification, dogs and their handlers can continue to attend training sessions, workshops and conferences to enhance their skills and stay up to date with best practices in therapy dog work.

Requirements of a Therapy Dog

1. Must be very social and comfortable around all types of people
2. Always maintain a calm and docile demeanor
3. Tolerant of unusual sights and smells encountered in a medical setting
4. They are required to be obedient at all times and have excellent standards of grooming
5. Are not afraid of people’s erratic or sudden movements
6. Ability to sit patiently while being petted or fussed over
7. Must be intelligent and focused on their tasks.

There are no age or breed requirements (other than being at least one year old). So, regardless of breed, as long as your puppy is over one year old, they have a good chance of becoming a therapy dog. Training them young will not only ensure good behavior but also help them be comfortable around other dogs and human beings.

Therapy Dog Training

When training your dog to be a pet therapy provider, always start with the basics. Deep dive into what is the right way of therapy dog training. Provide them with basic obedience classes and teach them good manners. Let them know that jumping, pawing, and licking are all big no-nos. Train them to sit politely and walk on a leash. Also, teach them to respond to basic behavioral commands and be able to do tasks efficiently while being separated from their owner. Motivate them by using Treats.

Provide them with professional dog training if necessary. Learning to train a therapy dog is no easy task, and often requires a lot of work on behalf of both the dog and the handler. Indeed, some of the most well-trained dogs in the world will never become suitable therapy dogs due to their temperament. Conversely, some tricky-to-train dogs will open up with the right training style, and may end up excellent therapy dogs.

Where can you get a therapy dog?

Therapy dogs come in all ages, shapes and sizes. Some are purebreds, and some come from local shelters. The most important quality of a therapy dog, of course, is its personality.

What traits do therapy dogs have?

• They’re Able To Ignore Stimuli
• They’re Able To Get Along With Others
• They’re Balanced (ie. not overtly over the top friendly and excited)
• They’re Eager To Please
• They’re Calm
• They’re Adaptable
• They’re Intelligent
• They Like To Be Touched
• They’re Gentle

What Commands Does a Therapy Dog Need to Know?

According to Human-Animal Bond, a non-profit service dog training organization, a properly trained therapy dog will know about 30 important commands. These commands include the basics (no, come, sit, stay, and heel) as well as more complex commands, including:

• Watch me
• Leave it
• Go through
• Follow
• Under
• Get a drink
• Quiet

“Depending on the program, the specific command word may vary,”

What are the Benefits of Animal Assisted Therapy?

Which disorders can be improved by animal-assisted therapy? How does animal therapy relieve stress? How therapy dogs can improve mental and physical health? The increasing worldwide popularity of animal-assisted therapy has also brought to the fore many questions regarding its benefits.

Physical Health Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy

• Provides more comfort and relaxation, especially during exercise
• Reduces overall physical pain
• Lowers blood pressure and improves cardiovascular health
• Balances breathing in people who are anxious
• Helps reduce the number of medications for people
• Helps with markers of physical conditions such as heart failure, epilepsy, pain from cancer treatment, postoperative treatment, and recovery from stroke or conditions that cause a person to lose motor skills
• Aids in facilitating social interaction and improving mood and general well-being, especially in long-term elderly care facilities

Mental Health Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy

• Increases mental stimulation and assists in the recall of memories
• Lowers stress and anxiety which helps people relax more
• Reduces loneliness and provides an escape or happy distraction
• Accelerates the therapy process and reduces the initial resistance accompanying the therapy
• Decreases perceptions of pain or feelings of fear or worry
• Improves motivation, stimulation, and focus

Many studies have had promising results for various applications of animal-assisted therapy. As it gains high popularity, research has been underway to determine its effect on various chronic disorders such as dementia, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and autism spectrum disorder (AST). Today, many animal lovers are aware that animal-assisted interventions can transform the lives of people. It is only a matter of time until academic literature more definitely proves the clinical values of animal companionship.

There are medical benefits, too. shows that seeing and touching animals can trigger positive physiological changes, including higher levels of:

• serotonin
• endorphins
• oxytocin

A reduced baseline cortisol level is another benefit.

Risks associated with Pet Therapy

While this therapy has many benefits, it may not be suitable for everyone. Following are the risks associated with Pet Therapy:

1. For people with allergies to pet’s skin, coat and fur, Pet Therapy may do more harm than good.
2. Some people are afraid and uncomfortable around animals. For these people, Pet Therapy may cause more stress than usual.
3. In some cases, the patient may get too attached to the pet quickly and this may cause negative feelings to arise once the sessions end.
4. Since therapy pets visit multiple health care facilities they are exposed to infectious diseases and sometimes may carry it with them. Hence, making it important to vaccinate and test pets thoroughly to avoid the spread.

Compiled  & Shared by- Team, LITD (Livestock Institute of Training & Development)

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PET THERAPY OR ANIMAL ASSISTED THERAPY: AN INCREASING HOLISTIC APPROACH