Therapy Dogs Recap

Benefits
1. Lowers Anxiety
  1. Social Engagement
2. Stress Relief
3. Encourages Communication
4. Improved Self-Esteem
5. Consistent Companion
6. Makes child/youth feel less judged
7. Reduces Loneliness
8. Physically Connected to animal
9. Distraction from pain
10. Sense of purpose/responsibility
11. Helps children overcome speech/reading difficulties
12. Oxytocin (love hormone)
Cautions when working with children/youth
1. Allergies
2. Child/youth harming the animal
3. Fear of dogs
4. Understanding the animal isn't with the client forever
Overcoming Issues
1. Hypo-allergenic dogs
2. Talking openly about animals & how they're not with us forever
3. Expectations on child/youth's behaviour are clear
4. Trusted group/client
5. Supervision
6. Smaller groups, less dogs
Places Therapy Dogs work
1. Hospitals
2. Dominion Assistance Dogs
3. St. John's Ambulance
4. Libraries
5. Schools
6. Mental Health Organizations
7. Military Bases
8. Retirement/Nursing Homes
9. Disaster Sites
10. Other private businesses
11. Other community centres
They must be...
1. Good Tempered
2. Gentle
3. Patient
4. Confident
5. Socially Open
6. Friendly

Resource summary

	Created by laurensaulnier about 9 years ago