Fact checked

What is a Therapy Dog?

Author
Susana Bradford
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at
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July 22, 2024
April 21, 2023
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2 minutes
Updated By
Grant Fiddes
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September 15, 2023
Expert Reviewed By:
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at
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April 21, 2023
August 29, 2023
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2 minutes
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September 15, 2023
What is a therapy dog? Get a brief and straightforward guide with pictures to understand the role and benefits of therapy dogs.

A therapy dog is a dog which has been specially trained to offer companionship, affection, and comfort. These special canines are brought into hospitals, nursing homes, mental facilities, prisons, schools, and disaster areas to provide their unique services to people who might be in need of a friendly face and a connection with an animal. A number of organizations offer therapy dogs to facilities which request them, along with training and volunteer opportunities for dog owners who would like to use their pets as therapy dogs.

What is a Therapy Dog?

A therapy dog is a trained canine companion that provides comfort, support, and emotional assistance to individuals in various settings, such as hospitals, schools, and nursing homes. These well-behaved dogs offer unconditional love, reduce stress levels, and promote healing and well-being through their gentle presence and interactions with people in need.

It is important to remember that a therapy dog is not a service animal, in the sense of an animal which provides assistance and service to the disabled. In many countries, service animals are protected, ensuring that their owners can take them with them wherever they go without harassment. Service animals may act as guides for the blind, pull wheelchairs, or provide other services, and they are licensed, qualified animals who provide assistance to only one individual. Training for service animals is extremely rigorous and unique to the service that the animal provides.

Keep in mind that places where therapy dogs are allowed have their own policies on therapy dog ettiquette, grooming requirements, etc. Make sure to check in with management to make sure your animal meets the unique criteria of the company in question.

A therapy dog is trained to be patient, kind, friendly, and gentle with a wide variety of people in an assortment of circumstances. Therapy dogs are taught to bear clumsy handling with good graces, and to work well with people who may be under stress or upset. A wide range of breeds can be used as therapy dogs, as long as the individual specimen is calm, friendly, and responsive to training.

therapy dogs for companionship

At a minimum, a therapy dog visits a facility and interacts with people who may be missing companionship. In this case, therapy dogs might sit quietly with people, or play gently. In other cases, therapy dogs get more interactive, performing tricks or playing more advanced games with the people that they visit. In all cases, a therapy dog's handler accompanies him or her, and the handler may gently instruct the people who interact with the dog, especially if they are unfamiliar with animals.

therapy dogs for companionship

The use of animals in therapy dates back to at least the 1970s, although people were undoubtedly aware of the value of animal companionship before this period. Therapy dogs were the first therapy animals, but it is also possible to find therapy cats, horses, rabbits, sheep, and even chickens. The use of animals as therapeutic companions appears to help people relax, work out stress, and feel more comfortable in their environment, whether it be a hospital bed or a federal prison.

Get helpful pet care information and other helpful resources by visiting Pettable's blog.

Meet the author:
Susana Bradford
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Susana is an avid animal lover and has been around animals her entire life, and has volunteered at several different animal shelters in Southern California. She has a loving family at home that consists of her husband, son, two dogs, and one cat. She enjoys trying new Italian recipes, playing piano, making pottery, and outdoor hiking with her family and dogs in her spare time.

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