There are people who have certain illness or ailments which are treated with medicine and companionship. That companionship comes mostly in the form of certain dog breeds. Therapy dogs and companion dogs are in the class of service dogs, but do not really provide assistance with people who have physical disabilities. Therapy dogs have been providing service to people with ailments for years, they form a lasting bond with their new owners which becomes virtually inseparable. But what is the magic in dogs that allow that to help people who suffer certain ailments?
Well, medical science shows that interaction with therapy dogs may reduce blood pressure and promote physical healing, reduce anxiety, fatigue and depression. The magic about therapy dogs is that they exert little to no effort in helping persons to overcome their ailments. A therapy dog will simply rest in a patients lap or sit beside them and the gentle petting of the animal simply helps that individual. Therapy dogs have also played its part in the educational system by helping children who may have certain learning disabilities to learn.
Not to exclude the medical facilities as these dogs have also visited hospitals and have interacted with patients pediatrics centers. Some hospitals will even invite therapy dogs to visit emergency rooms to help calm down patients and and workers within such a stressful environment.
- Usually found in retirement homes, nursing homes, hospitals, and schools.
- They aide people with difficulties in learning.
- Help to calm stressful situations that can be normally seen in disaster areas caused by natural hazards, such as tornadoes, hurricanes, tsunamis, floods, earthquakes, technological hazards including nuclear and radiation accidents, or sociological hazards like riots, terrorism or war...
- These kind of dogs are specially trained to provide various levels of comfort and affection in certain stressful circumstances.
- Patient
- friendly, even with unfamiliar faces.
- confident
- gentle
- easy in whatever situations.
- Enjoy human contact
- Playful
Dog Breeds That Make Best Therapy Dogs
Many dog breeds can be groomed and trained to provide this kind of service, but there are a few dog breeds which are much easier to work with that has the right temperament to be trained as Therapy dogs. Here is a list of a few good therapy dog breeds.
- Labrador retriever
- French bulldog.
- Greyhound.
- Golden retriever.
- Poodle.
- Pomeranian.
- Miniature poodle.
- Collie.
Therapy dogs are quite useful with helping people to cope with specific conditions, but the joy and pleasure of just having a nice canine companion around may help in a deeper mental way. Here is a list of specific ailments that therapy dogs are used for:
- Anthropophobia
- Depression
- Behavioral Disorders
- Emotional Disorders
- Alzheimer's Disease
- Trauma
- Grief and Loss
- Autism
- Substance Abuse
- Learning Disabilities.
(Much More)
All dogs are great companions in my eyes. But there are certain dogs that may exert a certain kind of temperament which makes them better for certain jobs. Having a therapy dog is always a win win situation. The best thing anyone would want in their lives who are going through a tough time is natural calmness and a sense of relief. Therapy dogs does that job really well.