There is much to be said about the human-animal bond, especially for children. As the daughter of a veterinarian, I grew up with all kinds of pets. We had dogs, hamsters, rabbits, birds, and fish. Though I loved them all, I cannot say enough about the wonderful experience of growing up with my rabbits and dogs. Most people who know me personally have probably heard at least one story about my beloved rabbit, "Cocoa", who came to his cage door when you knocked, who chased a ball, hung out with my dog, and learned to swim in my pool -- yes, you read correctly -- a swimming rabbit.
If people I know haven't heard about Cocoa, they have certainly heard about Raja and Ginger (pictured below), my parents' adorable mother-daughter combo of yellow labrador retrievers with whom I had the great pleasure of spending my adolescent and college years.
Companion animals provide many things to their human counterparts. I can speak first hand about the security, unconditional love, socialization, and friendship that my pets provided me with (not to mention the nurturing skills and empathy that comes along with the responsibility of caring for another living creature). These are but some of the qualities that make animals (especially dogs) such appealing partners in therapy.
Therapy dogs are currently practicing alongside their occupational therapist owners/handlers in a variety of ways. Dogs take part in therapy sessions to increase motivation in the child while the OT directs the treatment process to help the child reach his/her therapeutic goals.
Some examples of this include:
- Improving gross motor skills such as bilateral upper extremity use, balance, and body awareness (possibly by having the child pet, brush, and do an activity with the dog, among other ways).
- Improving fine motor skills by having the child place objects/treats on the dog's vest, manipulate buckles on the dog's collar, utilizing a leash.
- Sensory integration skills/sensory stimulation - tactile awareness through petting the soft fur of the dog, regulating muscle control/force of upper extremities through touch.
- Visual perception- identifying colors/patterns on dog, categorizing, etc.
- Socialization/Sequencing- by talking to the dog and giving commands, children learn to communicate. They can learn sequencing skills by following certain directions from the therapist to complete a "task" with the dog.
Dogs are unconditionally loving. They are non-judgemental and they are social. These qualities are appealing to children and often times can motivate a child more than a human could. Children who are typically shy or withdrawn may come out of their "shell" in the presence of a therapy dog and take part more fully in the therapy session. They can form an emotional attachment and friendship with the dog, which ensures increased motivation for future treatment sessions.
Therapy dogs are currently taking part in programs with children to improve sensory integration, increase social skills, improve literacy and handwriting, improve gross and fine motor skills, and more. Dogs are specially trained to work with certain populations in a therapeutic environment. The treatment sessions are directed by the therapist/dog handler. Check out this report about animal assisted therapy at Columbus Children's Hospital in Ohio:
If this topic is of interest to you as a parent or professional, I strongly recommend checking out the following link, which is a current weblog by an OT in Texas about her practice with her therapy dog and children. It is a first-hand glimpse into the world of occupational therapy and how a dog is incorporated into sessions to elicit all kinds of responses from children in order to help them maximize their functioning. The site includes pictures and videos of therapy sessions in action:
Jumpstart Therapies Animal Assisted Therapy Program
Also, the following link is to an article about a literacy program that originated in the western United States and uses therapy dogs: Kids + Dogs = Combination for Paw-rrific Reading Adventures.
For more specific information on animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and the training of therapy dogs and their handlers, click on:
The Delta Society - Improving Human Health Through Service and Therapy Animals.
Lastly, refer to the sidebar of this site under "Animal Assisted Therapy/Therapy Dogs" for future updates on information and articles on this subject.
I welcome any personal stories & anecdotes regarding therapeutic experiences with therapy dogs and/or other animals. Please share!
