The Different Conditions Therapy Dogs Help Treat

Human kind's best friends truly earn their names when they take on the mantle of therapy or service dogs. Sometimes people confuse the two, but service dogs are specifically trained to assist their disabled owners with certain tasks, whereas therapy dogs provide comfort and companionship to their owners or those in hospitals or long-term care facilities. Therapy dogs can be any size and shape. They must be even-tempered, friendly and patient. Interactions with therapy dogs have been shown to lessen the vast emotional weight that people might be experiencing. Just the sight of a therapy dog entering a space can spread smiles. Therapy dogs are especially helpful in the following circumstances.

Depression & Anxiety

Individuals often experience a lift when seeing a dog out and about; getting to pet and cuddle one is still better and owning one can help bring people back from the brink when it comes to depression and anxiety. Formal research is even showing that therapy animals are effective in the treatment of depression and anxiety. Often, those with either condition avoid contact with the outside world, whether out of stress or fear of what might happen. Both disorders involve negative internal talking to the self as well as emotional turmoil. Therapy dogs can help stop that vicious cycle of negativity by offering comforting companionship and granting their owners a sense of purpose. Even keeping plants has been found to give residents of senior care facilities a renewed purpose; how much better would it be to have a canine companion? Dogs offer complete and total acceptance, as well as unconditional love without any fear of judgment when a person who is depressed and anxious is at their lowest points.

Discover how therapy dogs can help seniors who need a little extra TLC next.

Alzheimer's Disease

While guide dogs for the blind are well-known, and mobility dogs for those with limited mobility and hearing assistance dogs are becoming better known, the public is only just becoming aware of the role of therapy dogs in assisting individuals who suffer from mental problems. The dogs for Alzheimer's Disease have a particular purpose, trained to take their owners home when the patient forgets where they are. Dogs thrive on routine and predictability, hence why they are a wonderful addition to a patient with Alzheimer's life, as these are often the things patient's struggle with. The canines are trained to help their humans throughout the day. This can be by opening the cupboard which contains food and a prominent note reminding the owner to eat as well. An electronic timer can be used to teach a dog when to bring a dog-safe bag of medicine to the patient. Another tone can prompt the assistance dog to walk the owner to the bathroom where other notes can be left with care instructions.

Keep reading to uncover how a therapy dog can greatly improve the life of a child who is on the Autism Spectrum.