No, you do not have to lie on a couch and tell the dog what’s bothering you. That’s not what a Therapy Dog does. With traditional therapy the human patient talks about their feelings, experiences and problems. Therapy dogs are taught to provide warmth and reassurance to those in hospitals, retirement homes, assisted living facilities, nursing homes, mental institutions, schools and disaster areas. In many situations, the presence of a Therapy Dog is beneficial to both children and adults. There seems to be a therapeutic influence between dogs and humans which can sometimes help lower a person’s blood pressure, increase self esteem, increase survival rate for heart attack patients and provide a sense of emotional stability. People may benefit simply from being in contact with the Therapy Dog.
The most important factor that a Therapy Dog should have is a great temperament… These dogs must be friendly and well behaved because they will be petted by many unfamiliar people. They have to be patient, friendly, confident, gentle and at ease in all situations. Sometimes these dogs will need to climb onto an invalid’s lap or on a bed, and sit, or lie there contentedly. On occasion, they will perform small tricks […]

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