In Praise of Therapy Dogs

Many breeds and mixed-breeds can qualify as therapy dogs. They should be affectionate with gentle dispositions, and be comfortable and friendly around strangers. They do some of their best work in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, and schools and in disaster areas where people have suffered great losses and are in need of a “friend”. These dogs ask nothing but to be there for you and be petted.

These dogs provide “special needs” help when they are called upon to bring comfort in stressful situations with adults and children (and sometimes other dogs). In circumstances where there are learning disabilities and physical limitations and for children with speech and emotional disorders, they foster a sense of calm, as they are content to be petted and handled, (even clumsily by people who benefit greatly from these encounters). These four-legged companions take their jobs very seriously.

Golden Retrievers are high on the list of breeds that are highly successful therapy dogs, ticking all the boxes for gentleness, patience, friendliness and confidence, along with many others doing this wonderful work. Some dogs might need to be lifted onto an individual’s lap or bed and can be assisted by pet ramps and puppy stairs to move on their own. When in place they have learned to assume a relaxed and comfortable position, as they bring a calm reassurance to someone most in need of this type of contact.

Some dogs add another dimension, that of performing small tricks and tasks, or participating in simple games. Therapy dogs, although not usually legally given “service dog” status, are able to fill a niche unique and essential unto itself.

Some outstanding examples stand out against a backdrop of war and combat, where dogs bring comfort and solace to their soldier companions, and in many instances, hope and relief to injured and recovering men and women in the field. There are some excellent rescue groups now transporting these pets/therapy animals “home” from battlefield locations to rejoin soldiers and/or their families. Heart-warming and gratifying, these reunions bring full-circle these special relationships.

The therapeutic effects of dogs to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and raise the spirits of those close to them, is evidenced many times over in the gentle companionship of these canine “angels”.

In my semi-retirement, I was drawn to helping some less fortunate children in my neighborhood. They began joining me for twice-weekly sessions for reading and a little dog-petting time, complete with a serving of cookies and milk. My two dogs used their pet ramps and dog steps to reach the children on the sofa, snuggling up to them in their usual warm and affectionate way that made these events so meaningful and therapeutic for all of us.