Therapy dogs bring uplifting positive energy to those in need

What benefits do therapy dogs provide?

Scientific research has shown that spending even just a short time with therapy dogs improves the overall well-being of individuals within hospitals, nursing homes, schools and other facilities. Compared to individuals who had not spent time with therapy dogs, those who did reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and depression following the visit.

A few common examples of therapy dog use:

• Visiting seniors at nursing homes or rehabilitation centers. Therapy dogs help many seniors reduce stress and anxiety as they enjoy the affection of a therapy dog. Also, many seniors who had a pet in their past no longer have access to pets in these facilities so a therapy dog visit often brings back wonderful memories.

• Visiting children at pediatric hospitals. Therapy dogs have been known to encourage children to get up and walk after surgery, help them learn to take their medicine, or simply cheer them up on challenging days.

• Therapy dog reading programs at libraries. Students read aloud to dogs instead of their peers. By doing so, the fear of making a mistake subsides, allowing them to achieve their full reading potential.

Therapy dog programs work! Here’s a sampling of scientific research showing evidence of therapy dog program benefits:

• Outcomes of a controlled trial with visiting therapy dog teams on pain in adults in an emergency department

• The Impact of a Therapy Dog Program on Children’s Reading Skills and Attitudes toward Reading

• More on Google Scholar