Pet Therapy Benefits
More and more people are gaining positive support from service dogs. If you like dogs, then you feel better with your dog close. Consequently, it is not surprising that they are ideal healing companions. They are proving helpful for cancer patients, PSTN victims, and dementia individuals.
Tens of thousands of therapy and service dogs are working in the U.S. Besides, these canines are routinely trained and certified by various organizations. Trained pups are also gaining in popularity from Brazil to Norway. These dogs and their handlers visit a variety of facilities to interact with patients.
Extensive research confirms the benefits of pet therapy. Even a scant 12 minutes with a patient has provided positive results. Many hospitals have programs approving dogs and owners for patient visits.
Are Dogs Stressed In Therapy Roles?
Various studies are showing that dogs that support pediatric cancer ward patients are not stressed. If anything, they enjoy the interaction.
One extensive study of five hospitals and 26 dogs occurred with excellent results. During the research, visiting hundreds of patients provided extensive first-hand observations. As a result, the studies showed positive patient benefits of the visits and the animal’s eagerness. Remarkably, dogs sense the needs of patients.
Doggy Are Working!
In addition to positive visual indicators, researchers conducted biological tests. Cortisol levels testing in dog saliva are an indicator of elevated stress. Swabs samples taken during the therapy sessions compared to those taken at home showed minimal differences.
A significant rise in cortisol levels occurs with both good or bad stress. A puppy chasing a frisbee could have levels equal to a dog alerting its owner to an unknown visitor.
The videotaping activities of different dogs is allowing for analysis across several behaviors. The categories measured ranged from friendly interactions to high-stress indicators like whimpering.
Ultimately, dogs are more like open books. The testing between cortisol levels from the different environments showed no differences.
Work is Fun
Several research projects studying service animals occurred in recent years. Undoubtedly, this research builds upon and reinforces prior results. It helps that the history between humans and dogs is extensive. Dogs enjoy pleasing their owners. They are often attuned to human feelings.
Measuring a dog’s work as fun is behavior-based. For example, talking and playing with a dog gets the most positive responses. Handlers develop a sense of what activities their dog is happier doing.
Is Your Dog a Fit?
Monitoring therapy dogs while working is crucial. Dogs usually display their feelings openly.
Obviously, people want to share their pup’s affection within their local communities. The key is the animal’s enthusiasm, not merely tolerance. Does the dog solicit attention or look for a bribe? Seeking positive interaction is an excellent gauge that a dog loves its job.