Therapy International, Inc

Therapy dog in training

A Therapy Dog refers to a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to people in hospitals, retirement homes, nursing homes, psychiatric centers, schools, and stressful situations such as disaster areas.  The physical and emotional benefits of these dogs has been well documented.  (see Delta Society, www.deltasociety.org)

Therapy Dogs are chosen first for their amiable temperament and are then highly trained.  They are tested and certified for suitability for therapy work; first they have to pass the AKC Good Citizen test and then the added requirements of Therapy And Service K-9s (TASK-9), Delta Society or other registration groups.  The dog is then registered and officially a therapy dog.

Since therapy dogs (and their handlers) are usually found in hospitals, assisted care facilities, group homes and other institutions, the dogs must be well mannered and able to deal easily with loud sounds, strange sights, and be calm in crisis situations.  To patients, they are a welcome change from hospital routine, from infirmity, and lonliness or depression. 

Therapy dogs make it easier for patients to talk, to remember past experiences and share common ties.  Physically, the dog encourages patients to stretch, move and relate to others.  Therapy dogs don't care about your age, what sneakers you wear or how you look.  Their care is unconditional.  All of this makes a positive and welcome dfference in the quality of life for patients, their health and their well-being.

Therapy International through TASK-9 has trained many volunteers who help their community by visiting hospitals and other facilities.  We have also seen the psychological benefits that therapy dogs bring to the counseling office, and are fortunate to see the positive difference that these dogs make in our clients.  TASK-9 was formed as a way to reach those clients who benefit from more than the traditional form of counseling within an office.

Luna, Therapy Dog (Terrier)

Therapy Dogs are calm, well mannered and highly trained.  Research reports therapy dogs can:

• Reduce stress and blood pressure
• Ease depression
• Promote well being, especially in children, the elderly & the hospitalized.
• Help people who have suffered from abuse talk & relate to others, since many therapy dogs are from rescue shelters and have suffered abuse themselves
• Provide unconditional affection for those who lack it; i.e. people who are confined, in domestic-abuse shelters or in mourning
• Improve focus; i.e. people with autism, Alzheimers or the clinically depressed
• Stimulate interaction with those who have difficulty communicating or problems with verbalization
• Stimulate memory functions i.e. traumatic memory loss, stroke or Alzheimers
• Encourage and aid the learning disabled
• Ease the effects of trauma; i.e. accidents, Post traumatic Stress Disorder, natural disasters, etc. (Remember the therapy dogs at ground zero during 9/11?)