The Dog therapy Is used to improve the physical, mental, emotional and social state of healthy or sick people. Systematic use of therapy dogs is attributed to nurse Elaine Smith.
Smith realized that the patients responded very well to visits by a chaplain at a hospital where she worked, and she realized that the positive effect of those visits was caused by the dog that accompanied the chaplain.
After this discovery in 1976, Smith develops a program for dog training, with the purpose of visiting institutions. From there begins to emerge a great demand to include dogs as an aid to patients in different therapies.
Benefits of Dog Therapy
Research has shown that contact with our canine friends helps the person improve their physical, mental, emotional and social status. In addition, contact with these animals makes the patient more receptive to treatment and recovery is earlier.
From what I will tell you next, perhaps you will realize that it is not necessary to have any pathology to enjoy the dogs and feel better in their presence. Surely if you have at home some of our faithful companions, you know what I mean.
At present, a lot of data confirm that pets are beneficial to psychological health and can increase both the quality of life and the longevity of the human being.
The psychological effects that these animals have on us humans are among others:
1- Improvement of social skills
The dog generally improves the response of those people who have difficulties in communicating with others. We can say that the dog facilitates the interpersonal approach.
2- Calm the need for physical attachment
The need for contact is universal in humans. These animals will always be willing to receive and give affection in the form of licks and caresses. This is why it is very indicated in people who have problems related to physical contact or are introverted.
3- Increases and improves concentration
The dog can become an interesting stimulus for people with difficulty using sustained attention. Add that the more frequent the dog-human approach, the stronger link will be created.
4- Increase and improvement of confidence
Having a partner with whom to share experiences, self-confidence is greater, thus giving the patient a good self-concept of self regarding the ability to achieve goals and adapt to the environment.
5- Goodbye to loneliness
The company of the furry friend, diminishes the feeling of sadness provoked by feeling alone.
6- Enhances Empathy
Although the dog is an incredible animal, it has no ability to speak. That is why it is necessary to understand our pet must be able to interpret expressive signs of these animals. This entails a good development of empathy as a social skill.
7- Increases self-esteem
Our dog needs us to survive. He expects us to give him food, a roof, honey, let's take care of him. This is why, in needing us, this animal provides us with a sense of responsibility, the feeling that we are necessary to meet the needs of the animal.
In addition our dog wants us as we are, so we feel totally accepted, making in addition to our self-esteem improve our own self-concept.
But it is also, in case, not too little, these animals also bring with them physiological benefits, some of them are the following:
8- Can detect cancer
If, as you read, these animals as you will know have an enviable sense of smell for many other species, and one of the most curious benefits they give us is the detection of malignant cells.
In a case study published by The Lancet in 1989, one can read how the patient in question reported that his dog used to constantly smell a mole on his leg, occasionally even attempting to bite the lesion as if trying to pull it off.
The patient says that when he sees the behavior of his faithful companion, he decides to go to the doctor to have the lunar checked, being the diagnosis unfavorable since it was a malignant melanoma.
There have been many cases about this peculiar capacity of the truffle of dogs, detecting these, not only skin cancer, but other types of cancer such as bladder, lung, breast, ovary, colon??
9- Make their owners stay active
Dogs tend to ask for a walk or play with their owners more often than other pets.
According to a study conducted at the University of Victoria in Canada in 2006, people with dogs walk an average of 300 minutes per week, compared to people without dogs, who have an average of only 168 minutes.
We would therefore include the benefits of physical exercise, and put aside the sedentary lifestyle.
10- Dogs are better than medicine
According to a study by the British Journal of Health in 2004, in people who have dogs, they have more controlled cholesterol, lower blood pressure, fewer heart attacks, as well as fewer medical problems than those who They do not have this pet at home.
11- Make our children grow stronger
Having a dog at home can be very beneficial to your child. According to the scientific journal Science Daily, children who grow up with a dog at home are likely to have fewer allergies and eczema than those children who do not have dogs. In addition these children become less sick, and enjoy a good immune level.
In what disorder is it most indicated?
Up to this point, you have been able to read that dogs can benefit anyone, although the article is directed towards assisted therapy with dogs, so I will explain below in which cases it is indicated to work and to do therapy with these animals:
- Autism Spectrum Disorders : Dogs can motivate and reinforce certain behaviors, as well as catalyze emotions and encourage socialization. They also improve and increase social skills, attention, concentration, communication and self-esteem. Increasing and improving these aspects in people suffering from autism spectrum disorders makes us directly link dogs with a system of help, approach and intervention to improve the quality of these patients.
- Cancer : You have previously been able to read that dogs have the ability to detect malignant tumors. This is why people who have or have had cancer can benefit from your company, because when performing an early detection, the success of treatment can be higher.
- Heart disease : according to American Heart Association (AHA), having a dog reduces the risk of developing heart disease. It may be that the relationship between the risk reduction and the dog is in the practice of physical exercise with it, and the decrease in heart rate as well as blood pressure when the dog is with its owner.
- Dementia : Dogs that are trained to help people with dementia are excellent companions for them, since the purpose of training is to warn the person as well as make him remember things that are important to him. For example taking a pill, get out of bed, warn them of an alarm.
- Developmental Disorders : The animal can help people with this type of problems. The patient will benefit from some quality of the dog, related to an improvement or direct help for his disorder. For example, if we talk about a person who has Down's Syndrome , What the dog can provide is based on improved attention, impulse control and the development of verbal communication.
- Psychiatric Disorders : In this case, the fact that a person with this type of pathology one of the things that can bring a can is the fact of having to take care of it. The dogs that help these people are trained so that their owners can still help them with their own difficulties. They bathe, care for, feed them; And that makes them feel that if they can take care of someone else, they can take care of themselves. Besides the fact of spending time with your dog, it causes attention to be undone in the disorder they suffer, among other things.
- Emotional and behavioral disorders : For the psychological benefits described above, dogs make the symptomatology of emotional and behavioral disorders improve or remit. We refer to benefits such as promoting empathy, company, impulse control and increased self-esteem.
- Chronic pain : The animal can help in various tasks in which the patient is incapacitated by pain, such as carrying objects or bring them, perform simple tasks that can provide the person with relief in having extra help to carry them cape. In addition the fact of creating a bond of attachment and affection person-animal, makes that in being in contact and proximity with him, the brain secretes endorphins, that on the organism have a natural analgesic effect.
What dog breeds are best suited for dog assisted therapy?
Although the commentary in the article refers to dogs in general, there are in particular 10 breeds that are more indicated than the others to perform therapy with animals.
- Labrador Retriever : This breed is characterized by its intelligence and gentle demeanor. They are often trusted and friendly to the people they have just met. It is an easy race to train and very obedient.
- German shepherd : They are very versatile dogs as to the purpose for which they can be trained. Priman for their loyalty and care when it comes to relating to humans.
- Greyhound : These animals are known for their great speed, but also for their tranquility and affection towards their owners. They also have a special sensitivity for sounds that are hardly perceptible to the human ear and as a curious fact they say that it is a breed that barely barks.
- Beagle : Is a small breed known for its long ears. They are active, and very friendly with new people as well as tending to get along with other animals.
- Rottweiler : Although one has the belief that it is a dangerous race, it is actually very calm and sociable with people. They have a calm, trustworthy attitude and are very intelligent.
- Saint Bernard : One of the best qualities of this breed related to therapy is its skin, since the layer of its dermis is thick and this dog to the touch turns spongy. They are very protective and obedient as well as patient.
- Carlino : Small size and large eyes. They are very energetic and have a tendency to please their owners, so they love to give treats and affection.
- French Bulldog : This breed characterized by its bat ears, is a loving and peaceful race. They often enjoy peace and quiet. Its small size makes it a suitable breed to live with them in enclosures with moderate space.
- Andalusian water dog or turkish : This breed of curly hair, is characterized by intelligence and rapid learning. They are used by police and firefighters in rescue work. It has good relation with the people and with other dogs, and you can see in them a cheerful and active character.
- Pomerania : Is a very small breed. They do not need much physical exercise so they are suitable for people with reduced mobility. They are very loyal to their owners, and bring all the love they can give.