Take 2 Wags and Call Me in the Morning

Therapy dogs assist the sick, and even the well, armed with nothing but a fuzzy face and an attentive ear

By Deb Acord
CTW Features

Residents of Manor Care, Boulder, Colo., a facility that specializes in rehabilitation, long-term care and Alzheimer’s care, have grown accustomed to visitors who greet them with a wagging tail and wet tongue.

Twice a week, therapy dogs registered with Wyoming-based Therapy Dogs, Inc., visit Manor Care. “It’s been wonderful for our facility,” says spokeswoman Judy Bernstein. “It lifts people’s spirits and is a highlight of their day.”

Therapy dogs provide much in public and private facilities, from hospitals, nursing homes, hospice centers and libraries to prisons, group homes and juvenile detention centers.

These aren’t service dogs – animals trained to assist people who have physical or mental challenges. Instead, these dogs simply do what dogs do best – wag a tail, give a person unbending focus and attention and brighten a day.

Humans have relied on dogs for their companionship ever since dogs were domesticated. And in recent decades, scientists have begun studying what that relationship means. Dozens of studies have shown that the dog-human bond can be therapeutic and even healing. Among those, according to the Delta Society, Bellevue, Wash., a group serving therapy dogs and service dogs:

• Hospitalized heart failure patients see lowered blood pressure, lowered release of harmful hormones and decreased anxiety when a therapy dog visits.

• Children who undergo a physical exam in a doctor’s office or a dental procedure are calmer when a therapy dog is present.

• People with borderline hypertension have lower blood pressure on days when they take their dogs to work.

• Children in families where there is serious illness or death of a parent adjust better when they have the companionship of a pet (particularly a dog).

Gayla McBride knows the benefits of therapy dogs first-hand. She has shared her canines – two Chinese crested dogs named Eerik and Wyatt – for 10 years, first at the Veterans Administration hospital, and now in weekly visits to the Life Care Center in Aurora, Colo.

McBride calls herself “a big fan of therapy dogs.”

“I wish everyone could see when we go out with the dogs,” she says, “see how the patients want to take the dogs in their arms and hug them and hold them.”

McBride is registered with Therapy Dogs, Inc., Cheyenne, Wyo., a non-profit organization started in 1990. In 1992 it had fewer than 1,000 members and today, there are more than 10,000 members from around the country, Canada and Puerto Rico, says administrative manager Billie Smith. The group offers registration, support and insurance for members who are involved in volunteer therapy activities.

Therapy dogs had their start in traditional settings such as hospitals and nursing homes, Smith says. “But now, we’ve expanded to more non-traditional programs.”

Using therapy dogs in library reading programs is one of the most popular applications today, Smith says. “The dog works so well in reading programs because he is completely non-judgmental and doesn’t correct a child who might read the wrong word. The dog simply listens.”

Therapy dogs registered by Therapy Dogs, Inc., go through a training program where they are tested for basic obedience, ease around strangers and willingness to be handled.

The group doesn’t allow wolf or coyote hybrids in its program, but all other breeds are welcome. “We probably have a 50-50 split between large and small dogs,” Smith says. “As long as the dog has a laid-back, easy-going, mild-mannered temperament, it doesn’t matter what the breed is. We’ve got everything from pit bulls and Rottweilers to a one-pound Chihuahua.”

People who breed and show dogs often get involved in therapy work, Smith says. “And it also appeals to retired people.”

Gayla McBride is always on the lookout for potential therapy dogs. “It’s such a great program, and we can always use more dogs,” she says. “Once you see how it works, how much fun it is, you’ll be hooked.”

And so are the dogs, McBride says. “My dogs look forward to the visits as much as the people do. Dogs are wonderful for these programs because they love you unconditionally.”

For more information:

• Therapy Dogs, Inc.

• Therapy Dogs International, Inc.

• Delta Society

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