Dogs That Heal: Canine Therapy

The use of animals for therapeutic purposes is an increasing activity. Different investigations and studies constantly certify the benefits that these creatures bring to improve people’s physical, mental and emotional health. Perhaps because of their closeness to man, dogs are ideal for this purpose. We tell you the benefits of canine therapy.

Dogs heal us

Through canine therapy -or with other animals- the aim is to improve both physical, psychological, cognitive and social aspects of patients. The dogs then become a communication bridge between the therapist and the people.

How is this accomplished? It is known that the furry ones give us their love unconditionally and do not judge us or discriminate against us, as our peers usually do.

This point becomes essential for people who feel vulnerable due to their physical, mental or emotional condition. Dogs do not pay attention to these details that can become uncomfortable or cause rejection in other human beings and make patients feel safe when they come into contact with them.

This is how dogs, always under the supervision of a professional, help the recovery process of treated individuals.

What is canine therapy?

The treatment can be carried out in different contexts and be considered both in a group and individually. The truth is that when the patient interacts with the animal, he temporarily forgets the situation that afflicts him. This creates a positive change in your routine.

The benefits of this therapy have been demonstrated in cases as diverse as, for example, people with:

• Alzheimer’s
• Autism
• Terminal, mental or coronary illnesses
• Cerebral palsy
• Behavior disorders

And while the positive effects seem to be more visible in children and the elderly, excellent results have been obtained even with rape victims and inmates, who in this way find a form of social reintegration.

Benefits of Pet Assisted Therapy

Among the achievements that people obtain through animal-assisted therapy we can point out :

• Progress in motor skills and balance.
• Increase in verbal interactions between members of a group.
• Increased capacity for concentration and attention.
• Greater self-esteem.
• Expansion of vocabulary.
• Reduction of anxiety levels and the feeling of loneliness.
• Memory improvements.

The dogs that help adolescents in a state of vulnerability

A concrete example of the good results of canine therapy is that of adolescents living in residences supervised by the Generalitat of Catalonia.

“If something goes wrong, they make you forget it,” says one of the young people about the dogs that participate in the program in order to become catalysts – and even mirrors – of their fears, anguish, concerns and claims.

There are stories as terrible as those of the migrant who lost his family during the journey from Africa to Europe or the boy who was left without legs after a terrible accident.

That is why the participation of the furry ones becomes essential to help reverse these painful situations that the youngsters had to go through.

Dogs do us good, let’s do the same with them

Since the destinies of man and dog crossed, dogs have not stopped doing us good, be it a pet or a rescue animal, going through countless etceteras.

However, our attitude towards them cannot be measured with the same parameters, because many times we have responded to them with different types of violence: abandonment, exploitation, blows …

But they are still there anyway, faithful to us, so many times we should learn from their example and try to be better people in the process.