Therapy Dogs In Schools

Therapy dogs are used to improve the lives of other people. They are meant to interact with their owners and surrounding people. The point of therapy dogs is to provide comfort to people in need. Therapy dogs can visit many different places. This includes schools, daycares, group homes, rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and nursing homes. (What is the Difference Between a Therapy Dog vs. a Service Dog) Therapy dogs are often called “miracle workers” in the classroom. Recently, some therapy dogs were used to comfort witnesses of school shootings. Also, some colleges keep therapy dogs for their students. The idea of therapy dogs on a college campus is to help students slow down and cope with anxiety. They can also help to be a break from the pressure of school. Yale Law School uses therapy dogs because law school can be very stressful. (The Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Classrooms and on College Campuses) These dogs can help people struggling with mental illness. They can help with depression, anxiety, PTSD, and many more. Some therapy dogs are used to comfort people with Autism. Studies show that people with Autism that have therapy dogs talk to people and introduce themselves more often. Unlike service dogs, therapy dogs can be approached and pet by

For example, it has been proven that therapy dogs stimulate memory and problem solving skills in a classroom environment. Also, interaction with a therapy dog has been shown to reduce blood pressure. In hospitals, therapy dogs can comfort someone during a surgery, recovery, or if they are just experiencing pain. A study showed that hospital patients with a therapy dog had less pain and recovered quicker and better. Therapy dogs have also been proven to promote self esteem. About ten percent of teens have an anxiety disorder. Therapy dogs can help these students by creating laughter to lift moods. (The Benefits of Therapy Dogs in Classrooms and on College