Dog Therapy

If someone was capable of tapping the amount of love that dogs feel for the human race, it would surely produce enough energy to light up an entire village. Unfortunately no one has succeeded in doing such a thing till now, but well meaning people all over the World are channeling the love that their family pet has within, towards helping the elderly, the chronically ill and those suffering form depression to brighten their difficult days with therapy dogs!

Dog therapy, and really, pet therapy, is a relatively new concept, but one that has produced results if even in an indirect fashion. Many people are dog lovers, but maybe age or illness has disallowed them from looking after a family pet. Many people who are house bound simply do not receive too many visitors. However well meaning, dog owning volunteers have taken upon themselves to work out a daily schedule to pop in to visit them together with their dog, if only for a few minutes.

Doctors are highly enthusiastic about the effects dog therapy visits are having on their patients, and the positive therapeutic effect they are having on their attitude to life in general and their physical condition in particular.

Pets as Therapy charities are active in the United States as well as in Europe. Providing therapeutic visits to inmates of hospitals, hospices, nursing and care homes. Children's hospital and special needs schools are also on the daily schedule of this friendly group of dogs and cats. Many of the elderly and the infirm happily and openly confess that the thought of the daily visit from their canine friends gives them the strength to get through another day, otherwise filled with pain, loneliness or uncertainty.

People who suffer from the devastating effects of ongoing depression, particularly those whose physical condition will allow them to look after a dog are being encouraged by their treating doctor to adopt one. Research in mental health has shown that dogs notably have a calming and therapeutic effect on people suffering from nervous disorders. Dogs have a simplistic attitude to life and their warm disposition can help to restore a person's faith in life and desire to cope with their problems. The dependency that a dog has on his owner to feed and protect it is returned with immeasurable quantities of love and caring. Its presence in the home helps to spark of emotions that may have long since been buried deep within the sub conscious of those who have experienced or are experiencing the pain of depression.

Dogs can be amazingly perceptive animals and can sense a person's physical and emotional pain. Their nature is such that their love is totally without condition and the love and compassion that they give to their owners under difficult conditions has helped the owners to stabilize their nervous condition and begin to function again.

More and more dog owners are becoming aware of the opportunity to share their dog's love through providing dog therapy. It is very much a win, win, win situation. As the owner has the pleasure helping those less fortunate. The sick have the pleasure of a heart warming visit from their canine friend, and the dog gets to make hundreds of new friends. Any well trained dog can become a therapeutic visitor.