Assistance dogs vs. therapy dogs

  

      The thought of using a dog for therapy became extremely popular  in 1976 when Elaine Smith who worked as a registered nurse noticed 

how patients reacted to the chaplain and his friendly golden retriever. 

The patient's whole demeanor became relaxed and in some cases sped the rate of recovery. Elaine decided to start a small therapy dog institution and it blossomed into popularity. In recent years therapy dogs have begun helping children overcome emotional and speech issues.

 Although an excellent idea, therapy dogs are not classified as service animals and are not afforded the same privileges.

 They may not go into restaurants or hotels, there is much controversy about this issue.

  

   An assistant or service dog may go anywhere because they assist and do things for their disabled companion. They are essential to the well-being of their owner.

 In the U.S. the service dog is protected at the federal level under the Americans with Disabilities Act 1990. They undergo rigorous training and evaluation.

 Therapy Dogs International does not accept service dogs for this reason. Unlike assistance dogs,therapy dogs do not actually do things for their person, They are there to provide an atmosphere of calmness and a sense of security.

  

The therapy dogs are asked to pass a test called the "Good Citizen test" provided by the American Kennel club.  It is a ten step gold standard behavioral test. 

After completing the classes and tests dog owners may put GCG in the suffix of their dog's name.

 In many situations such as the fear of reading aloud,anxiety or shyness therapy dogs can be a comfort. Their presence can mean the difference between fear and self-confidence.

 They can be utilized in many ways and I believe a way to communicate to others about compassion and kindness.

 Last year therapy dogs provided relief to school children after they witnessed violence in their schools. It can be a means to ending bullying and self-hatred. 

Do your animals feel your emotions?

      I recently had a client visit where I was asked to observe a dog who to his owners seemed ill, they were worried about lethargy and his lack of appetite and energy. Some days he was very playful and at least ate some kibble and treats.I asked if he was walked regularly as most if not all dogs need some form of exercise. They assured me he had full run of their yard and lots of stimulation from their children.

    His name was Roofus a sweet boxer mix who to me seemed fine except for some mild discomfort in his hind legs due to arthritis so when he stood up he wobbled just slightly. Other than this I felt his extremities and checked his eyes.He wagged his tail with excitement as I had a treat hidden in my pocket to see how alert he was,he kept nudging my hand and picking at my pocket.I laughed and enjoyed lots of kisses when I gave in.

    I couldn't see any illness and began to questioned his owner; had anything changed in their routine or way of living?also about why she was so worried and  had it been going on long? She told me that recently some new pressures had come on their family and she was feeling stressed and tired. She also felt some overwhelming sadness and depression. Some days she had a hard time to get going,and it was on those days I found out Roofus would lie on top of her and not leave her side.

    Many times our animals are more in tune with us and since they had gotten him as a puppy he was in tune with their emotions.The more I spoke to her about their situation the more I understood why Roofus was acting this way.He was tuning into her emotions and it was affecting him. He was sleeping more as she was sleeping more,she was eating less so he starting losing his appetite.The mood became sad instead of stimulating and comfortable.

    To me this is a sign our dogs are so much more a part of our families than we think.I recently was ill and stayed in bed for a few days running a high fever. My dog never left my side and was very protective over me my husband had tried to come in the door with some medication and my dog  would barely let him through without biting his ankles. She and him have a close relationship so this was out of the ordinary,She was protecting the weaker pack leader at that time.
 

    Dogs can exhibit many emotions we need to pay attention to the emotions of depression and how debilitating it can be.They could lose their appetite or have difficulty sleeping,they may have no desire to go outside and fetch their ball.I have noticed a dogs eyes may actually show sadness and so you can read it in their facial expressions.It can cause illness so special attention to these in a ongoing case may need to be told to your vet. Just like us humans it can be treated with love and nurturing and possibly medication or herbal remedy.

    Roofus and his family are on their road to recovery and life seems to be getting better all around. He is playing again and eating normally, he occasionally sits on his owners lap but because he thinks he is now a lap dog not because of illness.
     

So now how about that therapy dog?

Well, it's happening I am truly going to take the steps to get a therapy dog for my daughter this year. I am hoping to find a special connection to help her with the small quirks she has. We had a for instance this week, we send Maddy to a wonderful school one day a week which has helped her tremendously come out of her shell.This time last year she was barely making eye contact with other students or teachers,now it has made a huge difference. This week however their schedule was going to change and they were offering new classes in place of the ones she was accustomed to.She became highly anxious to go to school because she didn't know if the same girls she was close to were going to be in her classes. Well, we had a snow day much to her relief and so another week will now go by. I believe when we get her therapy dog she will have a dependable constant who will be on her side and give her that extra boost of confidence. I have met with a mom who has a daughter much like mine and their therapy dog has made a huge difference with school and social situations. I still am going to push and start my program to bring therapy dogs into school to qualm the bullying issue, I still believe in my heart that dogs are here to make our lives better no matter what the challenges are.

Sharing my story about bullying

When I was a child my father worked for AT&T, we moved every one to two years. for his job and it was very hard to make and keep friends,once we became comfortable we would have to say "goodbye.'
 My family is multicultural, and my brother and I are both adopted.
 My adopted father was Filipino(he passed away in 1978) and so is my adopted brother. I remember times we would go to the grocery store in Sepulveda  California with my mother,my brother and I were about 2 and 7.Ladies would come up to my mother and say things like"Oh are you babysitting today?"  my mother would reply "No this is my son" the ladies would have some rude comment ,this made my mother very unhappy, we would end our shopping trips then and there.In the same city the phone would ring at night  grown adults calling making crude ethnic sounds on the phone..This was my first memory of bullying.
I couldn't understand why people would do such cruel things,we were taught that everyone was created equal and that you were loved and accepted for who you were.
Later as a child we lived in Massachusetts, my brother and I were older,we would play together sometimes on the playground,kids would tell me" that's not your brother,stop lying" He and I had a pact that we would defend and be there for each other no matter what anyone would say. Also in third grade I had a girl slap my face for not sharing my lunch with her,to make matters worse she said if  I told my mom I would get it for sure. The bad thing was my mother and her mother were friends and I would be dropped off at their house after school once in a while.. Kids would pick on me a lot because I had short hair,they would call me a boy and I remember crying quite often.I am forty eight and that still has an impact on me. That's why I want to help children get through the meanness and calm everyone else s fears. I am learning that talking about our experiences and sharing them with others brings us healing. 

Why therapy dogs in the classroom?

   I am about to push the issue of therapy dogs  being allowed in the classroom. I understand fully about fears of allergies and distractions but I feel the good weighs out the bad.
  Studies have been shown that by bringing dogs into the classroom it may help children to enhance the capacity to form close relationships with each other. That certain emotions bring with them a racing heart or neurological impulse that signals the brain.
 Think about a child who is fearful of speaking out loud, by simply petting a dog it may give him or her a sense of security and his or her classmates a feeling of joy.We may have excellent teachers,the perfect classroom settings but no one interviews each child to see if they are compatible.
 I know from personal experience when my daughter(who has mild aspergers) was in school in second grade if someone whispered while looking at her she got upset. "Were they talking about her? or just telling each other a funny joke?" Dogs can give us a sense of self worth and calmness.They alone know how the rules go in interacting with each other, there are no exceptions only order.
 They don't look at each other and say"oh look how dirty marshals face  is lets not play with him today." They go and lick Marshal's face, jump to his side and encourage him to play.
Why dogs in the classroom? why not? Anything to break the ice to encourage unity, the classroom can be like a big party fun but full of strangers Unless you are  an extrovert this is like a pit of sand and you will sink at any moment.
 I am about to start researching and writing a book about bullying and the use of therapy dogs to break the cycle. If you have a story about you or a family member that was bullied I would like to hear from you.
My email is jssrl123@msn.com  NO SPAM MAIL  please!  This is a serious venture and a chance for you to help  make a difference. Thank You 

Anxiety and why therapy dogs would be good in schools

    We share a common theme with dogs us humans, we are born into families and have a natural instinct to nurture and care  for each other.There are leaders in our families whether it be a male or female,one or both is the hunter and gatherer,the protector and the helper.Dogs are wired with these natural instincts and so they are natural companions.Am I saying all dogs could be companions? maybe if they have strong loving masters who treat them with love and respect,for this is the code of the dog world.
    We have discovered that dogs were domesticated in Belgium over 33,000 years ago long before any other animal.They are loyal,and accepting.They don't see race or difference,they don't set out to hurt someones feelings or make fun of their shortcomings.
    A child at school with anxiety is a target to be bullied,as in my child's case. The bully can sense the child's fears and make the situation worse. A dog can also sense fears and if trained in that particular area can help ease the situation by a nudge or affection. I have seen a young teenager with hair pulling tendencies helped by a therapy dog,each time she reached up to pull the dog would jump up and nudge her to pet him.Eventually she was able to grow her hair back.
   Dogs can also teach the bullies to respect others by just showing compassion, I wish to bring this into our schools ,to show that in the dog world there is no wish to harm or to pick on;but to love and nurture.
 I also wish to bring to light children who are exposed to goodness and love are then in return shown goodness and love. I wish for children to have therapy dogs they can bring to school to help fight their anxieties and overcome their fears
 .Do you remember your first day of school? remember how nervous you may have felt? making new friends? or meeting new teachers and classmates? for children with anxiety disorders this is their world everyday. Think about how you feel when you see a new puppy how it brings everyone together in conversation as well as smiles on each face. This is the gift I wish to bring each day to schools around the globe.

Healing the bullies hurts and hearts

      I want to touch on the ugly topic of bullying.
Why do children feel the need for power  when they reach a certain age? Is it because they have none at home? Granted in high school where my oldest son attended  puberty and popularity ruled. Not much different from when I attended high school and you were labeled by everyone as being either popular, the punks or the jocks.
 My son who was a sophomore and in a band didn't dress much different than his peers he chose to have long hair and  was verbally abused with sexual innuendos thrown across the lunchroom and within teachers ears.
 When this was brought to the attention of the principal and the counselor the boys were not confronted but instead, my son had to write all the humiliating words and actions down on a piece of paper for documentation. It was disgraceful that the boys who had done this had more power even in this situation then my son. They were brought to the office only after my son had written his complaint and as most if not every child accused of doing or saying something wrong,fully denied anything to do with the situation. This went one for three months,fighting with the school,trying to get someone to do something and my son getting more and more depressed.Mornings were difficult as he stayed in bed and told me he wasn't going to school,even though I pleaded with him for hours at a time.
 Finally,  on his 17th birthday, he told us he was not returning to school. How could we blame him after all went on,the school frowned on us,I could not believe how insensitive they were at school and how easy it was to turn a blind eye.
Today our son is a well-mannered and talented young man who  goes out of his way to help people. He is very successful in his music career and we are proud. He  got through some serious depression  with lots of love from his family and friends he has started healing.
 Our youngest  daughter who is now 12  started getting bullied in 2nd grade, same situation. The vice  principal was a tyrant and barely even acknowledged there was anything wrong. My child started losing weight, stopped eating and barely slept. Without going into details we pulled her out at the end of the year with some medical problems due to being bullied and having an  anxiety disorder, she is now in her fourth  year of being home schooled.
    Both my children have extremely large hearts and were taught to love others,they were merely in the wrong place at the wrong time. Our daughter was picked on verbally for being petite. Such nonsense.This must stop!
I work with animals and have owned a dog walking company in my area for over 12 years now. My goal is to try to bring dogs into the school to heal the riff between bullies and children. Whether they have special needs,ADHD,ADD,  are shy ,suffer from anxiety. Also to bring compassion into the schools to show bullies that in a dogs world everyone is treated with respect and love. Compassion needs to be taught and brought back into our schools. Many children who bully are lonely,feel unloved and helpless.Maybe there is no one to talk to about their problems or their day. Many parents have to work today to make ends meet and so family life is on the back burner. I desperately want to start a program and be involved in making a change to end the vicious cycle of bullying.