Therapy dog services

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 From the E.R. to admitted patients a therapy dog visit can make your stay in a hospital a little less stressful.

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For children, in particular, a hospital can be a very frightening place, especially if they are facing a scary surgery or a long stay. A therapy dog can provide a nice distraction and bring them some comfort.

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And even for those waiting on a family member or friend who is in the hospital a therapy dog can be a very comforting experience.

 We all thrive on the comfort, love, and empathy of others. The elderly in nursing homes are no different. So the need for a therapy dog in this type of facility speaks for itself.

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Simply stroking the fur of a calm, gentle, loving dog can lower blood pressure and increase endorphins. Making people smile and feel loved and cared for, is the role of a therapy dog and that is what these visits are all about.

 Therapy dogs have  been known to assist children in reading skills when they are involved in local library or daycare programs. Dogs create opportunities for children to be more social, thereby helping them to learn from each other. Dogs also lower stress which helps to optimize their ability to learn. 

Children who would otherwise shy away from participating in reading out loud when paired with a partner, will do so if they are paired with a dog in these types of programs. 

 Whether it's due to bullying, grades, home-life, social media, or problems with friends, some teenagers battle anxiety, stress, and depression everyday. These feelings make it difficult to concentrate, make or keep friends, behave positively, keep grades up, or communicate. 

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Schools that allow for therapy dog visits give their students who are struggling with negative feelings the opportunity to get some help that they may not otherwise seek out. Just sitting with a trained therapy dog and stroking it's fur lowers stress and raises endorphins. In some cases, it even opens up a line of communication between a student and a teacher, principle, or counselor that might have otherwise been closed.

Therapy dogs can help reduce anxiety and restlessness for autistic children during a visit, but they can also...

• ​help keep autistic kids focused on a task and their minds away from distractions.
• have a significant positive effect when it comes to verbal challenges for autistic children.
• help form emotional growth in autistic children because they promote feelings of caring, empathy, love, and positivity.
• provide sensory stimulation to an autistic child by means of stroking their fur, playing games, giving hugs, or massage. 

 Facing the death of a loved one is one of the hardest things to go through. Sometimes grief can be more than just sadness. It can cause high amounts of anxiety, stress, and deep depression as well. For some even going to a funeral can be extremely difficult. A therapy dog visit during this time can reduce stress, lower blood pressure, and ease anxiety.  

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Whether it's for a single person or an entire family, a therapy dog can be there to help anyone in need of some comfort during this time.

A therapy dogs can help provide gentle comfort and peaceful support during any type of grief.  

 There are many traumatic things that a child might go through, from the death of a parent to any type of abuse. Sometimes getting them to open up and talk about their emotions or even to give a witness account, when needed, can be extremely difficult. 

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This is when a therapy dog can be very useful. Because, to a child, a therapy dog is non-judgmental and only on their side, it opens up the opportunity for a line of communication that might otherwise have been closed. Having the therapy dog there for them to love and pet gives them a sense of being safe and protected and lowers stress and anxiety.

 It is both an honor and a privilege to be able to provide the company of a loving dog to our military personnel and veterans.  

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Whether at a Veterans Home, private home, or at one of the many USO programs across the country therapy dogs provide not only company, but positivity, love, comfort, empathy, and joy. 

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The USO volunteer therapy dog teams bring comfort to wounded, ill and injured service members as well as provide support for service members and their families at centers and events.

 For some, preparing for exams and finals is a very stressful time. Lack of sleep, high anxiety, and even depression can become overwhelming. 

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High schools and colleges that allow therapy dogs to make regular visits during this time can give students the opportunity to take a few moments to gain a healthy distraction from all the anxiety and stress they are feeling. To sit with a therapy dog and simply stroke it's fur can raise endorphins and reduce stress. This can help students take a little break from their inner chaos and allow them to breathe just long enough to reset.  

 Just like when we are in a nursing home, the elderly living alone in their own homes need company too. However, they can often get overlooked. So the need for a therapy dog in this situation can be very important if they don't own their own pet. 

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Simply stroking the fur of a calm, gentle, loving dog can lower blood pressure and increase endorphins, which can make people smile and feel loved and cared for. If you, or someone you know, is an independent elderly person living alone, a visit from a loving therapy dog might be something to think about.

 Whether it's a single event or many that pile up to cause us to become unable to break free from the depression, stress, or anxiety that we are under, we all need something to soothe us from time to time. If you don't own a dog then a regular visit, once in a while, with a therapy dog might be something to think about. 

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It's not a solution or a cure, but spending time with a dog like, Echo, who looks at you like she knows what you're going through and just wants you to know you are loved, can help ease your mind and give you the break you need to just breathe long enough to reset for a little while.

There's nothing better for a productive business than happy employees. And we all know that keeping anxiety and stress out of the workplace is one of the best ways to make that happen. Sometimes even just making sure that the job doesn't get boring can be a task for employers.

So many employers try morale building meetings, exercises, techniques,  or even trips.

Why not try a therapy dog? A regular visit from a cute, cuddly, comforting, playful therapy dog can boost morale, reduce stress, increase endorphins, and help make a Monday and funday! 

 Even the most amicable custody cases can still be hard on a child. Some fall victim to anxiety, sadness, and stress at no fault to either parent. And when that child needs to be present in court due to a custody battle, that can sometimes be a very frightening situation. Even causing them to "clam up" when it's time to talk to the judge or lawyers.

Having a therapy dog present to help make the child feel safe, protected and loved can be a huge help. Allowing the child to stroke and pet a dog, as well as feel a non-judgmental presence, can be key to lowering the child's stress and helping them naturally open up and talk freely.

 Losing a home due to fire, flood, or natural disaster is devastating. Therapy dogs are often called in to comfort and support families going through the sadness, anxiety, and emotional distress of losing their homes, possessions, and sometimes even the loss of loved ones.

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Therapy dogs are also used to comfort firefighters, volunteers, police, FEMA workers, paramedics, or anyone else serving at a natural disaster. These service men and women work long, tireless hours and it can take a huge emotional toll on them.

 Some people find flying extremely stressful. Just the anxiety of being in a crowded airport can be overwhelming to some. And if you are traveling with children, waiting for a plane can be a difficult time, for both you and your children.

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A therapy dog can provide a comforting distraction while you wait for your flight, allowing you the opportunity to lower your blood pressure and reduce your stress level. Sitting with a therapy dog allows for you and/or your children a calm, relaxing atmosphere in a rather busy, chaotic place.