A person’s love for an animal can be as strong as for a friend or family member. Animals, in turn, reciprocate any expression of warmth. But dogs are a special case. They do not just express their affection for the owner, they are ways to treat like real doctors.
Canis therapy has become very popular in recent years. This is a method of treatment and rehabilitation with the help of specially trained dogs.
These are just some of the problems that four-legged friends help to solve:
⦁ Stress or severe crisis, grief from the loss of a loved one, depression.
⦁ Feelings of loneliness and powerlessness, which is especially true for people with terminal illnesses.
⦁ Problems with socialization.
⦁ Self-doubt and discouragement, anxiety.
⦁ Agitation and aggression.
But canine therapy is especially important for people in difficult life situations. Dogs help children in orphanages, elderly people in nursing homes and hospice patients. Communication with four-legged friends works real miracles with these patients!
Dogs and orphans.
Children in orphanages are deprived of emotional contact with adults. They are surrounded by staff, educators, who simply do not have time to communicate with each child. There is no one to comfort the baby when he cries, is confused or frightened. They need warmth and attention, close contact with someone.
Some children have never even seen a real dog. Their world is limited to the walls of the orphanage and the playground nearby. When they see a warm, living creature that wags its tail happily, they experience incredible emotions! The orphans interact with the dog, feed it, lead it on a leash, and most importantly, hug it. Tactile contact is very important for abandoned children. Canis therapy allows them to overcome social deprivation and learn to interact with each other.
Dogs and the elderly.
Adults in nursing homes feel no better than children in shelters. They are just as lacking in attention and emotional contact. Many can’t get around on their own, and every day all they see is a hospital room, without the ability to even go out on the porch. But you have to see how people come alive when adorable therapy dogs come to visit!
They immediately switch from their current problems to the new event. The presence of dogs stimulates seniors to socialize among themselves, the four-legged ones quickly become a topic of discussion. Thanks to them, people remember their youth and start to smile. And of course, the opportunity to pet and play with a dog is priceless for many. Therapists say that an hour of such contact can literally “revitalize” even people with severe depression.
Dogs and hospice patients.
The hardest time is for those who work in hospices. Here the topic of death is no longer taboo. People know that sooner or later it will happen to them. Of course, the atmosphere in such institutions is very depressing. But even here dogs come to the rescue. Sometimes they are able to help even more than close people.
The dog is not afraid of death, does not show pity, which many people are ashamed of. It simply gives its warmth and love to everyone. Not all patients because of the disease and drugs that buy pain, have the strength to hug a dog or talk to it. But the very presence of a four-legged friend is very valuable. Looking at him reminds patients of their pets left at home and those they had as children. This allows at least for a while to distract from thoughts of death. And in such moments, even the most difficult patients are transformed, become more relaxed and smile in spite of everything.
Dogs in libraries.
There’s another place where four-legged therapists often find themselves useful. You might be surprised, but it’s a library. So how can they help here, where there is a solemn silence and pets seem to have no place at all?
Some children have learning difficulties. Reading is a particularly big problem these days. Often adults go overboard trying to get children to make great progress. When a child reads, he is constantly corrected and scolded for mistakes. This is how a little person develops a fear of reading aloud. He is very shy if he is forced to do it in class, stumbles, for which he gets reprimands. And this vicious circle is very difficult to break.
Libraries have special classes for such children. Dogs act as listeners of books. They, of course, do not correct and do not knock the child. They just sit and listen, happily wagging their tail. Seeing such approval, the child gradually loosens up. Many begin to love reading and enjoy reading aloud at home and in class.
That’s the kind of benefit that therapy dogs provide. This is only a small part of the work they can do. They are often companions to people with disabilities or friends of disabled children. And the companionship of four-legged companions works wonders here too.
Does your dog help you overcome difficulties? Or do you have another helper who saves you and motivates you to do something? Write about your experience in the comments!
