Where Stories Meet Science: How Therapy Dogs Help & Heal Us

by Elaine Kachala

When Tucker wears his bandana, he knows he's a dog with a job!

All dogs have a special gift. But when we saw how Tucker, our delightful, much-loved family pet brightened so many lives, we thought he should be a therapy dog.
In 2017, Tucker became a certified therapy dog with St. John Ambulance. He also took a special test to visit with kids. For five years, he was a therapy dog. I was his handler. We were a team that visited nursing homes, youth shelters, schools, and libraries. Now, at thirteen years old, Tucker is retiring. As I reflect on Tucker's career, did he make a difference in people's lives? And how do I know?

I heard sensational smile stories! Tuesdays were Tucker's day at the nursing home. Staff told me how every Tuesday morning, without fail, residents would wait in their wheelchairs by the elevator, asking, where's Tucker?; At the youth shelter, the teens told me how much fun it was to play games with Tucker; it made the shelter feel like a home. And at the library, kids told me how much easier it was to read when Tucker lay beside them.

I saw people's faces light up with joy when they touched Tucker's velvety soft fur. I felt what they felt. And I saw Tucker enjoying his work. It was meaningful and fun; his work brought him deep satisfaction.

But as remarkable as Tucker is, his story is not unique. Ask any handler or pick up any book about helper dogs, and you'll hear similar stories. Dogs ease people's social, emotional, and educational burdens in magnificent and miraculous ways.

 

With so many stories, why do we need science to prove the value of therapy dogs? When scientists can prove or disprove something, this information helps people make decisions.

- Should therapy dogs be allowed in schools?

- Do they reduce kids’ stress levels? Do they help kids learn?

- Do therapy dogs help all kids and teens with autism? Do they help veterans with PTSD?
- Do therapy dogs improve health outcomes for patients in hospitals? Do they help people recover faster?
- When isn't it a good idea to bring in therapy dogs?
- How do we know dogs like being therapy dogs?
- What are the best infection control methods to ensure safe environments for people and dogs?

Scientific research can answer questions like these. It can generate information about how therapy dogs help and heal us and how to keep people and dogs safe. Then, more people can benefit. Hospitals, schools, families, and others could have guidelines and feel confident about including therapy dogs in treatments and programs.

Organizations that provide therapy dogs and train, evaluate, and register therapy dogs have increased in recent years. Each organization has its policies and procedures, but are they following best practices?

The science of therapy dogs is a rapidly expanding study area with professionals from diverse disciplines contributing to a growing body of evidence supporting best practices. Veterinarians, psychologists, public health specialists, neurologists, cardiologists, and others are contributing to a growing field called Human-Animal Interaction (HAI). All are committed to advancing our understanding of the complex relationship between humans and animals.
 

Looking to the future, stories and science are coming together to support progress in understanding the value of therapy dogs.

Imagine if there were a miracle cure that could make us feel better, act kinder, and live more joyfully. Actually, there is. It's called a dog.

Sarah Albee, Author.

Sidebar: Therapy Dogs vs. Service Dogs
Therapy dogs provide love and affection through touch. They are permitted to visit areas approved by the therapy dog program and the facility (e.g., hospital, nursing home, library).
Therapy dogs don't require training but are usually certified/registered. Service dogs are highly trained for a specific person's needs (e.g., cancer detection, allergy alert, visual or hearing impaired). They are not allowed to be touched or petted while working and are permitted in public facilities.

Sidebar: Do you have a nose for science?
Would it be fun to sniff out information and gather proof about how therapy dogs help people?
HAI is a growing field that needs people like you who love animals and want to help others.

Selected References:
American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA). Service, emotional support, and therapy animals. https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/service-emotional-support-and-therapy-animals

Assistance Dogs of America.
https://assistancedogregistry.com/?msclkid=fb81df4633c7151f7d7bbed32eef48f8)

Brooks, H.L., Rushton, K., Lovell, K.et al. The power of support from companion animals for people living with mental health problems: a systematic review and narrative synthesis of the evidence. BMC Psychiatry 18, 31 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-018-1613-2.
https://bmcpsychiatry.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.11/s12888-018-1613-2#citeas

Burns, Katie. AAHA releases guidelines for working assistance, therapy dogs. American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA), December 8, 2021. https://www.avma.org/javma-news/2021-12-15/aaha-releases-guidelines-working-assistance-therapy-dogs

Goodavage, Maria. Doctor Dogs: How Our Best Friends Are Becoming Our Best Medicine. Dutton, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, 2019.

Griffin, JA, Hurley K and McCune S (2019) Human-Animal Interaction Research: Progress and Possibilities. Front. Psychol. 10:2803. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02803.
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02803/full
Human Animal Bond Research Institute (HABRI) https://habri.org/

Mayo Clinic. Centres and Programs Integrative Medicine and Health Research Program. Pet Therapy and Animal-Assisted Therapy. https://www.mayo.edu/research/centers-programs/integrative-medicine-health-research/research-studies/pet-therapy-animal-assisted-therapy-studies

St. John Ambulance. Therapy dog FAQs. (https://www.sja.ca/en/resources/therapy-dog-faqs.

Did you know that just reading about dogs can make us feel great?! Here are some of my favorite nonfiction middle-grade books:
Albee, Sarah. Dog Days of History. 2018. National Geographic Kids.
Castaldo, Nancy. Sniffer Dogs: How Dogs (and Their Noses) Save the World. 2017. Clarion Books.
George Joanne. Smiley: A Journey of Love. 2017. Fitzhenry & Whiteside.
Groc, Isabelle. Conservation Canines. How Dogs Work for the Environment. 2021. Orca Book Publishers.
Hamilton, Kimberlie. Daring Dogs: 30 True Tales of Heroic Hounds. 2020, Scholastic Nonfiction.
Pearce, Jacqueline. What Animals Want: The Five Freedoms in Action. 2021. Orca Book Publishers.