The Role Of Therapy Dogs (Canada) To Support Mental Health And Therapy

Many people wonder about the role of therapy dogs in mental health. While service dogs can also benefit people with mental health challenges, they are primarily trained to assist people with disabilities, such as recognizing signs of a seizure. Other dogs, such as working dogs, are trained to work in specific environments and functions. A therapy dog program, however, involves dogs and their human handlers (the dog's "owner") volunteering to provide comfort and affection. 

The healing presence of therapy dogs

Therapy dogs are intended to offer emotional support and complement the therapeutic process. A therapy dog program in Canada can reach people in various settings—such as nursing homes, hospitals, schools, and libraries—helping individuals of all ages and walks of life. Therapy dog visits can bring companionship and joy to people’s lives while providing numerous other mental health benefits. Below, we'll explore how the presence of animals can support therapy, offer comfort, and foster mental health. We'll also look at some dog therapy organizations that specialize in dog therapy programs. 

What are therapy dog services in Canada?

Therapy dog services help connect individuals who may be at risk for emotional challenges with dogs that are specially trained to provide comfort and promote mental well-being. Therapy dogs may visit hospitals, schools, senior homes, or community events throughout Canada, serving as companions to people who can benefit from their companionship. In some cases, therapy dogs can help facilitate certain tasks; for example, some teachers have their students read out loud to therapy dogs in order to help with comprehension. 

Therapy dogs are different from service animals, which are often assigned to one individual, who may require assistance with daily functioning or specific challenges. They’re also not the same as emotional support animals, which typically only support one owner, as well. Therapy dogs usually visit people in many different settings. A dog may, for instance, meet with employees at a company event one day, then visit patients at a psychiatric hospital another day.  

The role of animals in therapy

The therapeutic benefits of animals 

Both studies and anecdotal evidence suggest that a person may experience many mental health benefits from a therapy dog program.  The calm, nonjudgmental attentiveness and comfort these animals offer can assist people who are coping with anxiety, healing from trauma, experiencing loneliness, or undergoing other challenges.  Through unconditional love, affection, and companionship, therapy dogs may provide the following benefits:

• They can reduce stress. 
• They can help lower blood pressure.
• They may give children with learning challenges the confidence to read aloud.
• They may improve one’s overall quality of life.
• They may help relieve anxiety and depression.
• They may relieve a sense of loneliness.
• They may improve gait patterns and balance in those who have had a stroke.
• They can encourage socialization.
• They may relieve pain. 
• They may help a person feel more relaxed and at ease.
• They may help reduce agitation and restlessness.

How do therapy dogs provide education and mental health support? 

Therapy dogs can offer opportunities for many therapeutic activities and interactions. Some examples of a therapy dog program offering mental health support include:

• Allowing individuals to interact with the dog and their handler
• Allowing individuals to pet and snuggle with a dog
• Allowing individuals to receive unconditional affection from a dog
• Allowing children to feel more comfortable while performing challenging tasks, such as reading out loud
• Supporting those with emotional challenges due to trauma
• Helping teachers create calm learning environments
• Fostering interpersonal interactions among young students

Becoming a therapy dog team: Processes and requirements for volunteer handlers (owners) and their dogs

Those who are interested in volunteering for a therapy dog program, such as the one provided by St. John Ambulance and Therapy Paws of Canada, may be evaluated for their suitability as therapy dogs. Exercises testing a dog's interactions in various settings are usually required. Therapy dog services will also test a dog’s ability to follow basic commands. Certification may not be needed if a dog passes an organization's screening process. The screening process offers a way to evaluate a dog’s training level and ensure that it can provide mental health support in various settings. Typically, dogs need to be 1-2 years of age, in good health, and current on their vaccinations to join therapy dog services. 

Qualities of a therapy dog

Therapy dogs that participate in a therapy dog program with their handlers tend to have specific qualities that make them suitable for providing mental health support. For example, therapy dogs are usually trained to behave in various settings.  

What are the qualities of a therapy dog?

Often, therapy dogs for an organization's therapy dog program tend to have certain qualities and skills. These qualities might make them suitable to provide mental health support through animal-assisted therapy. Qualities may include:

• Good socialization skills
• Being able to interact well with other animals 
• They are trained not to growl, jump, or mouth on people's body parts.
• They are taught to remain calm regardless of stressors.

Therapy dogs (Canada) through organizations

When looking for a therapy dog program, it can be helpful to reach out to organizations that connect therapy dogs with clinical settings. These organizations also screen dogs for their suitability to support therapy.

Looking for a therapy dogs (Canada) program?

You may find therapy dog programs available in different regions of Canada. Some of the main organizations are:

• St. John Ambulance takes therapy dogs and volunteer handlers into various settings, including nursing homes, hospitals, community centers, veterans' centers, schools, libraries, and senior residences on a weekly basis. The program claims to have more than 3,500 volunteer dog teams. 
• Therapeutic Paws of Canada is a charity that provides therapy pet (dogs and cats) visitations throughout Canada. The organization has various programs tailored to adults and children. With over 500 volunteers, Therapy Paws provides mental health support in various settings, including educational facilities, retirement and nursing homes, and healthcare facilities among others. 
• The University of Ottawa offers a therapy dog program through its Department of Health Promotion. Partnered with local therapy dog organizations and Ottawa Therapy Dogs, the program offers animal-assisted therapy on campus, as well as in social services and healthcare settings.

How to get involved or request a visit

If you’re interested in meeting with a therapy dog for yourself, an organization, or a loved one, you’ll likely need to make a request. Most Canadian dog therapy services, such as Companion Paws, have request forms that you can fill out online. You’ll be asked to provide contact information and discuss the nature of the visit. Be sure you note who the clients are, what your desired schedule looks like, where the meetup will take place, and other pertinent information. 

If you’re simply interested in getting involved with these programs, you can also join an organization near you as a volunteer. These services often need bookkeepers, janitorial staff, marketing experts, and other employees. Alternatively, you can spread awareness about the benefits of therapy dogs through social media or other channels. 

Certification programs for therapy dogs

While not all therapy dog programs require certification, individuals may seek to qualify as part of a therapy dog team by participating in a certification program. Certified teams aim to prepare dogs and their handlers for a therapy dog program. These programs train therapy dogs to comfort individuals, such as those experiencing anxiety in a public setting, or to provide comfort and companionship to a person in a hospital bed. Such programs may also consider a dog's unique qualities, such as their size, and offer continuing evaluations, education, and first aid training. A human volunteer may also choose to tailor their training to the mental health settings they prefer to work in. Some programs also offer training specific to youth settings, such as "K9 storytime for youth," which takes a dog into a school or child psychologist's practice where the handler will read aloud a story with the dog by their side. 

How about certifying your own program?

A program like "Companion Paws" from the LifeLine Canada Foundation certifies three types of therapy dogs to provide different functions: personal therapy dog, assisted therapy dog, and visiting therapy dog. A personal therapy dog is assessed and certified to provide mental health benefits to their owner, a process that first requires a letter of recommendation from a mental health professional. An assisted therapy dog may become certified when they can behave in an affectionate, supportive way in a person's work setting to benefit clients, students, or patients. A visiting therapy dog might become certified when they can interact in different settings with a variety of people, such as children in trauma centers and older adults in nursing homes. To qualify for certification, all therapy dogs are assessed for their temperament, and their humans also take an online course in dog skills training. 

Personal Therapy Dog Adoption Program 

Companion Paws also rescues, trains, and certifies dogs to provide mental health support as therapy dogs. The Companion Paws Personal Therapy-Dog Adoption Program then pairs dogs with an individual based on qualities such as temperament and personality. The new team, consisting of the owner and their dog, then undergoes additional training so that the human companion can work with their dog on their own. To qualify for the program, a person is asked to submit a letter of recommendation from a credentialed mental health provider, stating the diagnosis and that they might benefit from emotional support from a dog. 

A day in the life of a therapy dog

Daily life for a therapy dog can be busy, often filled with on-location visits, cuddle sessions, training exercises, and other activities. Some therapy dogs visit different settings each week, while others have a set rotation of venues. A therapy dog may sit with people experiencing anxiety one day, providing a calming presence; then serve as companions to seniors the next, giving them someone to talk to and connect with.   

Pets and mental health

While a therapy dog program can provide many benefits, individuals who seek mental health support do not necessarily need therapy dogs. Findings suggest that human-animal bonds, such as having a pet, can be therapeutic in themselves. For instance, having a pet can also reduce stress, lower blood pressure, alleviate loneliness, and improve one's mood. 

The benefits of online therapy

Many people who experience the love and companionship of a therapy dog also benefit from individual therapy. While therapy dogs can support mental health, a therapy dog program may not be a substitute for professional mental health support. Online therapy can be a convenient way to connect with a credentialed therapist from the comfort of your own home. Through a platform like BetterHelp, you can attend sessions with a therapist by phone, video conference, or live chat — formats that can be more comfortable for those in remote locations or who may not have an opportunity to easily attend in-person therapy. 

Is online therapy effective

While a therapy dog program can be beneficial, and therapy dogs can support mental health, individual therapy can also play a significant role. Findings indicate that online therapy can be effective in relieving loneliness, depression, anxiety, and other mental health concerns. One study, for example, suggests that online therapy may decrease a sense of loneliness and associated conditions, such as depression and anxiety. The results of the study found that rates of loneliness "significantly decreased" after a 3-month period, leading to improved mental health and well-being.