Dog therapy and its benefits

When we talk about therapies with animals, dogs are undoubtedly the most used companion animal since they are an important source of psychological support, in addition to providing another series of benefits at a physiological and social level that we will see later..

Who Can Benefit From Dog Therapy?

The problems that can be treated in this type of therapy are very varied, from emotional and behavioral alterations to anxiety, depressive processes or attention deficit and hyperactivity disorders.

It is important to note that dog therapy is not used alone as it acts as a complement to other clinical therapies and must be supervised by experts and professionals who master the techniques and tools necessary for this type of therapy to achieve its objectives. of healing and successful healing.

How many types of therapy dogs are there?

Not all dogs are suitable for use in this type of therapy. It is necessary that they have good health, be agile, obedient, loving, have patience and show kindness.

Obviously, a dog can only be a useful source of help as long as it has all its psychological and nutritional needs covered. In this sense, Bellfor dog food provides essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body of these wonderful animals..

Once the basic and essential characteristics that a dog must have in order to be used in this type of therapy have been identified, that is when their training begins. Based on the type of training carried out, we can find two types of dogs according to the objective that is intended to be achieved with them.

Helper dogs or co-therapist dogs: They are used to produce a greater interaction in the patient. Both the elderly and children with autism often benefit from them.

Assistance dogs: They are specifically trained to help people with special needs. In this category we find the well-known “guide dogs” that are essential help for visually or hearing impaired people..

Benefits of dog therapy

As we have commented, there are multiple benefits offered by therapy with dogs. From a psychological point of view help improve mood and attention, especially in children with ADHD.

They also help fight loneliness and mood disorders in people with depressive symptoms. All this contributes to reducing the levels of anxiety and stress suffered by these people on a daily basis..

In addition, they help to implement a series of cleaning, care, feeding and walking habits. These actions can gradually turn themselves into positive reinforcement for the patient himself. In addition, the obligatory daily walks favor mobility and social interaction.

To level physiological and corporal, Dog therapy also offers multiple benefits as it helps to strengthen muscles and bones by necessarily increasing the mobility of patients. Fine motor movements necessary for actions such as stroking, preparing food, brushing or bathing hair are also favored..

To level Social it also contributes to improving certain skills such as respect, empathy and communication.

Options for therapy with dogs

Therapy with dogs can be performed in various ways depending on the needs and abilities of the person to be treated. At a general level it can be carried out both individually and in groups.

In addition, unlike other therapies of a more clinical nature that can only be performed in certain facilities, therapy with dogs can be performed in the comfort of one's own home..