Pet therapy is fast becoming a highly sought after means of assisting in the wellbeing of the elderly, the abused, the ill and the diseased. 

People who live alone often suffer the terrible fact of loneliness.  If a beloved spouse has passed on or the child of a single parent has grown up and left home, the fact is that the need to care for someone becomes a priority, so the use of pet therapy, either by getting a pet or visiting those who have one, is a true source of the missed affection.  Love is a very important medicine and a pet trained for animal assisted therapy can give unconditional love, with cuddles and even kisses (if one chooses). 

Animal assisted therapy can, for example, encourage exercise, help start conversation and provide a constant source of comfort and focus for attention.  Psychological tests have shown that stroking and petting a dog or other animal can improve the general health of a person by lowering blood pressure and reducing anxiety and stress levels.  Therapy dogs and cats love attention and have a way of getting it, but at the same time they show their appreciation by the animal behavior of wagging a tail, worshipful staring, purring and rubbing up against a person. 

Therapy dogs and cats are used two calm and reassure children who have been abused and neglected.  The child will communicate with a dog for example and a service dog used in this therapy offers love and affection unconditionally, giving the child a safe harbor.  Children caught in the middle of upheaval are comforted by therapy dogs or cats.  The calm and serene animal behavior of therapy dogs and cats is a behavior that most children can relate to.  Being able to reach out and touch a therapy dog or cat will bring a sense of normality and peace to them.

The therapy dog or cat brings out the nurturing instinct of people.  Having a service dog or cat can actually assist in the control of diabetes with exercise and studies reveal that heart patients who owned or used pets as therapy significantly increased their survival rate.

Pet therapy in a nutshell. What pet training can do.

• Pets have been know to help Alzheimer's patients by bringing them back to the present.  Therapy dogs can also be trained to alert others when a patient is in difficulty.
• Pets can boost morale and promote a positive environment for people with emotional problems or mental illness.  Dog behavior such as tail wagging is beneficial to well being.
• Pets bring relief from depressing boredom for those confined in homes or wheelchairs.  Anticipating the visit of a service dog can give a much needed boost.
• Pets are sociable, so people benefit from the social interaction that results when they are around. Smiling is good for the soul.
• Everyone needs to touch and be touched.  Pets provide this outlet to those who are alone along with a non verbal understanding between the pet and the human.
• Pets bring hope and expectation.  Knowing there is a flesh and blood being waiting for you at home or that one is coming to call lifts spirits and helps maintain life.

Cats and dogs and other animals trained in therapy techniques have shown dramatic results in humans.  Many stories are told in hospitals, nursing homes, juvenile halls and other places where people suffer of hero cats and dogs whose assisted in the healing process of a human.  Let us salute all pets for the wonderful characteristics they have in therapy work to help humans in need. 

To purchase pet training courses visit our pet training link.  Other unique online pet shopping & products are available through our other links.

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