Is your dog a Therapy dog? Probably!

The popularity of therapy dogs, particularly in mental health settings, is supported by both research findings and anecdotal evidence.

Studies suggest that the presence of a friendly dog, provided the individual likes dogs, can have several positive effects: Improved Engagement and Rapport: Interacting with a therapy dog can enhance engagement and rapport between individuals and mental health professionals or caregivers.

Reduction in Anxious Arousal: Therapy dogs have been shown to reduce anxious arousal in various situations, such as social exclusion, medical procedures like electroconvulsive therapy, and stressful clinical interviews for adults with schizophrenia or major depression.



Physiological Responses: Positive interaction with a dog for as little as 5 to 24 minutes can lead to significant biochemical changes in humans. This includes a reduction in stress hormones like cortisol and blood pressure, as well as an increase in 'affiliative' hormones such as oxytocin.

Maintenance of Biochemical Changes: The presence of a dog during stressful situations may help maintain these biochemical changes. For example, salivary biomarkers of stress decrease during forensic interviews with children who have experienced sexual abuse or during social stress tests with children identified as having insecure attachment. The oxytocin hypothesis suggests that the release of oxytocin, known as the attachment-promoting hormone, is triggered by interaction with a friendly dog. This, in turn, leads to a decrease in stress physiology and cortisol levels. However, it's important to note that the biochemical changes resulting from human-dog interaction may not be sustained once the interaction with the dog ends. Therefore, while visiting with a therapy dog can alleviate distress or discomfort in the moment, it may not provide a long-term clinical intervention. Nonetheless, therapy dogs continue to play a valuable role in mental health settings by providing comfort, companionship, and support to individuals in need.