Listening to one ' s dog , understanding canine communication signals , and becoming aware of how humans in the room or environmental conditions can trigger dogs ' stress reactions are vitally important to therapy work . Trainers can show therapists how to advocate for their dogs ' needs and give dogs more agency and choice , at the same time still helping their therapy clients . These skills allow therapists to develop more realistic expectations of their dogs .
Listening to one ' s dog , understanding canine communication signals , and becoming aware of how humans in the room or environmental conditions can trigger dogs ' stress reactions are vitally important to therapy work . Trainers can show therapists how to advocate for their dogs ' needs and give dogs more agency and choice , at the same time still helping their therapy clients . These skills allow therapists to develop more realistic expectations of their dogs .
Along with this , I have seen countless examples of therapy dog representations online , on websites and videos , that cause me to worry about the well-being of dogs in therapy . Dogs are embraced , held in place , dressed in uncomfortable and objectifying costumes , and crowded into corners or very small spaces . As canine professionals , we know that these situations can be quite stressful for dogs . Humans , including therapists , can be quite intrusive with dogs , and although they mean well , they are often unaware of the impact of their behavior on the dogs ’ well-being .
Many dog trainers hold classes for therapy dogs . They teach positive training methods , but when their clients ask them to help their dog become more comfortable with certain intrusive situations , they sometimes work on counterconditioning and desensitization to help the dog feel more comfortable . There is nothing inherently wrong with this , but there are other questions that need to be considered in this scenario . In addition , there are other ways of handling some of the situations that arise .
Meeting Therapy Clients ’ Needs When therapists ask me how to help their dog “ put up with ” certain human behaviors , I often ask them what is motivating these questions . Invariably the answer is that their clients want to hug or kiss their dog or to engage in certain interactions . At some level , the therapists seem to realize that the dog doesn ’ t wish to engage in the interaction , and they are seeking ways to change that . There seems to be an expectation that this is what a therapy dog should do , and they need help getting their dog to do it . When I suggest that maybe their dog doesn ’ t really have to learn to tolerate such behaviors , they are often surprised .
The motivation to meet their therapy clients ’ needs is a wellmeaning one , but as with many aspects of human-animal interactions , this reflects an emphasis on the human side of the equation without fully realizing the dogs ’ points of view . I gently try to guide them to think more broadly about their request : “ Why do you think this specific behavior or type of interaction is important to your client ? What need might your client be trying to meet in this way ?” The needs might be to experience more touch , to develop an attachment with another sentient being , to play , or to achieve the feeling that the dog likes them . These are all needs that can be met in other ways during therapy , especially if the dog is stressed by the level of contact the client is seeking .
From a dog trainer ’ s point of view , sometimes the requested behaviors are easily remedied . The requests are for behaviors the dogs can easily achieve with a little training and possibly some counterconditioning . At other times , the requested behaviors , even with training and desensitization , place the dogs in an awkward or untenable position where they might tolerate , but not enjoy , the situation with the client . Still other behaviors are known to be related to negative outcomes , such as when a child holds the dog ’ s face close and tries to kiss the dog as if he or she is a human . This can result in serious stress reactions for the dog or even facial bites for the child because the dog is feeling trapped .
Dog trainers are not therapists , nor do they want to be , so what ’ s a dog trainer to do when placed in this position ? If the behavior requested by the therapist is not one that comes naturally to the dog or that requires straightforward training , they can suggest an alternative behavior that might still meet the client ’ s need but is more comfortable for the dog . For example , when clients want to exchange kisses with a dog , I make sure the dog has a “ Touch ” cue in place , and then I name it “ Kiss Me .” I show the client how they can hold out their hand to the side , invite the dog with a Kiss Me , and then let the dog approach and touch the nose to their hand . I ’ ve done this with clients of all ages and they have all enjoyed it and did not push for face-to-face contact . If they did insist on that , as their therapist as well as an advocate for the dog , I would simply state a limit : “ One of the things we may not do is place our faces near the dog ’ s face , but you can ask the dog to kiss you by holding out your hand and …”. In essence , I simply replace the client ’ s requested dog behavior with one that seems to meet the client ’ s need but applies a behavior that is more comfortable , safer , and easier for the dog .
The APDT Chronicle of the Dog | Spring 2024 53