[RaisedByDogs]

Hi everyone. I'm fairly new, but I found this site because I'm doing a college student doing a research paper paper on the emotional benefits of therapy dogs in hospitals, and I wanted to ask a few questions, if that's ok!

They're just a couple quick questions, pretty easy to answer. If I could have your name too (for citation purposes, so I don't just say 'User1 said...'. lol).

Question 1: Would you say the majority of the patients you and your therapy canine see benefit from your visits?

Question 2: Do the patients look forward to your visits?

Question 3: Why do you think patients become happier when they see you and your therapy dog?

I have some of my own experiences with these (I've followed handlers in hospitals and retirement homes, my grandmother after her stroke was visited by a therapy dog, and I'm quite sick my self, and my dogs help immensely) but my paper is supposed to be a research paper and I can only use my own experiences for a few things. :P

I'd like to thank anyone who chooses to answer any of these questions!

[Groove's in Heart]

Hi there,

I don't have a therapy dog, but the nursing home my great grandpa stayed at employed several. He loved them! I honestly think he loved the people that brought the dogs as much as the dogs What I enjoyed most was seeing him make efforts to engage with the dogs and the humans with the dog. The visits drew him out of monotony. For my ggrandpa, I think the therapy dogs were a comfortable(warm and fuzzy), safe, sometimes nostalgic way to connect to his deteriorating mind.

I'm no expert, but those are my thoughts!

[Lara's mom]

Bailey has been retired for a few years now but, people really looked forward to her visits. We spent a lot of time at an AIDS hospice and I know she brightened up the residents days. She happily went from room to room greeting her friends who spoiled her terribly! They loved having her visit and we often stayed way past our allotted time so that everyone got to spend some time with her. Many of these people had to give up their own beloved pets when they became too ill to look after them so, having a dog visit really had a positive effect on them.

[Todd]

Here are a few links to actual therapy dog forums if you're interested;

Dogster Forums - Service & Therapy Dogs

DogHobbyist.com - ForumsI LOVE DOGS! > General Dog Topics > Service, Therapy Dogs

Good luck!