{"id":282,"date":"2012-11-13T20:15:35","date_gmt":"2012-11-13T20:15:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.mikemalonedds.com\/blog1\/?p=282"},"modified":"2015-08-26T20:27:59","modified_gmt":"2015-08-26T20:27:59","slug":"mans-best-therapist","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.camelliadds.com\/blog1\/mans-best-therapist\/","title":{"rendered":"Man’s Best Therapist?"},"content":{"rendered":"

We have them as pets, companions, and service animals. Now man\u2019s best friend serves another purpose in the work force. Therapy Dogs are showing up from medical offices to retirement homes and everywhere in between. Therapy dogs are specially trained to provide comfort and affection to people in stressful situations. A trip to your doctor or dentist, which can be filled with high anxiety, is an example of where a therapy dog may be present. Outside of a medical office, they are commonly used to provide comfort and ease to seniors and children who are sick or have disabilities. This interaction can take place in a nursing home or school setting.<\/p>\n

The idea of having a therapy dog to decrease anxiety in an everyday place is a newer trend. However, these animals have been actively serving as human \u201ctherapists\u201d dating back to World War II.\u00a0 The first documented therapy dog was during this time, when an American solider found and befriended \u201cSmokey\u201d, an abandoned Yorkshire Terrier. Smokey accompanied solders on combat missions, providing comfort and entertainment for the troops. When the solider who rescued her was hospitalized, Smokey was brought to visit him in the hospital every day to cheer him up. The soldier\u2019s doctors allowed Smokey to sleep with him every night, and even took her on rounds to cheer other soldiers. Smokey continued her therapy work for twelve years during and after WWII. The establishment of a systematic approach to the use of therapy dogs is attributed to Elaine Smith, an American who worked as a registered nurse for a time in England. On assignment, Smith noticed how well patients responded to a dog during visits. In 1976, she started a program to train dogs to visit institutions. Over the years, healthcare professionals noticed the therapeutic effect of animal companionship and the demand for therapy dogs began to grow.<\/p>\n

Today, it would not be completely uncommon to have a therapy dog waiting to comfort you when you go for your next dental visit. Adults and especially children are often scared when having to have dental work done. Therapy Dogs have to go through a vigorous training program and be certified before being permitted in a practitioner\u2019s office. They differ than service dogs, as they are not legally protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). States have different laws and regulations, so your dentist would have to get clearance from the state department of health, and Board of Dentistry prior to having a therapy dog service their practice. Whether you\u2019re a dog lover or not, I\u2019m betting most people would agree that having a cuddly buddy in your lap may be a nicer (and cheaper) alternative than laughing gas to help ease your fears in the chair.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

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We have them as pets, companions, and service animals. Now man\u2019s best friend serves another purpose in the work force. 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