introducing a school therapy dog program...training involved already had through almost 2 years of...
TRANSCRIPT
Introducing a School Therapy Dog Program
Carrie G. Friend, Psy.D.St. Albans SchoolWashington, DC
Goals
● Support efficacy of therapy dog programs in schools
● Define important terminology● Aspects of successful programs
& barriers to success● Training, preparation involved● Help you advocate for similar
program in your school● Share resources
WHY?
● Increase social supports● Reduce stress & anxiety● Opportunities to engage● Promote prosocial behavior● Benefit school culture● Bring students, faculty/staff
together
Anderson & Olsen, 2006Henry & Crowley, 2015Hergovich, Monshi, Semmler & Zeiglmayer, 2002McConnel, Brown, Shoda, Stayton & Martin, 2011Messent, 1984Serpell, 2015
Improve community life
Motivate students ● Young people benefit from
animals in learning environments● Increasing optimism/hope● Teachers report improved
attention, enhanced psychological well-being, & reduction of disruptive behaviors
● Capture & hold students’ attention
Endenburg & van Lith, 2011Katcher & Wilkins, 1997Martin & Farnum, 2002Rud & Beck, 2003Wu, Niedra, Pendergast, McCrindle, 2002Zasloff, Hart & DeArmond, 1999
Improve health & well-being● Reduce heart rate, blood
pressure levels● Changes in oxytocin levels● Attenuated cardiovascular
stress response to reading aloud
Braun, Stangler, Narveson & Pettingell, 2009Cole, Gawlinski, Steers & Kotlerman, 2007Friedmann, Heesook, Son & Mudasir Saleem, 2015Friedmann, Locker, & Lockwood, 1993Nagasawa, Kikusui, Onaka & Ohta, 2009Somervill, Kruglikova, Robertson, Hanson & MacLin, 2008Sugawara et al., 2012Tsai, Friedmann & Thomas, 2010
As adjunct to counselor’s work● Important therapy tool● Build rapport quickly● Decreasing stigma● Increasing retention● Tool for mindfulness training● Help with goals● Provide additional resource in
times of community trauma
Chandler, 2011Fine, 2000Gammonley et al., 1997Hart & Yamamoto, 2017Henry & Crowley, 2015Nimer & Lundahl, 2007
Animal-Assisted Interventions
Animal-Assisted Therapy
A-A Psychotherapy
A-A Physical Therapy
A-A Speech Therapy
A-A Activities
A-A Education
A-A Crisis Response
Therapy Animal
Hospital Visit
Therapy Animal Nursing
Home Visit
A-A Reading Program
Humane Education
Adapted from Fine, Tedeschi, Elvove (2015)
Animal-Assisted Therapy
● Goal-oriented, planned, and structured
● Focuses on enhancing physical, cognitive, behavioral, and/or socioemotional functioning
Jegatheesen et al., 2014
A Service Dog is a dog that is trained to work with people with disabilities.
*Person specific
ADA Service Dog Requirements, 2010
A Therapy Dog is a dog trained to provide affection and comfort to many people in many different settings.
Assistance Dogs International, 2019
A facility dog is a specially trained dog that “works” full-time at a specific facility under the care and supervision of a trained staff member.
*works with staff to achieve specific goals through AAT
Assistance Dogs International, 2019; Hero Dogs, 2019
Training involved● Already had through almost 2 years of training
before my involvement● Basics: vocab, clicker training, basic care, “rules
to live by”● Behavior● Body language● Dog at home● Dog at work● Training day for colleagues● Follow-up sessions 1x/month
● Consider looking at Assistance Dogs International, Alliance of Therapy Dogs, or Therapy Dogs International
Barriers
● Why would anyone want a dog at school?
● Tradition● Will the dog bite someone?● Allergies● Dirtiness factor● Fears● Won’t everyone want to bring their
dog now?
Policy development
● Look at what others are doing● Identify concerns & offer
responses● Specify “off limits” spaces● Name main responsible person
+ others who can manage dog in their absence
● Confirm vaccines, disclose where records will be kept
Our Policy● Dog owned by me/Hero Dogs● Intensive training before starting program ● “On the job” whenever on campus● Wears STA Therapy Dog vest at all times● Under my control at all times
○ 3 colleagues trained as well● Up to date on vaccines & grooming
○ Vaccine records on file in my office + in vest● Dog first aid kid in office, emergency vet info posted
on inside of door ● Allowed all around school except kitchen, refectory,
chapel○ Everyone agrees before dog comes into
classroom, office etc. ○ Ok in my locked office during lunch etc.
What makes a dog a good candidate for this type of work?● Clarify the purpose of your work to help
identify best characteristics● Capacity (resilience, recovery, sociability,
engagement)● Responsiveness (reactivity, flexibility,
behavioral cues) ● Skills (response to verbal commands,
gestures, novel things, equipment, cue interpretation)
● Attributes (breed, appearance, size, vocalizations)
McNamara, Moga & Pachel, 2015
What makes a human a good candidate for this type of work?● Willing to put in the time● Love the work● Be patient & accept your dog for who
they are● Open to feedback● Willing to give feedback● Recognize what’s working and
acknowledge what isn’t
References
Anderson, K. L. & Olson, M. R. (2015). The value of a dog in a classroom of children with severe emotional disorders. Anthrozoös, 19(1), 35-49.
Assistance Dogs International (2019). ADI terms & definitions. Retrieved from https://assistancedogsinternational.org/resources/adi-terms-definitions/
Braun, C. Stangler, T. Narveson, J. & Pettingell, S. (2009). Animal-assisted therapy as a pain relief intervention for children. Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 15(2), 105-109.
Chandler, C. K. (2011). Animal assisted therapy in counseling. New York, NY: Routledge.
Cole, K. M., Gawlinski, A., Steers, N., & Kotlerman, J. (2007). Animal-assisted therapy in patients hospitalized with heart failure. American Journal of Critical Care, 16(6), 575-585.
Endenburg, N. & van Lith, H. A. (2011). The influence of animals on the development of children. Veterinary Journal, 190(2), 208-214.
Fine, A. H. (2000). Animal-assisted therapy: Theoretical foundations and guidelines for practice. San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Fine, A. H., Tedeschi, P., & Elvolve, E. (2015). Forward thinking: The evolving field of human-animal interactions. In A. H. Fine (Ed.). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (4th ed., pp. 21-36). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Friedmann, E., Locker, B.Z., & Lockwood, R. (1993). Perception of animals and cardiovascular responses during verbalization with an animal present. Anthrozoös, 6(2), 115–133.
Friedmann, E., Son, H., & Saleem, M. (2015). The animal-human bond: Health and wellness. In A. H. Fine (Ed.), Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (4th ed., pp. 73-84). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Gammonley, J., Howie, A. R., Kirwin, S., Zapf, S.A., Frye, J., Freeman, G., Stuart-Russell, R. (1997). Animal assisted therapy: Therapeutic interventions. Renton, WA: Delta Society.
Hart, L. A., & Yamamoto, M. (2017). Dogs as helping partners and companions for humans. In J. Serpell (Ed.), The domestic dog (pp. 247-270). Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Henry, C. L. & Crowley, S. L. (2015). The psychological and physiological effects of using a therapy dog in mindfulness training. Anthrozoös, 28(3), 385-402.
Hergovich, A., Monshi, B., Semmler G., & Zeiglmayer, V. (2002). The effects of the presence of a dog in the classroom. Anthrozoös, 15(1), 37-50.
Hero Dogs (2019). What is a facility dog? Retrieved from https://www.hero-dogs.org/hero-dogs-programs/facility-dogs/
Jegatheesan, B., Beetz, A., Ormerod, E., Johnson, R., Fine, A. H., Yamazaki, K., … Choi, G.(2015). The IAHAIO definitions for animal assisted intervention and guidelines for wellness of animals involved. In A. H. Fine (Ed.), Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (4th ed., pp. 415–418). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Katcher, A., & Wilkins, G. G. (1997). Animal-assisted therapy in the treatment of disruptive behavior disorders in children. In A. Lundberg (Ed.), The Environment and Mental Health: A Guide for Clinicians (pp. 193-204). Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
MacNamara, M. A., Moga, J., & Pachel, C. (2015). What’s love got to do with it? Selecting animals for animal-assisted mental health interventions. In A. H. Fine (Ed.), Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (4th ed., pp. 91-101). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Martin, F. & Farnum, J. (2002). Animal-assisted therapy for children with pervasive developmental disorders. Western Journal of Nursing Research, 24(6), 657-670.
McConnel, A. R., Brown, C. M. Shoda, T. M., Stayton, L. E., & Martin, C. E. (2011). Friends with benefits: on the positive consequences of pet ownership. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(6), 1239-1252.
Messent, P. R. (1984). Correlates and effects of pet ownership. In R. K., Anderson, B. L. Hart, & L. A. Hart (Eds.), The pet connection: Its influence on our health and quality of life. Minneapolis, MN: University of Minnesota.
Nagasawa, M., Kikusui, T., Onaka, T. & Ohta, M. (2009). Dog’s gaze at its owner increases owner’s urinary oxytocin during social interaction. Hormones and Behavior, 55, 434-441.
Nimer, J. & Lundahl, B. (2007). Animal-assisted therapy: A meta-analysis. Anthrozoös, 20(3), 225-238.
Rud, A. G., & Beck, A. M. (2003). Companion animals in Indiana elementary schools. Anthrozoös, 16(3), 241-251.
Serpell, J. A. (2015). Animal-assisted interventions in historical perspective. In A. H. Fine (Ed.). Handbook on animal-assisted therapy: Foundations and guidelines for animal-assisted interventions (4th ed., pp. 11-18). San Diego, CA: Academic Press.
Somerville, J. A., Kruglikova, Y. A., Robertson, R., Hanson, L. M. & MacLin, O. H. (2008). Physiological responses by college students to a dog and a cat: Implications for pet therapy. North American Journal of Psychology, 10, 519-528.
Sugawara, A., Masud, M.M., Yokoyama, A., Mizutani, W., Watanuki, S., Yanai, K., Itoh, M., & Tashiro, M. (2012). Effects of presence of a familiar pet dog on regional cerebral activity in healthy volunteers: A positron emission tomography study. Anthrozoös, 25(1), 25-34.
Tsai, C. C., Friedmann, E., & Thomas, S. A. (2010). The effect of animal-assisted therapy on stress responses in hospitalized children. Anthrozoös, 23(3), 245-258.
U. S. Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division (2010). Americans with Disabilities Act Requirements for Service Animals. Retrieved from https://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm
Wu, A. S., Niedra, R., Pendergast, L., McCrindle, B. W. (2002). Acceptability and impact of pet visitation on a pediatric cardiology inpatient unit. Journal of Pediatric Nursing, 17(5), 354-362.
Zasloff, R. L., Hart, L. A., & DeArmond, H. (1999). Animals in elementary school education in California. Journal of Applied Animal Welfare Science, 2(4), 347-357.
(Note: all photos in this presentation are my own or used with permission from Hero Dogs, Inc.)