Pet therapy and dogs
Pet therapy has for some years now been a widely recognized therapeutic modality also in Italy. There are many animals that can interact in a therapeutic way with people: cats, horses, dolphins ... but dogs, due to their characteristics, can have an extra gear, especially in the management of some specific problems.
Dogs can play a dual role in helping disabled children or those with emotional and behavioral problems. They can give them support in managing daily activities and turn into real four-legged therapists. Properly trained, dogs can, for example, help a blind child cross the street, can open and close a door, pick up and carry small objects with his mouth, turn the light on or off with the muzzle ... all special skills that they can become enormously useful.
Dogs, then, are able to motivate children in the movement, encouraging them to activities such as running, walking, jumping. According to some studies on pet therapy they are also good listeners and can help children calm down, fight anxieties and reduce tension.
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Dogs: which children?
The relationship with a dog can give a lot to any child. However, pet therapy with dogs has proved particularly effective in very young children and in autism, ie in cases where verbal therapy cannot be used; it is also considered suitable for children who do not trust adults, those with attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder and those with emotional and behavioral disorders.
Dogs are able to donate a lot on an emotional level and it is this exchange of emotions between dogs and children that helps them to gain confidence and self-confidence. By learning to treat with kindness and about the dog, the child learns to manage relationships, even with men. In fact the positive results are not due only to the proximity and the time spent with the animal; the child also learns a great deal by observing the dog's behavior, its ability to obey commands and its responsiveness. And there are still many ways in which a relationship between dogs and children can give satisfactory results at a therapeutic and non-therapeutic level.