Clinical Research

Therapy dogs provide people with emotional benefits through the use of the dogs’ social skills and instincts.  A therapy dog can provide the focal point for concentration, bring about a boost in morale, help people overcome depression, and provide the social stimulation to get people out and interacting with others.  In many cases, therapy dogs are actually prescribed and used as an important part of treatment for a wide variety of conditions.  Much remains to be learned about the therapeutic benefits of animals and a number of studies are currently underway.

Here are some links to other therapy dog programs and studies:

PsychNet-UK
Mental Health and Psychology Directory.

Therapy Dogs. Helping People Nation Wide
A national registrar. Helps dog owners use their pets for therapy work. Qualifications of therapy dogs. How to have a safe visit.

Dog-Play: Visiting Pets and Animal Assisted Therapy
Taking pets, especially dogs, visiting people in health care facilities; therapy ranges from mental and physical stimulation; petting the dogs, ...

Dog-Play: Therapy Dogs, Animal Assisted Therapy and Animal
Links to therapy dogs, animal-assisted therapy, and animal-assisted services, from Dog-Play.

Service and Therapy Dogs
An introduction to service and therapy dogs. ... As you will see in Professor Hunt's Virtual Lecture on Therapy Dogs, below, most hospitals and some nursing ...

Therapy Dog Page
Lyn Richards talks about the requirements for a good therapy dog. From her DogLogic.com site.

Therapy Dogs of Vermont
Four legged volunteers who work on the emotional health of hospital patients and residents of nursing and retirement homes.

The Bright and Beautiful Therapy Dogs
Non-profit organization evaluates, tests, trains, qualifies, and supports therapy dogs for the purpose of giving loving and empathic support in a variety of ...

American Chesapeake Club Therapy Dogs
Advice, contacts, and links. Selection and training of the animal for pet therapy work.