Why Not all Good Dogs Make Good Therapy Dogs
Are you wondering if your furry best friend might be a good addition to your speech therapy sessions? Good speech therapy dogs are rare and I’ve found that certain inherent personality traits have more impact on a dog’s candidacy than any training can make up for.
Here’s the journey of Bodhi, Sky, and what I’ve learned in training these two pups for animal-assisted speech therapy.
Bodhi and Sky share a toy as young puppies growing up together before their respective journeys toward becoming speech therapy dogs.
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Bodhi’s speech therapy dog story
At age 12, my tried-and-true Johnny Utah was needing to retire and I’d planned ahead to have young pup Bodhi ready in time to take his place.
Work life was supposed to be perfect.
Only it wasn’t.
As Bodhi matured I realized animal assisted interventions weren’t the right fit for him.
While he’d always been delightfully friendly toward young kids and we had socialized and trained extensively, his standoffish behavior towards teens and adults was increasing.
Behavioral consultations had given me a plan of action that helped some, but when his shying turned into growling I had to admit Bodhi didn’t have the affiliative nature he needed to be happy and safe in the work (for an explanation of affiliative behaviors, click here).
The dreams I held for my handsome pup were dashed and I cried. A lot.
That was about six months ago and I’ve made my peace with the situation, but not without some grieving. Here’s the lessons I found after reflecting on all that happened.
I better appreciate what caregivers go through when faced with unexpected challenges
Every parent I work with has been faced with news that their child is going to experience extra challenges, whether that’s difficulty being understood in preschool or a lifelong developmental disability. I understand the responsibility of pet-ownership is far less than child-rearing, but letting go of preconceived notions about what life holds can be very hard. I have a better appreciation of this process of letting go on at least a very basic level now. I can appreciate the good parts (I get to come home from work to a delightfully quirky and intensely enthusiastic pup), at least most of the time.
I can be flexible and pivot my plans
As a person with social anxiety, having a support dog to distract me from triggers in public spaces is life-changing. Because of the extensive time and energy I put into training classes and socialization efforts, I’ve been able to transition Bodhi to this role in my life, giving his brain a much-needed job while enhancing my quality of life.
I’ve gained confidence I can make tough decisions
With animal-assisted speech therapy, there is a dual-focus on keeping interactions with clients safe and effective and prioritizing the therapy dog’s welfare. These two goals are sometimes at odds (e.g., a dysregulated child that might benefit from petting a dog but could also potentially grab and startle it), and as the SLP I have to control the situation and make swift judgment calls.
I’ve increased my knowledge of dog behavior
I don’t regret choosing Bodhi, but it was definitely naïve to think that just because I was starting with a puppy I could out-socialize the inherent characteristics of a less people-oriented breed of dog.
Working with an animal behavior consultant also raised my skills in recognizing more subtle dog communication that will help me with any dog I work with in the future. (For my favorite dog behavior resource, click here.)
Bodhi loved to snuggle with kids during animal-assisted speech therapy.
Sky’s speech therapy dog story
I’m now working with a new young dog, Sky, and we’ll see if animal-assisted speech therapy work is in her future. She’s Bodhi’s equal in goofiness and high energy level, but very different in her innate desire to meet new people. Here’s what I’m watching for as we start our training journey.
An affiliative nature needed for therapy dog work
In our outings so far, Sky already shows a drive to connect with people.
All people.
When socializing in public I’m taking it slow so as not to overwhelm her and she doesn’t have much experience with kids yet, but she literally pulls me towards strangers. She needs improved impulse control as she still thinks it’s okay to jump up and even demand bark for attention, but these are things training should improve.
I’m impressed with how people oriented she is and this is just her natural “affiliative” nature.
Trainability
Although she had little formal training in her first two years of life, Sky is quickly picking up on helpful skills like watching me for direction, following my hand as I lure her into position, relaxing on a designated spot a short distance away, and leaving distractions in exchange for a reward.
I’m not concerned about specific tricks at this point, but knowing she can use her brain and not just react on impulse is important to me as I think of the boundaries she will need to respect at work.
Acceptance of body handling
While Bodhi was always a bit head shy, pulling back from objects approaching his face, Sky doesn’t seem to have any body part she minds having touched. Kids are curious and often want to touch a dog’s head, tail, ears, and paws, so a safe therapy dog must be able to tolerate any physical contact (while as a therapy dog handler we must also do our best to prevent rough or disrespectful touches).
Sky still has a long way to go before working as a therapy dog, but I’m optimistic. And if it doesn’t work out I know I’ve still added to my knowledge base as a therapy dog handler.
Therapy dog recruit Sky exploring how to help on her first day of animal-assisted speech therapy.
I hope the lessons I’ve learned on my journey can help you decide if your dog is a candidate for future speech therapy dog status.
For more information follow on Instagram @Speech_Dogs and check out the Animal-Assisted Speech Therapy Resources page for video examples, suggestions for useful supplies, and link to educational organizations.
Check back for how to get your copy of Paws for Progress: Integrating Animal-Assisted Interventions Into Your Speech-Language Pathology Practice coming from ASHA Press in fall of ’24.
May your days be filled with puppy wiggles and children’s giggles,
Sharlet
