Animal-Assisted Therapy

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PLEASE LET US KNOW IMMEDIATELY IF YOU ARE UNCOMFORTABLE WITH OR ALLERGIC TO DOGS, OR IF YOU SIMPLY DO NOT WANT "HONEY" PRESENT.
We can easily accomodate your needs.

WHAT IS ANIMAL-ASSISTED THERAPY (AAT)? Animal-assisted therapy is a type of therapy that involves an animal with specific characteristics becoming a fundamental or adjunctive part of a person's psychological treatment. Animal-assisted therapy is designed to improve the physical, social, emotional, and/or cognitive functioning, as well as provide educational and motivational effectiveness for participants. Research has shown that animals can facilitate healing by providing therapeutic interaction for people with mental and emotional difficulties, and for children with learning and behavioral challenges, as well as for persons suffering from physical illness or disabilities. Interaction with animals in therapy can lower blood pressure and stress, reduce depression and anxiety, increase attention and verbal interaction, increase motivation for participation, and generally increase mood and a sense of well-being.

MEET HONEY! HONEY is in training to help us in animal-assisted therapy. She is at the office two to three afternoons a week. Honey is a one-year old, medium-sized, German Shepard-Doberman mix who loves people and is very affectionate. She is in the first phase of training, which includes basic socialization skills, exposure and acclimatization to the office environment, and learning to greet people. She is still a little rambunctious. Currently, while Honey is in training, she is helping both children and parents understand the importance of consistency, gentleness, positive rewards, repetition, and patience in the context of behavior management. She is already showing herself to be very sensitive to people's moods, and seeks to comfort those in distress. She is making therapy fun for kids and teens, providing good incentive for them to return to the therapy office.

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Honey passes her first course!

posted Jan 16, 2011 5:39 PM by Cathryn Harris

In January, Honey obtained her certificate for Basic Obedience training through Petco, under the patient coaching of Sarah, our dog trainer. As her "parents", of course a lot of the training was for us! We certainly revisited all the principles we have taught our client parents in helping them with their toddlers. Honey learned the basics to sit, stay, lie down, come, go, and heel on command. She is still learning not to jump up and lick people when excited, but she has improved considerably.

Honey is One Year Old!

posted Nov 7, 2010 11:36 PM by Cathryn Harris [ updated Nov 8, 2010 12:20 AM ]

Honey celebrated her first birthday at the end of October by driving in the convertible with the top down for the first time (properly secured of course), going to lunch with us on the boardwalk in San Dimas (we had a cupcake with a candle in her honor, but she only got to eat some french bread!), and visiting the San Dimas Dog Park for the first time. She was a little nervous with the other big dogs, but soon found a playmate that was her "speed". She is continuing to do well in the first part of her training as a therapy dog, which involves learning to stay calm when exposed to new and unusual situations and greeting new people appropriately. She begins obedience classes next week, to build on the training we started with at home and in the office so far.

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