• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dog's Best Life

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Can traumatized dogs work as therapy dogs?

Posted January 1, 2020

 
Woman cuddles puppy. Despite their pasts, traumatized dogs can become therapy dogs and provide therapeutic benefits to the people around them.
Despite their pasts, traumatized dogs can become therapy dogs and provide therapeutic benefits to the people around them.

When you adopt a rescue dog, it’s said that you’re rescuing the dog, but you may start to wonder who rescued whom. Dogs have many positive effects on humans, and a rescue dog, especially a traumatized dog,  can change your life just as much as you’ve changed his.

For rescue dogs who were traumatized, neglected, or abused, being adopted gives them a chance at a second life. Some of these dogs don’t just go on to be pets, but rather become therapy dogs, helping humans in turn. Despite their own traumatic pasts, traumatized dogs who become therapy dogs are changing our lives for the better.

Traumatized dogs working as therapy dogs

Dogs who have been abused or neglected can often find new and brighter futures working as therapy dogs. For instance, the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office in Arizona has partnered with MASH, a local no-kill shelter. MASH brings in abused or neglected dogs to work with incarcerated veterans. The dogs spend time with the inmates each week, showing them compassion and helping them to learn to show empathy. Both dogs and humans experience positive interactions that help them move on from their negative pasts.

Rescue dogs can also help people to cope with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). In helping people experiencing PTSD, rescue dogs are tackling a widespread problem. According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 7 to 8 people in 100 will experience PTSD at some point during their lives. Resulting from a traumatic event, PTSD is often misunderstood and sometimes misdiagnosed, but therapy and counseling, medications, and exercise can help to treat it.

Specially trained therapy dogs can help people to cope with the hypervigilance and anxiety that come with PTSD. Dogs can also reassure people after they’ve had nightmares and can help them to feel less isolated.

Veterans aren’t the only ones who experience PTSD, but unfortunately, treatment and management options for non-veterans experiencing PTSD are severely lacking. In an ideal world, programs could pair people with PTSD up with shelter dogs who had received the necessary therapy training.

Emotional support dogs

To become a therapy dog, rescue dogs need to go through training, and some may not pass that training or may not have the right temperament for the job. However, these dogs could become emotional support dogs, since no training is required.

Emotional support dogs can reassure their owners just being by their side. People who are dealing with mental health issues like panic disorders, depression, and anxiety may feel reassured and comforted by having an emotional support dog by their side.

Emotional support dogs don’t enjoy the same public access that service dogs, which undergo extensive training, do. Public places like restaurants and malls don’t have to give emotional support dogs access, though individual businesses may choose to allow these dogs on their own. However, the Fair Housing Amendments Act does protect people with these dogs from housing discrimination. Under the Air Carrier Access Act, emotional support dogs can usually travel with their owners on planes, rather than having to ride in the cargo hold.

The benefits of adopting a dog for yourself

Not all dogs are cut out to be service dogs, and unless you have a specific condition that would benefit, you also won’t be able to have your dog qualify as an emotional support animal. But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the benefits of adopting a dog, especially one who’s had a rough past.

Having a dog can help you cope with stress and anxiety. Dogs are great at providing comic relief, perfect for distracting you from the stress you’re feeling. Plus, because your dog will need regular exercise, you’ll enjoy regular exercise, too, which is one of the best ways to manage stress.

Dogs also provide many scientifically-backed benefits. They can help reduce depression, and, especially in seniors who tend to live alone, dogs provide comfort and social interaction. When you’re walking your dog, it’s much easier to strike up a conversation with a stranger on the street, so dogs can help facilitate these critical social moments. A study from the 1980s also revealed that petting or snuggling with a dog has essential positive physical effects on a human, including lowered blood pressure, slowed breathing, and relaxed muscle tension.

Rescuing a dog in need can be an emotionally rewarding experience, too. You may decide that you want to get involved in finding justice for animals and helping to ensure that future dogs don’t go through the negative experiences that yours encountered. From volunteering for a shelter to running fundraisers and advocating for stricter penalties for animal abusers, adopting a rescue dog can have a widespread effect.

Rescuing a dog certainly won’t just change your dog’s life. It will change yours, too.

Dan Matthews is a writer with a degree in English from Boise State University. He has extensive experience with nose boops and chin scritches. You can find him on Twitter and LinkedIn.
 
*DogsBestLife.com participates in the Chewy Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to let our site earn fees by linking to Chewy.com. 

Is it better to have two dogs?

 

Related Posts

  • woman hugs emotional support dog
    Emotional support dogs: Why make it official?

    People with emotional or mental health issues can qualify for…

  • emotional support dog regulations
    What laws regulate emotional support animals?

    If you have an ESA, know that there are emotional…

  • rescue a dog
    Service animals vs. emotional support pets: What's the difference?

    Emotional support pets provide daily structure for their human companions.…

  • assess dog age
    Dogs provide emotional support

    Pets are a great source of emotional support. Whether you’re…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Adoption, Dog Training, Home Page Tagged With: Working dogs

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • puppy 101

    Puppy training 101: 7 tips to start your dog off right

  • Small brown and white dog wears a mask. Dogs and coronavirus: Canines unlikely to catch or transmit the virus to people or other animals, World Small Animal Veterinary Association says.

    Coronavirus and dogs: Can canines get COVID-19?

  • Dogs and other pets on a video conference call. Dog home alone again? If you're preparing to go back to work, get your dog ready. To prevent separation anxiety, use training, treats, and a safe space.

    Ready to go back to work? Prepare your dog to be home alone

Tags

Paw Chasing dewclaw Pomeranian dog breed names dog quotes pekingese Dog training tips Working dogs Dog body language Boston Terrier Dog bath Dog grief Driving dalmatian Dog safety Dog health benefits Bichon frisé Greyhound Dog begging Dogs eat grass Dog hair French bulldog Dog temperament Hiking Separation anxiety Food aggression Rottweiler Labrador retriever snap

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • Training tips: 7 habits your dog must learn early
    Follow these training tips to help your puppy establish good behavior traits. Set a schedule and stick to it. Focus on house training. […]
  • What’s your best financial solution to meet dog expenses?
    Before adopting or buying, consider dog expenses. Do your research on the breed. Health costs will likely be your biggest expense. […]
  • Is a Pekingese the right dog for you?
    The Pekingese has a long, silky coat that forms a lion-like mane. These tiny dogs need a high-protein diet and short daily walks. […]
  • What you need to know about the benefits of dog kennels
    Using dog kennels helps boost your dog's physical, mental, and emotional well-being. Boarding your dog helps improve socialization skills. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2021 Dog's Best Life online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OkRead more