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Rethinking Dog-Assisted Therapy Programs: A Call for Reviewing Current Approaches

Ivan Cavero

There is now increasing evidence that when introduced to treatment, dogs can have a positive impact on many clinical problems. These include compromised mental function, communication and language impairments, social disabilities, emotional difficulties, unwanted behavior, and physical problems. The data come from individual or group studies, conducted in different settings with individuals throughout life, including children, adolescents, adults, and the elderly. In the field of physical therapy specifically, a growing body of research shows that a dog used as an aid to therapy can motivate patients to not only perform the exercises they normally would. not want to perform but also for a longer period, thereby increasing the benefit of the therapy. progress. Research has also shown that physical therapy can help improve sensory modulation and sensory interpretation. In addition, tasks such as asking the patient to walk the animal, petting and grooming it, or playing fetch with a motor component, can increase muscle strength and improve fine motor control. mobility. It is important to note that, unlike rote exercises in which the patient moves according to spatially given instructions or to the therapist's performance, these tasks have a high functional benefit. Another benefit reported in experimental studies has to do with the unique ability of these animals to capture patients' attention and make them forget the pain associated with certain activities. movement. In addition, dogs can make patients more comfortable and less stressed during therapy sessions, either by providing a non-threatening diversion from anxietyprovoking tasks or by so-called comfort in contact. physical contact.