Guide dogs are something that are becoming more and more a part of daily
life. In the past this was because they assisted people who were blind.
However, people did not realize that they were good for more than that, they
were great companions, and they also were a great source of love and affection
for people who were in hospitals, retirement homes, schools, and also in
hospice. They were great for anyone who had been in a stressful situation and
there are great benefits from being around them. They are able to assist with
creating greater oxytocin levels in people This means as well that dogs can
also help people lower their cortisol levels as well which is a hormone that
comes from stress. There are three main kinds of therapy dogs out there. There
are what are referred to as Therapeutic Visitation dogs which are household
pets who are taken to hospitals, nursing homes, and rehab centers or anywhere
where they will be able to help people. These dogs help people who are away
from their homes and are confined and this will allow them to feel better. Many
people are happy when they are around these animals because they also brighten
their day and mean that they will feel much more comfortable in the long term
in their current position and where they will be in the future. The next kind
of dog who is responsible for brightening everyone’s day is called the Animal
Assisted Therapy dog. These are dogs that work with occupational and also
physical therapists to help them meet goals when it comes to a patient’s
recovery. That means that they work in rehabilitation facilities to assist in
things like helping people regain motion in their limbs, as well as helping
with hand eye control. There are many dogs like this that work in
rehabilitation facilities. The main reason that they do is so that they will be
encouraging for all of the patients who are on premise to assist them with
recovery. The second kind of dog is called a Facility Therapy Dog, this god
works in nursing homes and is paid to help keep many patients who are ill with
memory degeneration from getting into trouble. These dogs are also handled by a
trained handler who assists them with the process of recovery. The final dog
that makes a huge difference in the lives of people is a service dog. This is a
dog who works with a person who has a disability that cannot function for them.
That also means that there are many guide dogs that can be used with people who
are blind as well as those who need assistance. There are many other things
that are assisted with other than just general navigation. Here are a few of
them.
- Letting people with hearing impairments know that there are issues and
that there was a loud sound.
- Pulling wheelchairs as well as carrying items as well.
- Helping people who have balance issues with gaining their sense of
balance.
Many people have misconceptions about dogs and they have become a hot button
topic in the media of late as many have decided that they should not be out
there running around. Those people are often uneducated about what these dogs
do and also about what they provide for the person that they are taking care
of. That means that there are many people who need to be more educated on what
it means to have a service animal. There have been many high profile cases in
the media of late that have now started to enlighten people as to what these
amazing animals do and how they help others, however there are many people who
think that their prime and only responsibility is to help people who are blind
and not to help others who have other larger disabilities. These animals are
beautiful and sacred and must be treated with respect. A big part of this is
knowing that there is a place for all of these animals and understanding where
they fit in long terms of the healthcare as well as the wellness of others.
These service animals play a larger role than we have considered in the past
and a large part of this is going to be understanding where and how they fit in
terms of our environment as well as the situation for the public and for
everyone involved.
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