Therapy Dogs Today

As more and more people adjust to the physical and emotional challenges of today's chaotic world, therapy dogs are proving their worth in diverse settings. No one knows this better than Kris Butler. Her workshops integrate the science of human health and education with the magic of hands-on interactions with appropriate dogs to teach health care providers, educators, volunteers, assessors, and dog trainers across the United States the most effective and ethical ways to include dogs in settings that enhance human healing, learning and self-awareness.

At last she's written a book in which she explores the complex professional and ethical issues that surround the environments in which therapy dogs work and volunteer. Therapy Dogs Today: Their Gifts, Our Obligation is an important book for anyone who handles, assesses, or trains visiting therapy dogs and it is essential for professional people who oversee therapy dog programs or include their own dogs in the their workplaces. The book includes a foreword by Maureen Fredrickson.

Therapy Dogs

People often volunteer their dogs to help the elderly, ill, or disabled, but few books cover such "animal-assisted activities." While not the definitive manual on training one's dog, this book, first published in 1982 and based on the author's personal experience, gives a good overview. The new edition includes a definition of therapy dog, a list of the major therapy dog organizations, an annotated bibliography of useful dog behavior and training books and web sites, and an index. Small public libraries that can afford only one book on the subject should purchase Mary R. Burch's Volunteering with Your Pet. Burch's book covers animals besides dogs and goes into more detail about the AKC Canine Good Citizen Test, the basic certification on which most therapy dog registries base their programs. Larger public libraries should have both.
 

Handbook on Animal-Assisted therapy

Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association:
"...This book... should be in the personal library of those interested in the human-animal bond and animal-assisted therapy."

Volunteering With Your Pet

Whether it's a bird, a cat, a horse, barnyard animal or traditional dog...whether it's a kindergarten class, a prisoner, a paraplegic or an AIDS patient, there are ways in which all sorts of pets can help people. This book discusses all the elements of animal-assisted therapy so that readers can learn what it takes to get involved and make a difference. Learn about therapy organizations, requirements for your pet and what to expect from this work.

The Healing Power of Pets

Susan Chernak McElroy, author of Animals as Teachers and Healers
"Becker steps confidently and competently into the animal-human arena, adding a strong voice for the healing powers of animals."

Nancy L. Snyderman, M.D., author of Necessary Journeys and Girl in the Mirror
" . . . that pets enhance our lives and make us better human beings . . . Our beloved animals never had a better friend."
 

You Have a Visitor

Photographer Renee Lamm Esordi accompanied volunteers and their pets on visits to hospitals, nursing homes, a school for special needs children, a psychiatric program, and a youth camp for troubled teens. Candid interviews with health practitioners, staff, and volunteers describe the challenges and rewards of AAT in their own words. She witnessed and recorded the joyous responses of patients and residents who look forward to the companionship and conversation the visits provide. She also accompanied a volunteer on another type of visit: delivering pet food and supplies on behalf of an organization whose mission is to keep those living with HIV and AIDS from having to choose between taking care of themselves or taking care of their pet.

The Canine Good Citizen

"...purebred or mixed, with this book any dog can become a Canine Good Citizen.... The Volhards'...approach to training, which they call the Motivational Method,...is designed to do just that—motivate the owner and the dog. The Motivational Method is grounded on a thorough knowledge of how people learn and dog behavior. Since 1983 they have authored or co-authored four major books on dog training and teaching dog Obedience classes, and have produced four video tapes. I am...pleased that they have written this book on the Canine Good Citizen. I cannot think of anyone else who could have done a better job. This book contains everything the reader needs to know about training any dog to become a Canine Good Citizen. Still, there is much more—the book shares a wealth of insights for the beginner, as well as the experienced dog person. The book's best feature is that it gives each person the means to tailor the training to the individual dog's character and temperament. It thoroughly explains what makes dogs different and how these differences dictate the approach to training that needs to be taken." –James E. Dearinger, AKC Vice President, Obedience