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Animals Speak! Issue 13: Pandemic Tips for Kids and How to Keep Busy
The coronavirus pandemic has caused lots of changes for everyone, including kids and even dogs! In this issue of Animals Speak!, Josie Patches has a short message of what she has been up to and then introduces our special guest for this issue!
Animals Speak! is a project of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® to provide encouragement and help to kids during the pandemic in a light-hearted manner.
Animals and Face Masks : Creating Safety, Fun, and Familiarity
As we reopen our businesses, dog trainers, behaviorists, and human therapists are likely to be wearing masks and engaging in social distancing to reduce the spread of COVID-19. How do animals respond to mask-wearing humans? How can we make our use of masks comfortable for them? This post focuses on ways to ensure that masks do not become impediments to the work we do that involves animals.
Animals Speak! Issue 12: Pandemic Tips and Getting Along with Family Members
Animals Speak! is a volunteer project of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® which provides information, encouragement, and ideas for kids of all ages about the pandemic. In Issue 12, we get some reminders on how to stay safe, how to get along with your family when they get on your nerves, and then a special message for a couple kids who follow along with us!
Resuming In-Person Animal Assisted Play Therapy® During the Pandemic
As people involved in Animal Assisted Play Therapy® and Animal Assisted Interventions plan to reopen their clinics or practices for in-person sessions, many risk factors must be considered. Risk management plans must be updated to take the pandemic into account. This article provides some excellent resources and some factors to think about when planning for a safe resumption of in-person sessions.
Animals Speak! Issue #11: Hong Kong Therapy Dogs Sing For You!
Animals Speak! is a a project of the International Institute of Animal Assisted Play Therapy® featuring therapists and their animals from all over the world who have been trained in AAPT. The purpose is to provide child-friendly information about topics related to the pandemic, along with some fun or interesting ideas to help kids of all ages cope with what is going on. In Issue 11, we will hear from some singing dogs from Hong Kong!
Teletherapy Sessions with Animals: Initial Considerations
Reports by therapists suggest that their own therapy animals or family companion animals are being involved in their teletherapy sessions. This process is not as straightforward as one might think. This blogpost outlines some key considerations for therapists prior to involving any animals in their sessions.
Animal Assisted Play Therapy®: What Is It and Why Is It Trademarked?
This article briefly describes Animal Assisted Play Therapy® and some of the elements that make it unique, namely the acceptance and welfare of the animals, the systematic incorporation of playfulness in the process, and the strong emphasis on relationships. It also discusses the trademarks that are used to define it.
Animals Speak! Issue 10. Josie Patches Talks About Masks.
Animals Speak! is offered by the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® as a lighthearted way to help children understand and cope with aspects of the COVID19 pandemic. Issue 10 focuses on masks.
Animals Speak! Issue 9
This issue of Animals Speak! features a special book reading by Alba the dog. The book is all about staying home during the pandemic. Animals Speak! is a project of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® created for children to help them during the pandemic.
Animals Speak! Light Messages for Kids about the Pandemic. Issue #8.
Through the voices of animals, children are given lighthearted information, encouragement, and ideas about the pandemic in a light-hearted, child-friendly manner. A project of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy®.
Assessment of Therapy Animals: Using a Goodness-of-Fit Conceptualization
Determining if an animal is suitable for therapy work is an important consideration. Different roles for animals require different personalities and skills. It is also important to ensure that the animals are not stressed and actually enjoy their work, not merely tolerate it. This article discusses a goodness-of-fit conceptualization drawn from child development research as it is applied in finding roles that are compatible with animals’ personalities, interests, abilities, and motivations. The model used in the certification program of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® is outlined.
Animals Speak! Light Messages for Kids about the Pandemic. Issue #7
This is issue #7 of Animals Speak!. It’s a project of the International Institute for Animal Assisted Play Therapy® which gives voice to animals who offer kids some information, encouragement, and ideas during the coronavirus pandemic. The previous issues are available at www.iiaapt.org, then click on Resources, and then on Blog. Enjoy!