Posts Related to:
Animal Assisted Play Therapy®
Control, Compassion, and Choices Part 2
Control, Compassion, and Choices Part I
A Psychologist’s View of Crossover Training: Personal & Professional Reflections
What would possess a reasonably intelligent pet owner who loved her dogs and who had a strong background in behaviorism to apply choke-and drag methods for training her canine companions? This is a question I have asked myself – about myself – many times. Beyond my background in psychology (including classes on animal behavior and motivation!), I held what I thought were relatively humane values, instilled throughout my formative years by my parents’ demonstrations of kind treatment of our family dogs and cats.
Finding the Right Dog Trainer
Whether you plan to involve your dog in therapy work or not, you care about your companion canine. You want your dog to be happy and healthy and to enjoy being with you as much as you enjoy being with him or her. There are many myths and controversies swirling around the subject of dog training these days, and it can be confusing.
Help for Fearful Dogs
If your dog is fearful, anxious, or has fear-based aggressive behaviors, there is hope and help! Risë's article below entitled Zoom-Zoom-Zoom: Lessons Learned from a Semi-Feral Dog highlights the journey of a terrified dog and the approach used to help her gradually...
Kirrie’s Doggie Dictionary
One of the challenges of play therapy work with canines is to ensure that children use the cues, both verbal and nonverbal, with which the dog has been trained. Kathy Sdao, an associate Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (and wonderful speaker and trainer on dog...
Tips for Training a Play Therapy Dog
More information on this topic is available in the Play Therapy with Kids and Canines book that can be purchased in our on-line store. It is important that all dogs receive good training and socialization experiences, but this is especially true of therapy dogs....
Professional Decision Making in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™: How the Goodness-of-Fit Model Impacts Practice
Decision-making in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™ and Animal Assisted Therapy practice is a complex process. Not only must practitioners know how to intervene to meet client goals, they must consider and advocate for the needs of the animals. Other factors play a role in determining what an actual intervention, lesson, or session might look like, also. This blogpost considers four aspects that are forefront in the minds of professionals using AAPT in their work.
Exit Routes to Avoid Crowding Animals Involved in Animal Assisted Play Therapy™
Animals need more space than we sometimes realize. They sometimes might wish to leave sessions, too. Providing an “exit route” at all times can allow for animal choices, greater safety, and demonstrate respect for the animals’ needs. This can be helpful to animals as well as clients.