A Therapy-Dog Visit Has Two Sides
The person’s welcome and the dog’s willingness both belong in the picture.
A dog appearing in a hospital corridor can bring a welcome change to a difficult day. A good visit makes room for that connection without assuming everyone wants it or every dog can keep offering it indefinitely.
We’ll begin with the difference between a friendly visit and clinical treatment, then look at one short-visit study. After that, we’ll consider the dog’s comfort, the person’s choice to take part and the arrangements that make a welcome possible for both.
The person receiving the visit and the dog offering company both need to be comfortable. The research gave us a closer look at what a short visit can offer, and where its limits lie.
A NOTE FROM WATERSEDGE
We read the research, we talk to people who do this work, and we try to make complicated animal-health information easier to understand. What you're reading reflects how we've interpreted and organized what we found. It is educational. It is not veterinary advice, a diagnosis, or a treatment plan for your animal.
We're not perfect, and neither is the available research. Evidence changes, new work gets published, and what suits one animal may be wrong for another. Species, breed, age, weight and existing conditions all change the answer.
Use this as a starting point for your own reading and for the conversation with your veterinarian, particularly if your animal is on medication, is under treatment, has an existing condition, is pregnant, very young or very old, or if anything about their condition is changing quickly.
01 / First, let’s understand the purpose of the visit
First, let’s understand the purpose of the visit
A visit can be valuable without being a treatment session. The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) distinguishes friendly visits from sessions led by a qualified professional as part of treatment. A visit can offer company and conversation; a treatment session has a specific clinical goal.
The word “therapy” should not make every greeting sound like treatment of an underlying illness. The actual purpose deserves a clear name.
02 / What one short visit changed
What one short visit changed
To see what research can tell us, let’s look at one specific kind of visit. A Canadian controlled trial compared emergency-department patients receiving a ten-minute dog-and-handler visit alongside usual care with a group without the visit. Patients reported small immediate improvements in pain and anxiety; blood pressure and heart rate did not show the same change.
Those small immediate improvements are worth understanding. They do not mean a visit treats the underlying illness or helps every patient.
Small studies have also examined how hospital visits affect the dogs. We need to consider their comfort as well as the patients’ experiences.
03 / A comfortable dog can pause
A comfortable dog can pause
The dog’s experience deserves the same thoughtful attention. Pet Partners’ welfare guidance asks handlers to notice willing participation and adjust or end interactions when the animal’s interest changes.
The visit needs room for:
- Water, rest and toileting.
- The dog’s response to handling and surroundings.
- A shorter interaction or a break.
- Changes in interest as the animal gets older.
Being able to greet one more person is not the same as wanting one more greeting. The handler’s job includes recognizing that difference.
04 / “No, thank you” is a complete answer
“No, thank you” is a complete answer
Someone may be allergic, frightened, exhausted, culturally uncomfortable or simply uninterested. They should be able to decline without having to defend the choice or protect a volunteer’s feelings.
Before a visit, confirm the site’s current rules, permitted contact and arrangements for breaks, and have the handler’s supplies ready. Ask each person whether they want to take part rather than letting the dog choose on their behalf. Keep routes open for people who prefer distance; a welcoming visit includes an easy way to decline it.
Healthcare visits also belong within infection-control arrangements. AAHA discusses disease transmission, preventive care and vulnerable patients, including concerns about raw diets for therapy dogs.
Program staff, handlers and veterinary teams need a shared understanding of eligibility, handling, care and when participation should pause.
A good visit is one the person welcomes and the dog can comfortably take part in. The handler needs to be ready to end it when either has had enough. That leaves room to enjoy the company without expecting every visit to help everyone.
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Research details
The 2022 emergency-department trial used patient symptom ratings, a no-visit comparison, and short follow-up; it did not separate the dog from its handler or test treatment of an underlying disease. Reported group counts are those presented by the paper. The 2020 Mayo pilot studied nine selected teams over three visits and combined cortisol with observed behavior and handler ratings. Neither study determines suitability for an individual dog or patient. Pet Partners supplies its own practice standards. AAHA supplies veterinary guidance. Carey’s trial reports funding from the Royal University Hospital Foundation and no competing interests. Clark’s pilot reports no commercial or financial conflicts. No visits were observed or interviews conducted by WatersEdge.
Sources
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Van Every E. “The Importance of Infection Control During Therapy Animal Visits.” Pet Partners, February 20, 2020. Read program guidance.
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Carey, Ben, Colleen Anne Dell, and colleagues. “Outcomes of a controlled trial with visiting therapy dog teams on pain in adults in an emergency department.” PLOS ONE. March 9, 2022. Read full paper.
- Clark, Stephanie D., Jessica M. Smidt, and Brent A. Bauer. “Therapy Dogs' and Handlers' Behavior and Salivary Cortisol During Initial Visits in a Complex Medical Institution: A Pilot Study.” Frontiers in Veterinary Science. November 13, 2020. Read full paper.
- Etheridge, Haley. “7 Ways to Ensure the Mental Health of Our Therapy Animals.” Pet Partners. July 19, 2022. Read program guidance.
- American Animal Hospital Association. “Therapy Dogs,” 2021 AAHA Working, Assistance, and Therapy Dog Guidelines. October 14, 2021. Read source.
- U.S. Department of Justice. “Frequently Asked Questions about Service Animals and the ADA.” Updated February 28, 2020. Read source.
Photo credits
- Lead photograph: FriendlyToaster / Wikimedia Commons. Original photograph · CC BY 4.0. A Bernese Mountain Dog standing on grass in a leafy garden. Illustrative photograph. Not a documented therapy-dog visit. Crop made from original.
- Supporting photograph: Zen Chung / Pexels. Original photograph · Pexels free license. An Akita beside a person and a table in a sunlit room. Illustrative photograph. Not a documented therapy-dog visit.
- Additional photograph: Niko Herlin / Wikimedia Commons. Original photograph · CC BY 2.0. A Basenji standing on grass in sunlight. Illustrative photograph.
Featured photograph: Prof helix. Photo source. CC BY-SA 4.0. Whole source frame proportionally resized.
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