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A great deal of focus is placed on the human end of the leash when teaching teams to be animal assisted therapy partners.
Not only is the human entrusted with the control and safety of their pet and environment, but also the lead partner in meeting new people and setting the tone for the visit.
Very often it is the animal that attracts attention and draws people in, but it is the human who then leads the interaction.
Here are some basic guidelines for establishing a winning greeting and successful visit:
- Be considerate and listen to the people you meet. A casual mention of an interest could spark conversation.
- Don’t give advice to patients or their family. As a volunteer it is not your role to play doctor or social worker.
- Don’t speak down to clients in a childish manner. Respect everyone you encounter.
- People will look to you to establish the relationship so be honest, genuinely interested, sensitive and caring.
- Reflect confidence and establish control of your pet so people feel safe and free to interact with both of you
- Don’t ask personal questions about the reason they are in the environment you are meeting.
- Your visit may be the highlight of the client’s week, and you may be their only visitor, so be dependable, on time and keep the spirit of the visit light and positive.
- Remember that information about a client is confidential and to be respected.
A few great conversation starters are:
“Hi, may I visit with my dog? Would you like to pet him?"
Allow your dog to approach the person and if the person and your dog make eye contact, you can follow up by encouraging the person to call to your dog by name.
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Talk for your animal and interpret his actions, such as “He likes you. He would love you to pet him on under his chin.”
Often you are visiting with the same person over time and sometimes you are meeting new clients each visit. Keeping in mind these simple guidelines will ensure success in any situation, for you, your dog and your client.
If you found this article helpful, perhaps you will enjoy these other columns
What do animal assisted therapy dogs really do?
Will work for love: saving lives at both ends of the leash
Animal assisted therapy - the testing process
How to evaluate a new facility for visiting
Are certain breeds better suited for therapy work?
One dog, one child: integrating animal assisted therapy into an overall care plan
Is Kirby suitable for therapy work --- how to begin the training process
What makes a team suitable for therapy work?
How to be a responsible therapy team
How to ease into a new assignment
Choosing the right environment for you and your pet
For more information about becoming a Delta Society animal assisted therapy team in Las Vegas, contact suegrundfest@aol.com
Photos: Dana Provost, Barbara Babikian, Sue Grundfest
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