“Therapy dogs help people, mainly through visits and temporary companionship… The simple presence of  a dog in the room often lifts the spirits of people and makes them more active in the surroundings.” (page 5)

This 32 page book is broken up into 4 short chapters: A Comforting Presence, Becoming a Team, On the Job, and Off Duty.

Therapy dogs are often distinguished by wearing a special vest or bandana, but they are not service dogs, which are more highly trained. Small and medium sized dogs of no particular breed, who are able to follow basic commands, work well with their handler, and display calmness are the usual candidates for this job, though bigger dogs sometimes qualify, as well. Therapy dogs provide both animal-assisted activities with large groups and animal-assisted therapy with smaller groups.

Therapy dogs are almost a No-Brainer for making people feel good, if the person enjoys dogs in the first place. The joy dogs can elicit is beneficial to a person’s health.

The photos of over twenty therapy dogs throughout this book drive home this point.