Animal Assisted Therapy

What is animal-assisted therapy?

As the name suggests, animal-assisted therapy is when an animal is brought in to help a child work towards their goals during a therapy session. In Singapore's context, the animal is most likely a human's best friend — a dog!

Why animal-assisted therapy?

Mood and motivation

Animal-assisted therapy, particularly with dogs, is well-researched to lower stress and anxiety levels (Lass-Hennemann et al., 2018; Odendaal & Meintjes, 2003). Dogs are believed to be among the first domesticated animals and have evolved alongside humans, making them extremely perceptive of human emotions — and particularly effective at improving children's mood and motivation during sessions. Interaction with a therapy dog has been shown to lower cortisol levels and benefit individuals with psychosocial challenges.

But a therapy dog is much more than a "happy pill" — in the hands of trained personnel, it can become one of the most versatile and powerful tools in an occupational therapy session.

Social skills

Children can have difficulties with social interaction for many reasons. For example, children on the autism spectrum may have differences in shared attention, reading non-verbal cues, and social reciprocity. These can be addressed in an animal-assisted session as children learn to interpret a dog's non-verbal cues (guessing what the dog is thinking) and reciprocate with the appropriate action — patting, giving treats, throwing a ball, or giving a command. The feedback is immediate, natural, and rewarding, so children can adjust their communication in real time. This is very different from playing pretend with a therapist or dolls, where children must imagine and practise social skills in simulated situations.

Children with ADHD may find it hard to control impulsivity and hyperactivity. Many understand the importance of pro-social behaviour and can even verbalise what needs to be done — they simply lack opportunities to practise self-regulation and frustration management. With a therapy dog, they get to practise controlling their excitement and urges ("indoor voice", "gentle hands") in order to earn the dog's friendship. Therapy dogs are forgiving and easy to win over with treats, making them the perfect partner for practising skills that transfer to peer interaction.

Cognitive skills

The possibilities are endless, shaped by the child's needs and the therapist's creativity. A child who needs sequencing practice may be motivated to bake dog cookies for the therapy dog. A child working on memory may remember the dog's name, feeding schedule, and commands, or learn the names of dog breeds. The presence of a dog sets a unique, motivating context in which children apply and practise cognitive skills.

Physical skills

Given 15 minutes, would a child rather sort coloured beans and walk along a line — or peel apart treats and play catch with an enthusiastic Corgi? Both target fine motor skills and coordination, but the session with the dog is far more engaging. Children are naturally curious and energised by novel experiences, and therapists can capitalise on this fascination to inject even more fun into therapy. This can make a world of difference, especially for children who find moving their bodies difficult or uncomfortable.