Teaming with Your Therapy Dog

Today's therapy-dog handlers recognize the need to be teammates with their dogs. Teaming with one's dog involves unobtrusively providing physical and emotional support as well as respectful guidance in what to do. Being a teammate requires attention to our own behavior, not just our dogs. This book reminds all handlers that being conscious of what we do with our dogs helps them do their best work, and also can increase the effectiveness of our visits.

Teaming with Your Therapy Dog teaches the STEPs of Teamwork and how those STEPs fit with the Therapy Dogs Bill of Rights. These general principles free handlers to apply them in their own way to their therapy dogs individual personality and work, and to everyday life at home! As the author writes, "The book explores a way of being conscious of what you do with and to your therapy dog to support him in his work. It describes functional principles of behavior you can learn and use immediately, either together as a package or independently." Using an exciting new methodology, the author guides readers to deepen their relationship with their dogs by acting consciously and respectfully.

Ann R. Howie began integrating animals into her counseling practice in 1987 and has worked with animals in (human) health care ever since. She has both state and national credentials as a clinical social worker (counselor). She founded and coordinated a hospital animal-assisted activities and therapy program from 1990-1997, was Pet Partners (formerly Delta Society)’s national Director of Animal-Assisted Therapy Services from 1995-2000, and is an Eden Associate. She is an adjunct faculty member in the Graduate School of Social Work at the University of Denver and has also been an adjunct professor in the Masters in Counseling Psychology program at St. Martin’s University in Olympia, Washington.