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How Therapy Dogs Help You Heal

At Santé, we take a whole-person approach to patient care. This means that whether you’ve come to Santé for short-term rehab or post-acute care, our staff will work to design a care plan that not only promotes health and wellness from a medical perspective but also from an emotional and spiritual perspective. One great example of this concept of care is the use of therapy dogs at our properties.

Therapy Dogs Are Good Company

Even in the nicest facilities, it can be tough being away from home when you’re recovering from illness, injury, or surgery. Of course, it is always nice to have friends and family come for a visit during your stay. But we understand that it isn’t always possible to have visitors by your side at all times. That is just one reason why we like to bring therapy dogs in to visit with our patients. There is just something about a dog that makes you feel good. Our therapy dogs love to be petted by our patients, and we love to see the joy on our patients’ faces when they have a therapy dog to love.

Other Benefits

Dog lovers know that our canine friends are affectionate, engaging, and entertaining…the perfect combination to pass the time, make memories, and maintain a positive attitude.

In addition to the benefits listed above, however, therapy dogs can also:

  • Reduce patient anxiety
  • Encourage communication
  • Provide comfort and camaraderie
  • Create motivation to recover

Therapy dogs are a positive addition to our patient care at Santé. We like to bring in a variety of therapy dogs to visit at our facilities and even have a resident therapy dog, Henry, who loves to bring smiles to all of our guests.

Therapy Dog Training

Many people wonder what it takes to be a therapy dog. Believe it or not, not every dog is qualified. Most therapy dogs go through an entire certification process to ensure that they will serve in their role properly. Here is a list of what it takes to be a therapy dog:

  • Comfortable being in crowds
  • Friendly and confident
  • Will initiate contact and stay engaged
  • Able to cope with stressful situations
  • Doesn’t jump up on people
  • Relaxed and comfortable being touched, at times awkwardly
  • Able to disregard food or toys on cue
  • At ease around health care equipment

To learn more about therapy dogs and how they help our patients, call us Santé today!

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