Nicole Audrey discusses a new study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science <link> that finds therapy dogs get as much joy from their jobs as they give.
This is a win-win-win. The handler enjoys showing the dog off and volunteering, the [patient] enjoys the dog and the dog likes doing it.
Source: Better, May 30, 2018. Link.
Therapy dogs are happy because they are doing something they love to do,” Dr. Richter says. They get to interact with people and perform tasks they were trained for. Just like people, some dogs really like having purpose in their day. While they may not think about it in quite the same terms as us, dogs like to have a job to do.
INSIGHTS: The need for therapy dogs continues to grow. Veterinary team members often get questions about their training and requirements. This article is a good reference.