“”Animals are more complete than people. They are wonderful teachers, therapists and role models for us all. Read Healing Companions and learn about their ability to guide and heal us all.”–Bernie Siegel, MD, author of Smudge Bunny
As the more than 65 million dog owners in America will attest, there’s something about the presence of a dog that inspires confidence, nurtures emotional well-being, and brings out the best in ourselves. But for some people, the presence of a dog can do even more.
Written by the leading expert in an emerging new field of therapy, Healing Companions is the first book to detail how dogs are increasingly benefiting those who suffer from a range of emotional ills, from eating disorders and anxiety to agoraphobia, depression, and post-traumatic stress.
Healing Companions will teach you:
*What criteria to consider when choosing the right dog for you.
*What kind of training service dogs require.
*What to expect and how to respond when you take a service dog out in public.
*How a dog can compliment other forms of therapy.
*How to navigate the procedural regulations that apply to a service dog.
*How to recognize the dog’s needs and provide it with proper care.
*And much more.
Therapy Dogs: Training Your Dog to Reach Others
Among the many inexplicable omissions in this inadequate book is a definition of the term “therapy dog,” which ordinarily describes a dog that, along with its owner or handler, has been trained to work safely with people who have special needs, such as the developmentally or physically disabled. Because therapy dog programs have proven so successful, Davis, who has performed such work with her own dogs, encourages readers to enroll themselves and their pets. General guidelines for visits, primarily to nursing homes, and useful pointers for dealing with staff and residents are supplied, but, lacking broad experience, Davis is not always convincing. Her discussion of training is scanty, covering basic obedience commands instead of teaching the reader how to acclimate a dog to the unusual and unpredictable circumstances it typically will encounter on the job, from the challenge of working with semi-ambulatory patients to others who are emotionally disturbed. In this sense, the author fails to give the potential usefulness of therapy dogs its due, and does not reckon directly with the occupational hazards involved. Davis advises seeking out an experienced trainer, but, curiously, fails to name any of the national organizations (such as the Delta Society of Renton, Wash.) that register trainers and handlers as well as provide a wealth of training resources–nor does she mention the nationwide testing now common for the dogs. Photos not seen by PW.
Copyright 1992 Cahners Business Information, Inc.
–This text refers to the Hardcover edition.
You and your dog can become a therapy dog team! Are you looking for a new and meaningful way to work with your dog? Do you want to improve the lives of those who because of illness or disability would benefit from visits with a volunteer canine? Then think about becoming a Therapy Dog Team and you will create the kind of magic that enriches lives. Therapy Dogs, Training Your Dog to Reach Others, 2nd Edition gives you all the information you need to select, socialize and train your dog for this work. What better creature than a dog to offer comfort, companionship and even entertainment to people in a wide variety of settings?
Jane Miller has written a groundbreaking book on the subject of Psychiatric Service Dogs(PSD). The book has true personal stories of PSD handlers and their struggles with mental illness. It is also a wonderful resource on service dog laws, picking a dog, tasks/work lists, breeds and more! For anyone thinking about using a psychiatric service dog to mitigate their disabling mental illness, current service dog users, professionals in the mental health field, or service dog trainers; this book is a must read!
Kathy Diamond-Davis knows dogs (and their handlers) like no other author I have ever read. This book carefully and clearly covers topics from choosing an appropriate dog for therapy work, through socializing the dog and building your relationship with the dog, to finding an appropriate organization to work with and doing therapy dog visits. She emphasizes positive training that builds the dog/human bond and produces a happy, friendly dog. Realistically, she emphasizes that not all dogs (and not all handlers) are suited for therapy work.
I am currently working with my second therapy dog, who is registered with Therapy Dogs Inc. and who visits hospice patients. The ideas in Kathy’s book continue to make us a better team.
I recently teamed up with my service dog Rocky. Rocky is a Shih Tzu and he has been trained to support my Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Depression. Rocky is very young and is still a work in progress so while he develops and learns more skills I am also developing and learning skills.
I was not prepared for this process and I had so much to learn once I decided to have my dog trained to be my service dog. I ran into new lessons daily and I wanted to write a book about my experience to help others with the process. I was thrilled to read this book and to see the book I thought I needed to write was already written with much more experience, skill and knowledge than I could have ever provided.
I am very grateful to have found this book and am recommending it to all of the people who stop and ask me about my service dog.
Healing Companions is a must-have, empowering book for so many reasons. My bookshelves are filled with dog-themed books. Some are collections of amazing dog-people relationships. Others are detailed guidebooks or training manuals. And, finally, there are books are various philosophical issues and topics important to those in our huge dog loving world.
Jane Miller’s book, however, cannot be so easily catalogued. In the same breath, this compelling publication is informative, practical, inspirational, and life-altering. Yes, Healing Companions includes the passionate stories of those helped by a Psychiatric Service Dog, showing clients dealing with bi-polar or post-traumatic stress disorders, for example. More critically, though, it provides almost 100 pages of truly valuable appendixes and book & online resources.
But, what truly sets this book apart is Jane Miller’s emphasis on the dog member of the partnership. I cannot imagine that there are many psychotherapists proficient in Reiki, QiGong, and canine massage, which allows her to teach all of her clients stress-reduction and relaxation techniques that they can utilize with their PSDs. Jane so perfectly speaks to the fact that PSDs have issues too, their needing to be in sync with their partners’ mental state, mood shifts, environment, and practical needs, but not so intuitive that they are negatively impacted.
The book is excellent in pointing out how working a therapy dog is not like other activities with your dog. The author gives many good examples of what the handler must be alert for and how to make the dog’s interaction with others comfortable. It is less good in giving step-by-step instructions on exactly how to train the therapy dog. The book will be excellent for someone with good experience in dog training; it is not for the beginner.
This book is a must for those thinking of getting into Therapy Dog work & for those of us already there! Loaded with great information & good ideas!!
I have been doing therapy dog work for about a year now and I have found Kathy Diamond Davis’ book to be a wonderful “how to” book. Her insights and experiences help newcomers understand the therapy dog work and feel more confident in what we do. I especially like the way she explained the connection between a person and their dog. She explained how important voice control and control of your own emotions as a handler, make a huge impact on how people respond to you and your dog. Their are wonderful training tips also.
The kindness and depth of knowledge Jane Miller shares in her book “Healing Companions” is not to be missed. If you work with people who are suffering from physical or psychiatric disability and could benefit from having a service/support dog, this is where you want to start. The great thing about this book is it is for the lay person wanting to train their own dog to help them in their daily lives, or for the professional wanting more information to share with their clients. It is very readable, and the amount of information in the resources pages is amazing.
As a Certified Professional Dog Trainer, I was often being contacted about how to train a service dog. I started sifting through the online search engines trying to amass information that I could easily pass along to people inquiring about training a service dog, and I was not happy with the results. Then I heard about Jane Miller and her book on a dog training and behavior list. In this one book, I found everything I’d been trying to find and more. She’s already vetted and investigated all the resources she provides. It is worth it’s weight in gold.
Start with this book, and you won’t need to look any further.
Erica Curtis, CPDT
Arnicadia Farms Dog Training
North Coast of Oregon & SW Washington
I plan to train my dog for therapy work and am finding this book an invaluable resource. Well written, clear language, no jargon to confuse, just plain common sense and factual information. Lots of really good advice and well worth reading.
As an AKC Canine Good Citizen evaluator, therapy dog evaluator, obedience instructor, therapy dog chapter leader and therapy dog handler, I find this book an educational and instructional tool for the beginner to the seasoned therapy dog handler. Davis shares a wealth of information from choosing the right K-9 partner and proper training for both dog and handler to the proper protocol of therapy dog visits. This book also covers setting up therapy dog classes for obedience instructors wanting to add to their training programs. Whether you choose to go alone or do group visits, this books information will leave you confident in yourself and your dog.
Most of us have encountered service dogs for the blind and even for hearing-disabled people, but I, for one, had no idea that there was such a thing as psychiatric service dogs until I read Jane Miller’s deeply touching and highly informative book Healing Companions. Miller is in a unique position to write on this subject, being a clinical psychotherapist and social worker as well as a leading authority on this emerging new field. What makes her book so special is that she combines her own personal story (especially the beautiful relationship she developed with her dog Umaya over many years) with insightful vignettes of her clients,plus imortant information that anyone considering such a dog will want to know.
Dogs often have an almost mystical sense of what we humans feel, think, and need, and I cannot imagine any more fulfilling relationship than that between a dog and a person whose emotional problems had previously left him or her feeling alone, unwanted and hopeless.
Thanks to Jane Miller for opening our eyes to this special bond.
I’ve been hearing a lot recently about psychiatric service dogs in the news and how they have helped to change the lives of those with such ills as depression and other problems. But I wanted to know more. This book is full of useful information for someone who is considering a PSD — from whether a dog might be right for you, to how to pick a dog, to what kinds of tasks these dogs can do and how they can be trained. The examples are useful and inspiring and there is a lot of information. A great introduction to these wonderful dogs.
I found this book to be a helpful introduction for people getting started in animal-assisted therapy/activities. One of the other posted reviews almost put me off, but I’m glad that I decided to take it with a grain of salt. In spite of their statement that the book does not adequately define what “pet therapy” is, I found that it did indeed deal with the definition and the different terminology that is used. The book gives many helpful tips and is a good basic guide for new therapy dog teams. I would also recommend it to those who are thinking of getting involved in pet therapy in the future.
Healing Companions is a valuable resource, not only for those individuals considering partnering with a psychiatric service dog (PSD), but also for their family members, co-workers, and friends as they seek to learn the most effective methods for integrating a PSD into the daily life routine. Members of the healing professions will find a wealth of information here, including in the extensive appendices, for increasing their familiarity with the subject. And then there are the rest of us, who simply love dogs and are constantly amazed by their wondrous ability to bring joy and lighten the burdens of life. To wit, this is a fine book with a broad audience.
Knowledgeable and experienced in the field, the author gives us a comprehensive introduction to the issues related to psychiatric service dogs – including commitment, selection, training, family dynamics, public interaction, and legal protections. Admirably, Miller speaks up for the needs and concerns of the PSD as vigorously as for its human partner, providing guidance for the dog’s care throughout its service life and beyond, and discussing the thought and planning necessary for transitioning from one PSD to another.
Included in the book are moving stories of individuals whose lives have been dramatically changed for the better after being partnered with a psychiatric service dog, leading to greater stability and personal empowerment. Healing Companions is an overdue and groundbreaking book on an important and fascinating subject.
A nice guide to what your dog will have to do and be to do this work. be sure you want to share your dog in this way and be sure of the unpredictability of patients and dogs in general. your dog must have a quiet sound patient temperment to do this and so must you. Listen to the words of the book…. they make sense.Autumn of Blessed Acres service dog
Kathy Davis’ book is wonderful!
I am using it, along with one or two others, to train my own Therapy Dog for my office and local hospitals and nursing homes. (Feel free to visit at http://www.drferraioli.com)
I think that Ms. Davis was right to structure her book in such a complete manner, including such topics as how to choose a dog that might be good at this kind of work, what constitutes a good therapy dog visit, safety tips, training and handling techniques, the benefits of therapy dogs, and the list goes on!
Well written and sober, for those who are wanting to do the real thing out there!
Be well,
Dr. Ferraioli
http://www.drferraioli.com
Author, “Cobwebs And Ugly Wallpaper”
I so loved this book I carry my signed copy by the author Jane Miller LISW CDBC, around with me in my napsack behind my wheel chair everywhere I go. I read Jane’s book before I ended up in a wheelchair and it guided me into the world of compassion and and realism of the facts of which I had already experienced through my own traumatic experiences; the caring and compassion of special canines helping under special conditions as specified in Jane’s book. This book contains pertinent information owners of potential service dogs alike should be required to read. A great piece of writing, moving and compelling, every word draws you closer into the minds of the relationships between canine and woman and man. As a PTSD/MST survivor myself, and having a Golden Lab/Corgi mix in early training; I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to have been put in contact with writer Jane Miller, and share with her the knowledge and warmth of her work with these amazing “Healing Companions”, Thanks Jane for a wonderful inspiring piece of art and knowledgably, insighfully, captivating, expanation and personal stories of peoples lives changing by the wonder of canines unconditional love.
I only wish I would have read this book before now! Ms Davis shares her wealth of experience and knowledge about therapy dog work with her own three therapy dogs. Her gentle training techniques are explained in detail with many excellent photographs to illustrate her point, as well as, the dog psychology that she works on to produce effective therapy dogs who enjoy reaching out to heal and bring joy to children, nursing home residents and the ill. Both beginners and those with many years of experience will find much to learn and benefit from in this book.
Key sections cover helping you decide if you and your dog are suited to therapy work, developing your dog’s social skills with people, tips for managing the visits, specific and detailed recommended training for therapy dogs as contrasted with competition obedience dogs, your responsibilities as the handler, and preventing potential injury to your dog and the people you visit.
Ms Davis is flexible and non-dogmatic throughout the book. Interesting discussions are developed on many issues such as whether or not to use treats, tricks, demonstrations, go in groups or individually and then whichever you choose – how to do either option with the best results.
You will enjoy reading this book so much you may, like this reviewer, regret it’s ever ending.
HEALING COMPANIONS: ORDINARY DOGS AND THEIR EXTRAORDINARY POWER TO TRANSFORM LIVES is the first book to show how dogs benefit those who suffer from emotional issues. It shows how to choose a companion dog with healing in mind, how to understand the requirements of a service dog, and how to provide the dog with proper care. Any general or pet-oriented collection will find this a key pick.
If you plan to train you dog to be a Therapy Dog, this book is great. It covers just about anything that you will need to know! It is a bit lengthy, but is complete. It will give some ideas whether you want to proceed with your dog’s training for this work. Therapy dogs are wonderful animals for others to love.
I work in a skilled nursing facility and have recently had the opportunity to recommend companion dogs to a resident. He kept putting me off and stating he didn’t think he would deserve one and what could one do anyway. I received a copy of Jane’s book and gave it to the resident to read. The book put in black and white what I had been trying to get him to see and understand. It was very useful and written in plain English. He is now in the process of applying for his service dog as he is now on board that they are really useful and do have a place in his life.
I have well-behaved and well-socialized dogs, and I wanted to share them with others–How to begin in Therapy work and do it well? This book answered my questions, resolved my concerns, and helped me get started. The author has written a good book, her caring shows through in each chapter. She covers well the basics (altho it’s a shame she had to spend time on those), she outlines well the situations you may encounter with your dog in therapy work, and her training methods are gentle and effective.
To do something well isn’t easy, and you must have more than ‘good intentions’. Kathy details what your main focus must be, as well as helping you decide how you and your dog can fit in and be effective. Whether you are trying to decide if the dog you have now will do, or if you are considering another dog to get, if it’s about Therapy work–it’s in there.
To know something, to do it well, and to be able to share with others–Kathy Diamond Davis’ book makes it obvious, it’s a “You Can Do It Too!!” book.