animal assisted therapy
We kind of have a thing for dogs around here.
Studies show that therapy animals can have positive effects on one’s mental, social, and physical wellness.
So in 2015, after years of trying to figure out how to incorporate animal assisted therapy into my business (and convince my husband to get another dog - for therapy purposes of course!), we took the plunge and adopted Sadie.
Meet Our Sadie Girl
Treats & getting loved on
Five years old (six in November!)
Lab, Retriever, Hound mix
Favorite treat
Breed
Age
What motivates her
Personality
Favorite place to get scratched
Sweet, intuitive, relaxed, loving, attentive
Above her tail
Bruster's pup cup
Meet Our Sadie Girl
Treats & getting loved on
Five years old (six in November!)
Lab, Retriever, Hound mix
Favorite treat
Breed
Age
What motivates her
Personality
Favorite place
to get scratched
Sweet, intuitive, relaxed, loving, attentive
Above her tail
Bruster's pup cup
In the gym, Sadie helps ups with a handful of tasks. First & foremost, she is our designated greeter. Every time someone comes into the gym, Sadie's job is to greet them and make sure they feel welcome (granted our guests are comfortable with dogs).
During therapy sessions, Sadie helps our kiddos with self regulation, motor planning, strength, and emotional support by playing fetch & a handful of other games. Our kiddos also help us teach Sadie new tricks, which is great for practicing communication skills*.
Outside of the gym, you can find Sadie helping elementary aged children with their reading skills through our reading program Bark Buddies. Learn more about Bark Buddies here.
what does sadie do?
* Sadie is not automatically incorporated into each child's treatment plan or session. If I feel Sadie will be able to help my client achieve their goals, I will discuss the potential to incorporate Sadie into our sessions with the child's guardian. Sadie will not be apart of sessions without explicit permission.
In the gym, Sadie helps ups with a handful of tasks. First & foremost, she is our designated greeter. Every time someone comes into the gym, Sadie's job is to greet them and make sure they feel welcome (granted our guests are comfortable with dogs).
During therapy sessions, Sadie helps our kiddos with self regulation, motor planning, strength, and emotional support by playing fetch & a handful of other games. Our kiddos also help us teach Sadie new tricks, which is great for practicing communication skills*.
Outside of the gym, you can find Sadie helping elementary aged children with their reading skills through our reading program Bark Buddies. Learn more about Bark Buddies here.
what does sadie do?
* Sadie is not automatically incorporated into each child's treatment plan or session. If I feel Sadie will be able to help my client achieve their goals, I will discuss the potential to incorporate Sadie into our sessions with the child's guardian. Sadie will not be apart of sessions without explicit permission.
My son has been working with Michaelene for 4 years and she has made a world of difference with him. He was struggling with yet-undiagnosed processing issues as well as needing help with fine motor skills and some gross motor skills.
Every session with her, she is clear, positive, helpful and most of all my son adores her. Now with the addition of Sadie the therapy dog, we can't get him to want to leave after his sessions!
Jennifer w.
Does Sadie live with you?
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Is Sadie hypoallergenic?
Does Sadie participate in the whole therapy session?
Does Sadie have special training?
How long did it take you to train Sadie?
She is not, but she is bathed & brushed regularly to minimize pet dander and shedding in the clinic.
Does Sadie live with you?
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Is Sadie hypoallergenic?
Does Sadie participate in the whole therapy session?
Does Sadie have special training?
How long did it take you to train Sadie?
"AAT (Animal Assisted Therapy) is a goal oriented, planned, structured and documented therapeutic intervention directed by health and human service providers as part of their profession." (petpartners.org)
Does Sadie live with you?
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Is Sadie hypoallergenic?
Does Sadie participate in the whole therapy session?
Does Sadie have special training?
How long did it take you to train Sadie?
Yes. Both Sadie & I (Michaelene) have gone through extensive training. We are registered through Pet Partners, and every two years we are retested to ensure our skills are where they need to be.
Does Sadie live with you?
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Is Sadie hypoallergenic?
Does Sadie participate in the whole therapy session?
Does Sadie have special training?
How long did it take you to train Sadie?
It took us about a year and a half, close to 400 hours of training. We adopted her when she was a puppy, so we started with basic obedience & socialization. Then once she had a good grasp on those skills, we started to explore more unique socialization geared towards the medical field.
faq
frequently asked questions
Frequently Asked Q's
Typically Sadie floats in and out as needed. Her intuition is incredible.
She is not, but she is bathed & brushed regularly to minimize pet dander and shedding in the clinic.
She sure does! She is one of four Kearney dogs.
Does Sadie participate in the whole therapy session?
What is Animal Assisted Therapy?
Is Sadie hypoallergenic?
Does Sadie live with you?
"AAT (Animal Assisted Therapy) is a goal-oriented, planned, structured and documented therapeutic intervention directed by health and human service providers as part of their profession." (petpartners.org)
Does Sadie have special training?
Yes. Both Sadie & I (Michaelene) have gone through extensive training. We are registered through Pet Partners, and every two years we are retested to ensure our skills are where they need to be.
How long did it take you to train Sadie?
It took us about a year and a half, close to 400 hours of training. We adopted her when she was a puppy, so we started with basic obedience & socialization. Then once she had a good grasp on those skills, we started to explore more unique socialization geared towards the medical field.
