This post is coming a bit earlier than I originally planned, but I just HAD to post about my canine lovebug, my partner in counseling and one of the most genuine and warm spirits, Franny the therapy pug. Franny is a six year old pug who I adopted ( or rather, rescued) from a home where she was being bred for puppies quite regularly. She had already had two litters by the time I found her, and we just felt that mama/doggy love connection from the start! She's been a wonderful addition to not only the school, but as my personal pet.

Today, I thought I'd blog a little about Animal Assisted Therapy with kids, and why it is so beneficial. One of the most important aspects of AAT is that it teaches EMPATHY. What is empathy, you ask? Well, it's different than Sympathy, which is word most people are familiar with. While sympathy is the ability to feel sorry for a person, animal, etc., empathy is the ability to personally relate to someone or something in need. Here's a quick example: Let's say you accidentally forget to feed your dog before leaving for work in the morning. In the evening, when you realize you've forgotten, you may feel  sympathetic because you know your dog is hungry. Feeling empathetic requires a deeper level of connection; you'd have to recall a time when you were unable to eat or were overly hungry, and then relate that to how your animal must be feeling. See the difference??

Okay, now that we're clear on what empathy is, I think I can move on with the rest of my post. Below, I have listed some of the research-backed reasons why AAT is beneficial to use in schools and especially with younger grade levels:

• Empathy - identifying with and understanding the feelings and motives of others.
• Outward focus - bringing individuals out of themselves; animals can help individuals with mental illness or low self-esteem focus on their environment.
• Nurturing - promoting growth and development.
• Rapport - building a relationship of mutual trust or a feeling of connection or bonding.
• Acceptance - favorable reception or approval; an animal's acceptance is nonjudgmental, forgiving and unconditional ( this is especially important when working with children who may have trust issues or have been neglected or abused).
• Entertainment - giving pleasure through engaging activity; even people who don't like animals often enjoy the antics and reactions of our pets.
• Socialization - enjoying the company of others; studies have shown that when animals visit a facility, there is more laughter and interaction among residents than any other therapy or entertainment time.
• Mental stimulation - the presence of animals in institutions serves to brighten the atmosphere, increasing amusement, laughter and play.
• Physical contact - touch; for some people, touch from another person is not acceptable, but the warm, furry touch of an animal IS.
• Physiological benefits - positive effects on the basic functioning of the body; many people are able to relax, showing a decrease in heart rate and blood pressure, when animals are present.

Here are some of the ways that pets improve health - for pet owners and those visited regularly by pets, alike:

• Children who have dogs tend to be more self-reliant, sociable, and less selfish than children without pets.
• Elderly people with dogs are better able than non-pet-owning elderly people to cope with daily activities.
• Owning a dog gives isolated people a routine, a sense of purpose, and a sense of fulfillment that helps prevent depression and loneliness.
• Petting a dog can be relaxing, which is measured by a slower heart rate and a drop in blood pressure.
• Owning a dog can help reduce the risk of asthma.
• Dog owners are more likely to survive heart attacks than non-pet owners.
• The presence of a dog can ease the effects of Alzheimer's disease. 
• People with dogs have been found to have lower cholesterol and triglyceride levels when compared to people who do not.

So there you have it! Dogs are awesome:)