Canine Therapy
Dogs are accepting, comforting and non-judgmental. Our dogs have helped the Semillas de Amor kids by decreasing their stress, increasing their physical activity, relieving anxiety and depression; improving their communication and social skills; learning the appropriate way to treat themselves and others; reduce their loneliness, provided and modeled unconditional love, affection and nurturing; and increased self-esteem and responsibility for self and others.
We have had several children at Semillas de Amor who have had a difficult time relating to other children. Sometimes the noise, the activity level, the pressures are just too much. So these children will seek out our dogs. The dogs have no expectations of the children so to just lie down, be petted and hang out with the children is good enough for our dogs. The kids are loved unconditionally by our dogs and later they are ready to go back in with the other children and try again. Our dogs are not only good therapy for our children but for all the adults too. Often the dogs are in meetings with us and it is not unusual for a dog to be sitting next to someone who is stroking the dog’s ears while talking.
Our dogs have freedom to go anywhere, except the kitchen and dining room at the children’s home. They walk into a classroom to check out what is going on or to take a snooze on the rug while the kids are reading.
We are truly blessed to have our six dogs with us, Gaviota, Sirius, Dooney, Ruby, Gracie and Bella.
We have had several children at Semillas de Amor who have had a difficult time relating to other children. Sometimes the noise, the activity level, the pressures are just too much. So these children will seek out our dogs. The dogs have no expectations of the children so to just lie down, be petted and hang out with the children is good enough for our dogs. The kids are loved unconditionally by our dogs and later they are ready to go back in with the other children and try again. Our dogs are not only good therapy for our children but for all the adults too. Often the dogs are in meetings with us and it is not unusual for a dog to be sitting next to someone who is stroking the dog’s ears while talking.
Our dogs have freedom to go anywhere, except the kitchen and dining room at the children’s home. They walk into a classroom to check out what is going on or to take a snooze on the rug while the kids are reading.
We are truly blessed to have our six dogs with us, Gaviota, Sirius, Dooney, Ruby, Gracie and Bella.
“The dog was created specially for children. He is the god of frolic.” –Henry Ward Beecher
