Dogs as therapists: Leni finds voice and friendship in Nuremberg

Dogs as therapists: Leni finds voice and friendship in Nuremberg

Animal-assisted therapy is very important in the child and adolescent psychiatry at the Nuremberg Südklinikum. Here it is primarily the dogs who work with young people like Leni and enable great progress. Leni, who suffers from selective mutism, has found her voice again thanks to the therapy dogs Malu and Viesta, who accompany her with a lot of patience and joy. Leni only finds a few commands like “Siiiiitz” and “bleeeeeib” easy, even though she couldn’t even speak to her trainer Oliver Ludwig at the beginning. The joy of dealing with the dogs motivates her to tackle the more difficult issues of her therapy and not to give up, while she keeps returning to training BR reports that ....

Leni is an example of the positive impact that animals can have on people. Studies show that contact with dogs promotes the release of oxytocin and thus reduces stress. Especially when working with young people who often struggle with psychological problems, the animals bring a welcome lightness to the constant discussion of serious issues such as depression or anxiety disorders intrapsychisch reported by ....

The role of therapy dogs

Therapy dogs like Mira, who has been working at the Südklinikum for three years, even have their own roster and bring joy into the patients' everyday lives. Your responsibilities include assisting the young people and interacting with them. Initiatives such as the “Dogs in Therapy Nuremberg” association are crucial to the increase in this type of therapy. Over 1,000 members and around 7,000 missions per year speak for themselves. Dog trainer Ludwig has recorded a noticeable increase in assistance and therapy dogs in recent years, which indicates the growing interest in animal-assisted therapy Medizindoc describes....

The positive impact of animals on human well-being has been proven since the 1960s. For example, cynotherapy, in which dogs are used as motivators, enables significant improvements in patients with various mental illnesses. A study at the University of Saskatchewan shows that almost half of emergency patients reported reduced anxiety and improved well-being after contact with therapy dogs Medizindoc highlights....

However, in an environment in which the welfare of animals is always the focus, critical voices also emerge. Concerns are being raised about the training of therapy dogs and their use in therapy, particularly with regard to animal welfare. The relationship between animals and people should also be carefully considered from an ethical perspective. Despite these challenges, the positive influence of animals on the emotional and social development of patients remains undisputed.