By JUST DOGS
The one thing that has been more important than ever post-pandemic is the importance of mental health and therapy. With us being confined between four walls and losing human touch, all we need is someone who listens to us, understands us without judging.
Research says, post-pandemic there has been a rise of a whopping 250% in adoption of pet dogs and cats. We know you are wondering why this sudden rise?
Well, it’s been a proven fact for centuries that the bond between humans and animals is very special and strong. Studies have revealed that there are physical, psychological, and social benefits of human–pet interaction, and this very special bond is commonly known as the human-canine bond.
Today, we wish to introduce our two very special paw buddies who are spreading joy and happiness with just their aura.
Living by the principles of Motivating, Inspiring, and Healing, Snow and Sky are two wonderful therapy dogs. They are not just good at therapy, but they absolutely enjoy doing it too. They love meeting and interacting with new people, they are extremely calm, friendly as well as very clean and healthy. (We know you wanna meet them too!)
Sandra, a former international model who has also worked for changing animal welfare Laws in Slovakia is the paw mom to Snow. Snow was certified by G Yucekaya (ABCDT) in 2020 as a therapy dog and has been trained by Siddh Trivedi, a dog trainer and behaviourist.
Eva, a former OT nurse, has been an active volunteer and worked in the animal welfare field for over 10 years. She adopted Sky as a rescue dog in 2012 and since then they share an undying bond. Sky is also a certified therapy dog by G Yucekaya (ABCDT) in 2020.
So what exactly do Snow and Sky do?
Therapy dogs are great stress busters. They lower anxiety levels, boost your immunity, as well as help you become a confident and better version of yourself. Snow and Sky are trained and certified to provide comfort, motivation, affection, and support to different people of different age groups.
They are often found in schools and we hope soon they can go to old age homes, differently abled youth centers, psychiatric centers, rehabilitation centers, orphanages, and hospitals.
It’s all about that sympathy–empathy connection. The way some humans have that natural talent of connecting with people, these therapy dogs have this natural talent within themselves, and just with a little training and practice, they join the wagon of therapy and healing.
We all know pets have an age-old history of being our best friends. Over the years, they have proved their loyalty and have been our family. But, today taking a step ahead without even speaking, they are connecting us with others; they are being our comfort and support. The benefits of animal-assisted therapy have been recognized quite a few years ago by researchers and scientists.
Animals have always been a very positive and motivating influence on humans. It has been observed that there is an increase in the release of ‘happy hormones’ – Dopamine, Serotonin, and Oxytocin while human–animal interaction. Adding to that, a very simple and basic act of touching, handling, or petting a dog can lower blood pressure levels and decrease a person’s risk for cardiovascular disease. Animals are capable of providing us with emotional support, helping us stay positive and energized – in essence, being the missing puzzle piece of our lives.
Animal Assisted Interventions (AAI) is a broad term that includes Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT), Animal Assisted Activities and Animal Assisted Education.
- Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT)
- In AAT, a therapy dog is integrated into a patient’s regular therapy plan. Pets have a deep, close and year-long connection with us and these animal assistants work wonders in lifting up a patient’s spirit.
- Animal Assisted Education (AAE)
- AAE is a curated blend of AAT and AAA. Pets, being amazing, judgemental free, friendly creatures, help ease the anxiety-filled and stressful school environment.
- Animal Assisted Activities (AAA) or Animal Assisted Play Therapy (AAPT)
- AAA is more of a one-on-one session with pets or surprise visits to add that extra sparkle and enhance the activities. Having an AAA at an elderly home or a hospital has always worked the best.
As you would also be wondering how Snow and Sky do exactly work? So we came across these incidents of theirs, where they have helped kids overcome their fears, they provide hope to teenagers who are stressed and frustrated, and they provide emotional support and motivation in schools.
We all do have a breakdown point when we need someone with us. But with the fear of being judged, we refrain ourselves from sharing. Or at times, we have had certain experiences in the past, which scares us. In these cases, doctors recommend therapy dogs. Once we start interacting with these paw friends, we start feeling confident and open up to them, and this gives us courage to face the world out there.
So, in this fast-paced and modern lifestyle of ours, where we are constantly on our toes to succeed, Snow and Sky are the calm amidst the chaos! With them, your world is definitely going to be a better place filled with positivity.
You can connect with Woofers Snow and Sky at: Wooferssnowandsky@gmail.com to know more about them.
