Mental Health News

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Skilled companion dogs can be of great aid to those with mental health problems.  Everyone knows that an animal pal can provide comfort during times of emotional or mental stress, but a skilled companion dog can also provide needed assistance for those with mental and physical conditions. 

A man with Alzheimer’s can benefit from the attention and care of an assistance dog with special training.  The dog will always be there to comfort him should he become confused.  It will be able to guide him back home, when he finds himself lost with the simple word, ‘home’ and sometimes the dog will even know intuitively that his companion needs aid and guide him back to his home.

Skilled Companion dogs are usually trained to work in combination with an able bodied adult, this can include a mental health care worker, to take care of or assist a person with mental health problems or disabilities.  They can assist people with cerebral palsy, early-onset Alzheimer’s and even autism to improve quality of life and protect their companion from harm. 

These dogs are usually chosen when very young and sent to live with a family from the age of 6 weeks to about two years of age.  In the family environment they learn social skills, basic house training and basic commands.  When they are old enough they are taken for special training in a program that focuses on providing assistance dogs, such as Canine Companions for Independence.  Here they spend up to 9 months learning how to take care of and aid those human companions with mental health problems. 

Once a skilled companion dog or assistance dog graduates the program he or she is matched with a human in need.  Most programs that provide assistance dogs do not charge a fee or at least charge very little for the assistance dog.  However, they may require that a person has a physical or developmental disability and that the person demonstrate that an aid dog would improve their quality of life.  Those with mental health problems such as early-onset Alzheimer’s will find that such loving and skilled companions as these dogs are life savers.