“For her to smile, that was a huge thing, that was a huge movement,” Gallogly said, “and her brother could make her smile. I just felt that the energy of dogs and ... small children were similar and I said I was going to get therapy dogs and visit her.”
“She's in a wheelchair and I took her hand and put it on Ken's head and she started processing right away,” Gallogly told TODAY. “We've been visiting ... every week since.”Ken, and later Barbie, started visiting other children at St. Mary’s Hospital for Children on Long Island, too. They play fetch and receive pets from the kids, some of whom Gallogly said had never interacted with a dog because they’d always been in the hospital. Lily is now 11 years old, surpassing estimates for kids born with smooth brain.Gallogly was touched by the response the children had to Ken and Barbie and wanted to be able to bring the therapy dogs to kids who went home. In 2016, she started the nonprofit Therapy Dogs of Long Island, which now brings certified dogs to people with physical or mental health challenges at private homes, schools and senior care facilities, in addition to hospitals. Animal-assisted therapy has been shown to help with psychological well-being in some studies, including for people in long-term care.Make a Tug Toy From Old Clothes. Does your dog love to play tug? Got some extra t-shirts lying around? Make your own toy by braiding one of your old t-shirts into a tug toy rather than throwing them out.
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“When you read to a dog, they're not judgmental,” Gallogly said, “It takes away that fear and it's also the comfort of holding a dog when you're reading or petting a dog while you're reading ... (the kids) actually think they're reading to a dog.”
Studies in progress suggest that dog-assisted therapy might be a way to help kids with autism achieve goals and tasks, though more research is needed. Gentile said some of her students overcame their fear about reading time after therapy dog visits.
“Reading to dogs ... has really made them feel much better about reading out loud,” Gentile told TODAY. “It decreases their anxieties.”
One of the hallmarks of a therapy dog is an easygoing nature in many different situations. The dogs have to interact and respond in positive ways, even when people they are visiting are loud, accidentally step on them or have other behaviors that can scare dogs. That, Gallogly said, isn’t always something you can teach.
“It's really the temperament of the dog,” Gallogly said. “Then it's just regular obedience training, ‘sit, stay, come, leave it, off.’ They have to walk on a loose leash, so they have to be under control.”
INTERESTING FACT ABOUT YOUR PET: One of the fringe benefits of taking on the responsibility of pet ownership is that animals can be an instant icebreaker, whether they’re with you or you’re just using them as a topic of conversation.
At the senior care facilities, her dogs are ready to cuddle and play, even when the people are in wheelchairs or can’t speak or move quickly. The residents often laugh, hug and kiss the dogs and sometimes respond more to them than they do to other humans.
“What other instance can you go over to something that's living and breathing, get love from and pet them, hug them,“ Gallogly said. “They don't care what your mental capacity is or what your physical or looks are ... it's that unconditional love and non-judgment I think that brings the most joy.”
“There was people in my class that were mourning, visibly, and the whole school just had that kind of feel to it,” she told TODAY. “There seems to be a stigma around mental illness, especially with ... teenagers who don't know much about it. So, I was thinking of a way to make mental health resources more palatable and so I thought of therapy dogs.”
Teach Your Children to Ask Permission Before Petting a Strange Dog. There are 4.5 million dog bites in America each year, half of which happen to children. Make sure to teach your children to ask permission before petting any strange dogs.
The nonprofit now has 18 volunteer dog handlers, in addition to Gallogly, to manage the growing requests. They also train and certify therapy dogs.
“I feel totally blessed,” Gallogly said. “if you can bring joy to anybody, and you could, why wouldn't you? And the dogs do that. I have that ability. I have those type of dogs that will go visit and bring joy.”
Editor's Note: Because of COVID-19 restrictions, Therapy Dogs of Long Island has temporarily paused its visits.