Use Of Service Dogs Research Articles

Initial Psychometric Evaluation of a Service Dog Attraction Assessment Grid for Youth With ASD and Related Disorders

ABSTRACT Animal-assisted interventions, such as the use of service dogs, represent an increasingly popular therapeutic avenue for youths with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Before engaging anyone in this type of intervention, it could be justified to assess their level of attraction to animals. However, this aspect is rarely documented, and no existing instrument suits the specific challenges of ASD clients and the reality of the clinical setting. This paper describes the use and preliminary validation of an observation-based assessment tool developed by the Mira Foundation to evaluate the level of attraction toward dogs. The 9-item scale has been used by the team throughout the evaluation process of 1,010 potential candidates for a service dog. It is designed to describe and quantify observed behaviors during a standardized encounter with a non-familiar dog. The participants were aged between 2 and 26 years old (mean age = 8.13, SD = 4.3 years) and 87% had an ASD diagnosis. A total of 323 participants were assessed by a second rater, which allowed for interrater reliability analyses on each item of the scale. The factorial structure of the scale was determined by applying an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) on one-half of the sample, followed by a cross-validation study consisting of a confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) on the other half. Cronbach’s alpha was used to assess internal consistency. Based on weighted kappa statistics, interrater reliability showed strong agreement for individual items (Kw between 0.66 and 0.85). A two-factor solution was produced with EFA and confirmed through CFA. A Cronbach’s alpha of 0.89 when items from the first factor (attitude) were combined and 0.92 for the second factor (interaction) indicated good internal consistency for the identified subscales. These findings support the reliability of this assessment tool and its potential use in clinical and research domains.

Problems of the activity of canine units of the National Police in the conditions of war

The article highlights the main problematic issues that arise during the organization of the activities of the canine units of the National Police of Ukraine. The author's vision of the main ways and directions of solving the existing problems and peculiarities of the National Police's activities in the conditions of martial law has been formed. Emphasis is also placed on new promising directions for the use of service dogs in the police and other structures of the security and defense sector. Amendments to the regulatory framework are proposed to regulate the use of K9 units.
 These conclusions should become the basis for the initial scientific development of the issue of using service dogs, and subsequently for the practical implementation of the developed provisions. This, in turn, will allow the functions and tasks of canine units to be implemented at a qualitatively new level.
 It has been determined that the main problematic issues that arise today are: significant movements of people on the territory of Ukraine and the appearance of a large number of weapons, ammunition and explosives lead to an increase in the number of facts of their illegal use, including transportation, storage even without the purpose of using them for their intended purpose. In addition, the facts of illegal drug trafficking in the places of hostilities, cases of the involvement of service dogs of the National Police in anti-mine activities and the search for corpses and places of mass burials have become increasingly widespread.
 Currently, there are many conflicts and gaps in the current legislation regarding the grounds and procedure for the use of service dogs, however, in the course of this article the focus will be solely on the organisational and rational aspects of using a service dog as a means of detecting and identifying illicit substances, as well as for conducting a search in certain difficult situations.
 One of the key areas of activity in the field of improving canine support is the expansion of the staff and areas of use of service dogs, as well as addressing the issue of targeted training of individuals in certain non-canine units in order to fully support police activities in all areas.

СУТНІСТЬ ТА ЗМІСТ ПІДГОТОВКИ МОЛОДШИХ ІНСПЕКТОРІВ-КІНОЛОГІВ ДО ФОРМУВАННЯ НАВИКІВ СЛУХНЯНОСТІ У РОЗШУКОВИХ СОБАК

The Strategy for Reforming the Penitentiary system until 2026 states that during the specified period, it is necessary to ensure, among other things, the formation of an effective model of training and activity of the personnel of the penitentiary system. In order to create an effective model of training and activity of the department’s personnel, the scientific and pedagogical staff of the department of cynology at the Territorially Separate Branch «Khmelnytskyi Branch of the Academy of the State Penitentiary Service» based on the analysis of the state of cynology support of the units of execution of punishments system, made changes to the educational and methodological support of educational activities. Among the tasks assigned to the cynology service by the leadership of the State Criminal and Executive Service is the task of improving training methods and tactics for the use of service dogs in the security system of penitentiary institutions and detention centers. To fulfill the specified task, the scientific and pedagogical staff of the department of cynology prepared and introduced changes in the methodology of training service dogs in various areas of training, taking into account the specifics of the service activity of the structural divisions of the penitentiary system, the training of special dogs to search for narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances was started, and the preparation for training cynology dogs was completed teams with attacking dogs. The article is addresses to highlighting the peculiarities of teaching the educational discipline «Methodology and technique of training service dogs» at the Department of Cynology in general, and methodical aspects of conducting a training course with junior cynology inspectors on the formation and improvement of obedience skills in search dogs assigned to them, in particular. In the context of the tasks defined by the guidelines for search dogs, changes to the set of obedience skills exercises for the training course are proposed and their general characteristics are given. It was determined that the basis of the effective conduct of the training course is mastery of the theoretical aspects of training by dog trainers, knowledge and use of methodical techniques and mastery of the technique of error-free execution of training exercises to form the complex of necessary skills in service dogs. Key words: technique, obedience skills, training, junior cynology inspector, service dogs.

ОКРЕМІ АСПЕКТИ ВДОСКОНАЛЕННЯ ПРАВОВОГО РЕГУЛЮВАННЯ КІНОЛОГІЧНОГО ЗАБЕЗПЕЧЕННЯ ДЕРЖАВНОЇ КРИМІНАЛЬНО-ВИКОНАВЧОЇ СЛУЖБИ УКРАЇНИ

The article reveals the results of the analysis of the regulatory framework on counteraction to illicit trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances and proposes to amend the regulations on legislative regulation of the use of service dogs and, in particular, special dogs in the search of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances in the State Criminal and Executive Service of Ukraine. In particular, according to the authors, the use of service dogs of the State Criminal and Executive Service of Ukraine should ensure the following tasks: strengthening the protection of the institutions of execution of punishments, detention centers of the SCES of Ukraine; search and detention of criminals who have fled from custody or in cargoes; overview of road, railway transport, objects of execution of punishments and detention centers of the SCES of Ukraine; review of persons and their personal belongings for the purpose of finding and detecting narcotic drugs, psychotropic substances, explosives, small arms and ammunition, etc. The peculiarities of completing cynology team with a special dog and specified requirements for a cynologist and a service dog. The algorithm of actions of the junior inspector-cynologist with a special dog in the case of its effective use is improved, namely the cynologist is obliged to: find out what item (object) the dog reacted to, by re-starting the dog for inspection; to report to the official; take measures to preserve the subject (object) to which the dog reacted and prevent the leakage of information; conduct an inspection of all objects (objects); draw up an act on the use of a special dog; wait for the arrival of the National Police Investigation Group and to carry out all measures to establish the fact of a possible finding of a substance similar in terms of a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, to facilitate in the future work of the defined group. Key words: legal regulation, prevention, cynology support, training of special dogs, institutions of execution of punishments, convicted, narcotic substances.

A Qualitative Exploration of the Use of Service Dogs in Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury.

This qualitative research was conducted to add to the body of knowledge that supports the benefits of service dogs (SDs), as a tertiary treatment modality, to veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and/or traumatic brain injury (TBI). This grounded theory research design utilized open-ended, semi-structured interviews with veterans (n=10) who were using SDs as a treatment modality for PTSD and/or TBI. Transcripts were analyzed using NVivo qualitative software until data saturation was achieved. Results from the data analysis identified 4 major themes with concurrent subthemes. The most prominent themes were functional status, impact of a SD, recognition of symptoms of PTSD and/or TBI by the SD, and barriers and challenges to the acquisition of a SD. Participants reported that the SD increased socialization and was a positive adjunct to treatment modalities for PTSD and/or TBI. Our study highlights the benefits of using a SD as a tertiary treatment for PTSD and/or TBI in veterans. Veterans in our study articulated the benefits of using a SD as a tertiary treatment option, and the need to make this a standard treatment option for all veterans who suffer from PTSD and/or TBI.

The influence of the time of day on the working qualities of service dogs

Purpose: comparison of working capacity of service dogs of different breeds depending on their use at different times of the day.Materials and methods. The studies were carried out on service dogs (n=41) of various breeds: German (18 heads) and Belgian (Malinois) (7 heads) shepherd dogs, Labrador (13 heads), Spaniel (3 heads), used in the following areas: search for explosives and explosive devices, the search for narcotic drugs and substances and the general search profile. The age of the dogs is from 3 to 9 years. Feeding of the entire livestock was carried out with dry complete feed. The effectiveness of the use of service dogs depending on the breed, sex and time of day has been studied. The day was divided into morning - from 6.00 to 12.00, afternoon - from 12.00 to 18.00, evening - from 18.00 to 24.00 and night - from 24.00 to 6.00. Data on the working qualities of dogs in each of the areas are taken from the reporting documents of the "Acts on the use of service dogs" for 2019.Results. It was found that German Shepherds worked better in the search for explosives in the morning, afternoon and evening - from 0.6 to 0.83% of successful trips, Labradors stood out at night - 1.77%. In the other direction - the search for narcotic substances in the morning, the best result was shown by spaniels - 33.3% of successful trips, in the daytime and at night - by Belgian shepherds - 38.5% and 33.35%, respectively. In the evening – German Shepherds - 44.4%. Comparison of general detective dogs showed no significant differences between breeds. It should be noted that regardless of the breed and direction of application, bitches worked better at night.

УМОВИ РЕЗУЛЬТАТИВНОГО ВИКОРИСТАННЯ КІНОЛОГІЧНИХ КОМАНД

The conditions for the effective use of Junior Canine Inspectors with service dogs of remand centers and penal institutions of the State Criminal and Executive Service of Ukraine while performing their assigned tasks are clarified in the article. The essence and content of the proposed principles of using dog commands are revealed. The basic principles of application of canine commands while performing their tasks on purpose are offered the following: – the use of service dogs, taking into account their physiological characteristics and physical capabilities; – high efficiency of dog training; – activity and timeliness of actions of canine teams during the performance of purpose tasks; – the use of dog commands in combination with technical means; – continuous improvement of training methods and tactics of cynologists’ actions with service dogs. The responsibilities of the junior canine inspector to create favorable conditions for the effective use of service dogs is clarified. Namely, they are obliged to: – to improve their knowledge, study according to an individual program and systematically train a service dog assigned to them constantly; – to be able to use a service dog in accordance with the requirements of the law; – to show determination, agility and physical endurance while performing official tasks; – to keep a diary of education (training) of a service dog; – to qualitatively fulfill the requirements for storage, keeping and feeding of service dogs; – to clean and protect the fixed dog from diseases and various injuries; – to know the most common diseases and signs of dogs, as well as ways to provide them with the first aid; – to clean the premises for a service dog, keep in proper condition and constant readiness of equipment and care items; – to report to the Senior Canine Inspector of the remand center (penal institution) about the dog's disease immediately; – to follow the rules of personal hygiene when working with a service dog. The factors that ensure the smooth operation of canine teams are proposed and the factors that affect the performance of a service dog are specified, taking into account the specifics of service activities of remand prisons and penal institutions, among which the following should be noted: – general condition of the body of a service dog; – degree of preparedness (training) of a service dog; – dog trainer’s knowledge, skills, abilities and experience to manage the behavior of a service dog during its use in specific circumstances; – odorous situation in the area (place) of a service dog use; – peculiarities of the odor trail (antiquity, wind, precipitation, atmospheric pressure); – time of the year, time of the day; – terrain (relief, vegetation, etc.); – distracting environmental stimuli. Key words: Junior Canine Inspectors, service dogs, effective use, principles, factors.

Sickness Rate of Service Dogs in Cynological Centers of Ukraine

Service dogs are an important asset of law enforcement agencies. Therefore, understanding their medical problems, knowing general characteristics such as numbers, age, breed, gender, and purpose is crucial to maintaining their health and readiness to perform complex tasks. Analysis and dissemination of such information is an urgent task for specialists and scientists dealing with the problems of keeping, providing, and veterinary care for service dogs. The purpose of this study was to analyse the results of statistical reports on the incidence of service dogs from 24 regional canine centres of law enforcement agencies of Ukraine. In total, data on 822 service dogs and records of 839 cases of diseases were considered. Data on the number, age, gender, and direction of use of service dogs were also analysed. It was found that internal non-contagious ailments were identified among the diseases. Most of the problems were with the gastrointestinal tract: dyspepsia, alimentary enteritis, and gastritis. It was found that among the diseases of the visual and hearing organs, otitis media and cataracts were most often detected. Traumatic injuries accounted for 16.7% of all records, most of which were classified as wounds. It was found that every seventh disease was related to the skin. Among them, two diseases had a considerable predominance: dermatitis and eczema. Another group was detected with a frequency of more than 5% – parasitic diseases, of which babesiosis was the most common. The study also found that one in twenty animals had diseases of the musculoskeletal system, of which arthritis and hip dysplasia were mainly found. Statistical calculations have shown heterogeneity in the distribution density of dogs, both in relation to the population and the area of the region. Chernivtsi Oblast had the best density indicators, and Zhytomyr Oblast had the lowest. Among service dogs, females have an advantage – sexual differentiation was 1/1.15. An even distribution of the number of service dogs by age was found, ranging from 2 to 7 years, with a weighted average age of 4.9 years. The most common breeds were: German and Belgian shepherds, as well as Labrador. Special and search dogs prevailed for their intended purpose. The practical value of this study lies in the fact that certain patterns of morbidity of service dogs provide an opportunity to change the strategy of their selection, training, and treatment to use this valuable resource more effectively.

Police Officers’ Best Friend?: An Exploratory Analysis of the Effect of Service Dogs on Perceived Organizational Support in Policing

This study explored the effectiveness of a novel technique for police departments to support their officers and promote wellness: the use of service dogs. We evaluated officer perceptions in two mid-sized, municipal police departments that have wellness programs with a service dog that is permanently assigned to a full-time police officer handler: Groton and Naugatuck, Connecticut. We assessed six factors believed to influence police officer wellness including: operational and organizational stress using the Police Stress Questionnaire; topical stressors including those related to the COVID-19 pandemic, police use of force and community relations, and police reform efforts; Perceived Organizational Support (POS); receptivity to service dogs; and willingness to seek assistance for mental health issues. We found evidence that exposure to service dogs is significantly linked to both POS and receptivity to service dogs in policing. We also found that officer willingness to seek their department’s assistance regarding mental health approaches significance with greater exposure to the service dog ( p = .07). Although we found no significant evidence that exposure to service dogs is linked to stress reduction, we found that police reforms pose a substantial perceived stress on officers in the study. This finding presents a serious challenge for reformers that risks undermining officer wellness. Implications of our findings and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Evaluation of Veterinary Students' Communication Skills with a Service Dog Handler in a Simulated Client Scenario.

Effective communication skills serve as a key component of excellent veterinary care and provide a foundation for building trusting relationships with clients. While many veterinary clients value their pets for companionship, the focus of other relationships may be based on a partnership between the human and animal, as is the case with the handlers of service dogs. As the use of service dogs in the US continues to grow, it is important that veterinary professionals are educated on how best to meet the unique needs of service dogs and their handlers. This article evaluates the interactions of veterinary students with a service dog handler in a simulated client scenario. Ten videotaped interactions were coded to assess third-year students' communication skills (nonverbal communication, open-ended questions, reflective listening, and empathy), and their ability to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic options for a dog with suspected intervertebral disk disease. Results showed that the majority of students demonstrated competence in the use of nonverbal communication skills and in discussing the biomedical aspects of the disease. Students require development in the use of open-ended questions, reflective listening statements, and expression of empathy, as well as building client rapport and discussing the psychosocial aspect of the disease on the client and patient. These findings suggest that veterinary students may benefit from targeted instruction on "best practices" in caring for service dogs and their handlers, including greater attention to the psychosocial aspects of a disease, and from additional communication practice using standardized clients with service dogs.

Проблемы правового регулирования использования федеральными органами исполнительной власти служебных собак в борьбе с преступностью и терроризмом

The problems of legal regulation of the use of service dogs in the fight against crime and terrorism are considered, their role and importance in solving operational and combat tasks by law enforcement agencies and special services. There are suggestions on the need to expand the professional competence of specialist cynologists, clearly define the status and classification of service dogs by type of activity.

Origin of official cynology (initial stages of emergence and development of dog breeding)

The article describes the first stages of the origin of cynology in the history of society. Cynological activity has quite ancient roots, the dog is the first animal to be domesticated by man. The purpose of domestication was the need to use the dog's abilities to their advantage. The primary benefits were during hunting and housing protection, later dogs began to be used during hostilities and as sled dogs. Over time, the forms of use of dogs in official activities have changed significantly, they began to be used in police activities, during rescue operations, for sabotage and others. In ancient times, the use of service dogs mostly took place on the hunt. Hunting dogs became widespread in the Middle Ages. Hunting with a dog is initially a privilege of the nobility, but later dogs become an integral attribute of hunters. The article attempts to analyze the process of origin of cynology as a separate branch of science, which can be considered the origin of service cynology in particular. Emphasis is placed on the fact that to this day it is impossible to reliably determine the beginning of the initial stage of cynology development. This is due to the fact that in different parts of the world cynology was born spontaneously and the processes of dog breeding took place almost separately. Methods, forms and methods of using dogs in one or another type of official activity in prehistoric and ancient times are analyzed. Emphasis is placed on the main methods of using dogs, which have not lost their relevance and are now a guard service, as well as assistance in hunting. The conditional criterion of distribution of all period of origin and development of cynology on stages is offered.

Evaluation of Veterinary Students' Communication Skills with a Service Dog Handler in a Simulated Client Scenario.

Effective communication skills serve as a key component of excellent veterinary care and provide a foundation for building trusting relationships with clients. While many veterinary clients value their pets for companionship, the focus of other relationships may be based on a partnership between the human and animal, as is the case with the handlers of service dogs. As the use of service dogs in the US continues to grow, it is important that veterinary professionals are educated on how best to meet the unique needs of service dogs and their handlers. This article evaluates the interactions of veterinary students with a service dog handler in a simulated client scenario. Ten videotaped interactions were coded to assess third-year students' communication skills (nonverbal communication, open-ended questions, reflective listening, and empathy), and their ability to discuss the diagnostic and therapeutic options for a dog with suspected intervertebral disk disease. Results showed that the majority of students demonstrated competence in the use of nonverbal communication skills and in discussing the biomedical aspects of the disease. Students require development in the use of open-ended questions, reflective listening statements, and expression of empathy, as well as building client rapport and discussing the psychosocial aspect of the disease on the client and patient. These findings suggest that veterinary students may benefit from targeted instruction on "best practices" in caring for service dogs and their handlers, including greater attention to the psychosocial aspects of a disease, and from additional communication practice using standardized clients with service dogs.

До історії кінології

The modern cynological service of Ukraine is an integral part of the National Police of Ukraine, the National Guard of Ukraine, the State Border Guard Service, the State Emergency Service of Ukraine. The purpose of this study was to shed light on the history of cynology. To address this issue, the task was to collect and systematize data on the development of cynology. The main purpose of dog training in the law enforcement system is primarily to assist employees of these structures in improving the effectiveness of their activities to prevent, stop, detect and investigate crimes, using the special knowledge of dog handlers, as well as their skillful use of service dogs as a special means. The following research methods were used in the research process: general scientific – logical analysis, generalization, classification, systematization, actualization and comparison; historical – biographical, problem-chronological, comparative-historical. The history of the human-dog relationship dates back more than 500,000 years. Archival documents contain records of the use of dogs in military affairs more than 6,000 years ago in Eurasia, Africa and North America. As early as 7000 BC, purposeful dog breeding was widespread. No other animal species shows such diversity. Today there are more than 400 breeds of dogs, not counting crossbreeds. Despite this biodiversity, all domestic dogs belong to the same family, the Canis familiis, whose wild ancestor is the wolf, as evidenced by DNA analysis. To date, there are three main areas of dog breeding: service, which includes herding, associated with various branches of animal husbandry, riding (harness) and own service – the use of dogs for guard, search and other services; hunting (industrial and sports); decorative (breeding of mostly domestic dogs of original forms, companion dogs). Thus, the study of the history of cynology will allow more extensive use of the capabilities of dogs in the modern cynological service.

Supporting Service Dogs in the Classroom

With the rising use of service dogs to support students with disabilities, it is important that teachers are knowledgeable about how they can be incorporated into their classroom. A recent ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court has highlighted the legal responsibility of schools to allow access to the service dogs of students. However, information focusing on the preparation of teachers for this possibility is lacking. This article provides both general and special education teachers with guidelines for including service dogs in their classroom. Background information regarding service dogs is included in addition to practical considerations concerning students, the classroom, the service dog, and planning process.

Exploring the influence of service dogs on participation in daily occupations by veterans with PTSD: A pilot study

Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) resulting from military service can seriously impact quality of life. There is support for the use of service dogs amongst people with PTSD in managing symptoms by reducing anxiety and depression. To date, few studies have investigated this phenomenon comprehensively, particularly in relation to enhancing participation in daily occupations. We explored the experience of a group of ex-serving members of the Australian military with PTSD, who had partnered with a service dog. We sought to understand the influence of the service dog on PTSD symptom management and participation in meaningful daily occupations. Seven participants who had been paired with a service dog were recruited from a Veterans' support organisation. Two semi-structured focus group sessions were conducted, audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. The transcripts from the focus group sessions and researcher field notes were analysed independently by two researchers using an inductive approach to generate codes and themes. The themes that emerged from the data were: isolation, safety, lifeline, reconnection and challenges. Veterans in this study reported that partnering with a service dog helped them to feel safe, helped them to manage the symptoms and impact of PTSD, resulting in improved sleep quality, emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, enhanced anger management, and a reduction in the misuse of alcohol and prescription medication and suicidal ideation. These changes led to improved relationships and increased participation in meaningful daily occupations. Ongoing financial support for veterans who have partnered with a service dog needs to be more closely examined. These findings are important and highlight that a larger and more comprehensive, research project examining the impact of service dogs on the quality of life.

The Use of Service Dogs for People With Physical Disabilities in Japan in Accordance With the Act on Assistance Dogs for Physically Disabled Persons.

Japan learnt how to promote assistance dogs effectively by deliberating the issues and challenges that surrounded assistance dogs in the USA and Europe and the Act on Assistance Dogs for Physically Disabled Persons was issued in 2002. The aim of this paper is to provide information that may be useful for countries and areas that are seeking ways to regulate assistance dogs, especially in the context of the global problem in which dogs are falsely claimed to assist their partners. First, there is a description of the process through which Japan, where pet dogs have not been accepted in society, established the Act, which overcame the shortcomings of the previous situation. Second, it is shown the ways in which people living with assistance dogs have gained the right to have their dogs accompany them in public. Third, the current challenges faced by people with assistance dogs are documented. Finally, pictures of an example of an assistance dog certificate and of an assistance dog sign reveal how far the regulation of assistance dogs is achieved in Japan.

Facilitators and barriers to the use of service dogs: an exploratory study using the Theoretical Domains Framework

Purpose: Given the scarcity of service dogs to help individuals with mobility impairments in the community, it is crucial to identify facilitators and obstacles to the acquisition and use of service dogs in order to optimize their use and have a positive impact on the lives of individuals with disabilities. The goal of this study was to describe perceived facilitators and barriers influencing the acquisition and use of service dog by owners and rehabilitation providers, including those who had and had not recommended service dogs.Method: We conducted a phenomenological qualitative study involving in-depth interviews with nine service dog owners and 13 rehabilitation professionals in Canada. Our questionnaires were based on the Theoretical Domains Framework and the data were analyzed using a thematic content approach.Results: Knowledge, beliefs about consequences, and environmental context and resources were the domains most frequently mentioned by both dog owners and rehabilitation professionals. While service dog owners placed greater importance on their belief in their capacity to get and use service dogs, rehabilitation professionals focussed more on their role and identity within the process.Conclusion: Improving the knowledge of the availability and process of acquiring service dogs would be important for rehabilitation professions to improve the quality of life and functional capabilities of persons with disabilities.Implications for rehabilitationIdentifying determinants of service dog acquisition and use can support proposed strategies to optimize the use of this assistive technology;Determinants of service dog acquisition and use are are different for dog owners and rehabilitation professionals, which suggest the need of tailored knowledge translation strategies;Knowledge, beliefs about consequences, and environmental context and resources were the categories of determinants perceived as being more influential on the process.

Exploring service dogs for rehabilitation of veterans with PTSD: A microbiome perspective.

Recently, there has been an increase in the use of therapy animals, often dogs, to assist individuals with challenges associated with managing stressful social situations (i.e., psychological rehabilitation). Potential applications are wide-ranging from elementary schools to airports to hospitals. Here we present an overview of the present knowledge and provide recommendations for future research aimed at exploring the impact of therapy dogs on the rehabilitation of Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a focus on the microbiome. Research Method/Design: In this review we searched the literature for studies that were conducted involving Veterans and service dogs. Because of the limited number of studies, we conducted a nonsystematic review to include the topics of the microbiome and psychological mechanisms that may play a role in rehabilitation of Veterans with dogs. Whether dogs can be used as an intervention to increase function among those with PTSD remains a question. Nonetheless, it has been suggested that dog ownership may improve mental health outcomes via multiple mechanisms, such as decreasing social isolation and increasing physical activity and exposure to green spaces. The presence of a dog in the home may alter the human inhabitants' microbiomes, thereby, potentially providing an additional mechanism through which service dogs may influence human health and well-being. Theoretically, the use of service dogs for rehabilitation of Veterans with PTSD could improve mental health outcomes. To the best of our knowledge the impact that therapy dogs have on the microbiome of the owners, as well as their built environments, has yet to be explored. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2018 APA, all rights reserved).

Design and challenges for a randomized, multi-site clinical trial comparing the use of service dogs and emotional support dogs in Veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a leading cause of impairments in quality of life and functioning among Veterans. Service dogs have been promoted as an effective adjunctive intervention for PTSD, however published research is limited and design and implementation flaws in published studies limit validated conclusions. This paper describes the rationale for the study design, a detailed methodological description, and implementation challenges of a multisite randomized clinical trial examining the impact of service dogs on the on the functioning and quality of life of Veterans with PTSD. Trial design considerations prioritized participant and intervention (dog) safety, selection of an intervention comparison group that would optimize enrollment in all treatment arms, pragmatic methods to ensure healthy well-trained dogs, and the selection of outcomes for achieving scientific and clinical validity in a Veteran PTSD population. Since there is no blueprint for conducting a randomized clinical trial examining the impact of dogs on PTSD of this size and scope, it is our primary intent that the successful completion of this trial will set a benchmark for future trial design and scientific rigor, as well as guiding researchers aiming to better understand the role that dogs can have in the management of Veterans experiencing mental health conditions such as PTSD.