Articles
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What's
this dog doing in my playroom?
Use the link below or
click on the photo to read a recent article about canines
in play therapy, written by Dr. VanFleet. The article
is posted and made available here by the generous permission
of the Association for Play Therapy, who published it
in the March 2008 issue of the Play Therapy magazine.
All rights are reserved.
The PDF is large
(6.8MB), so please be patient while it downloads
and do not close the browser window that opens, the
article will load in that window.
VanFleet, R. (2008). What's this dog doing in my playroom?
Play Therapy, 3 (1), 18-21.
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The Winning Combination of Kids, Canines,
and Play
Use the link below or click on the photo to read another
VanFleet article about canines in play therapy that appeared
in The Chronicle of the Dog. The article is posted and
made available here by the generous permission of the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers, who published it in the July/August
2008 issue of the The APDT Chronicle of the Dog. All rights
are reserved.
The PDF is large (4.3 MB) so please be patient while it
downloads and do not close the browser window that opens,
the article will load in that window.
VanFleet, R. (2008). The Winning Combination of Kids, Canines,
and Play. The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, July/August, 36-38.
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Engaging Owners
Fully in Dog Training: Attitudes and Skills That
Work
Use the links below to read a two part article that appeared in The Chronicle
of
the
Dog. The article is posted and made available here by the generous permission
of the Association of Pet Dog Trainers. All rights are reserved. Part 1 was published
in the November/December 2008 issue of The APDT Chronicle of the Dog, pp. 14-16.
Part 2 was published in the January/February 2009 issue, pp. 32-34.
Part
I
Part
II
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A Common
Bond: Maltreated Children & Animals in the Home
(Guidelines for Practice & Policy),
published by American Humane, is an important booklet
showing the research-based links between child abuse,
domestic violence, and animal abuse. It also describes
actions that people and professionals can take to
deal with these problems and to prevent them in the
future. It has been made available here with the
full permission and generosity of American Humane.
Download
the PDF
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Research
Dr. VanFleet has conducted a qualitative/survey
study of play therapists who use animals in their work. Full
results from 83 participants in this 2006-2008 study are now
available. Simply click the link below:
Pets in Play Therapy
Preliminary Study Results
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Tips for Training a Play Therapy Dog
More information
on this topic is available in the Play Therapy with
Kids and Canines book that
can be purchased in our on-line store. It is important that all dogs receive good training
and socialization
experiences,
but this is especially true
of therapy dogs. Socialization should start very early in
the puppy’s life and continue throughout its life.
I strongly urge
therapists/handlers to train their dogs using non-aversive,
primarily positive dog training methods. Not only is this the
most humane way to
train a dog, but it also helps establish a strong, positive
relationship between canine and owner. Nonaversive methods
are based on behavioral science, with which most therapists
are
quite familiar, and they have the strongest research evidence
for their effectiveness.
Furthermore, positive
dog training methods provide the best model for children
who are learning to relate to dogs. Therapists are always
providing a model in how to relate to dogs during sessions,
and the best way to ensure a positive model is to learn positive
training methods. Children also might view the therapist/handler’s
approach to the dog as an example of what they can expect
in their own therapeutic relationship, so once again, a
strong case is made for using aversive-free, behaviorally-oriented
approaches.
A wonderful resource on this subject
is the Association
of Pet Dog Trainers. This international organization
provides information on how to choose a trainer as well
as a dog trainer search. I would suggest trying to find
someone who is a “CPDT” (Certified Pet Dog
Trainer), if possible.
In the U.S., the American Kennel Club’s
Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program is an excellent first
step toward therapy dog credentialing. Visit the AKC
website: www.akc.org,
then search “CGC.” This program is open to
all owners and dogs, including mixed breeds. |
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Kirrie's Doggie Dictionary
One of the challenges of play therapy
work with canines is to ensure that children use the
cues, both verbal and nonverbal, with
which the dog has been trained. Kathy Sdao, an associate
Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (and wonderful speaker
and trainer on dog training
issues), recently suggested during a presentation at the
Association of Pet Dog Trainers Conference that owners
and trainers actually create a
log of all the cues they use with their animals. She also
offered ways to test those cues to see what the animal
is actually “reading” – the
words, tone of voice, body language, and so on.
The following link leads to Kirrie’s
Doggie Dictionary, a small booklet used with children in
the Playful Pooch Program. It is very specific to this
play therapy dog and is copyrighted as well, but it
might provide a useful sample
of a fun way to help reinforce the cues that children
learn while working with a therapy dog. Children learn
best by doing, and they
learn cues from therapist modeling and then interacting
with the dog, but the booklet provides a reminder and
a “souvenir” of
their work with the dog. back
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Book
and DVDs
Play Therapy for Kids & Canines:
Benefits for Children's Developmental and Psychosocial
Health
Dr. VanFleet's latest book has just been released by Professional Resource
Press. This new volume describes the integration of animal assisted therapy
and play therapy, and details the use of canines in play therapy to address
a wide range of child and family difficulties.
Click
here to buy now using our on-line store.
Reviews of this book:
"Play Therapy With Kids & Canines: Benefits for Children's
Developmental and Psychosocial Health is a fantastic
look at the effect that dogs can have in children's
therapy. Risë VanFleet provides constant examples on the
way that dogs are integrated specifically into play
therapy. Dr. VanFleet goes through the entire process of obtaining
a dog for therapeutic uses, and all the ways in which
that dog can be beneficial to the child. Her section
on canine cotherapists in nondirective and directive
play therapy is especially helpful for other play
therapists seeking to incorporate dogs in their sessions. The numerous
case studies and quotations throughout the book lend
an exciting aspect that makes the book interesting
to read and constantly makes you want to go further to read
the next excerpt. This book is a necessity for play
therapists." -Heidi
G. Kaduson, PhD, RPT-S, Director, The Play Therapy
Training Institute, Inc.
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"Kids and dogs share
a special bond. Risë VanFleet teaches therapists
precisely how they can use this magical relationship
to help children deal with stress and recover from trauma.
Furry friends can soothe the soul." -Colleen
Pelar, CPDT, CDBC, author of Living with Kids and
Dogs. . .
Without Losing Your Mind
"Risë VanFleet offers a valuable
addition to the literature on both animal assisted therapy
and play therapy. VanFleet's approach to integrating
these two therapeutic modalities is a monumental step
forward in the clinical treatment of children. This work
provides comprehensive coverage of foundations and applications
of animal assisted play therapy that is interlaced with
extraordinary case examples which invoke awe and wonderment
in the reader." -Cynthia K. Chandler, EdD, author
of Animal Assisted Therapy in Counseling
Table of Contents:
Dedication · Acknowledgments · Series Preface · Preface · The
Story of a Play Therapy Dog · Animal Emotions and the Human-Animal Bond · Animal-Assisted
Therapy · Play and Play Therapy · Integration of Animal-Assisted
Therapy and Play Therapy · "The Original Play Therapists":
A Case for Canines · Considerations for Quality, Ethical Canine Play
Therapy Programs · Selecting and Training a Play Therapy Dog · Practical
Management · The First Meeting: Preparations and Introductions · Canine
Cotherapists in Nondirective and Directive Play Therapy · Anxiety Reduction · Grief
and Loss · Building Competence and Confidence · Weight Reduction
and Fitness · Attachment and Relationship Building: Canine Applications
for Maltreated and Traumatized Children · Attentional and Behavioral
Difficulties · Communication and Social Anxieties · Families
and the Future · Final Suggestions · Appendices · References
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The Faces of Play: A Photographic Exploration
of the Importance and Joys
of Playfulness
This full-color book displays 100 of Dr. VanFleet’s
photographic images that explore the world of play. Text
descriptions and quotations about the nature and importance
of play are illustrated by images of animals (wild and
domestic) and humans (children and adults) in a wide
range of play activities. This spiral-bound volume printed
on matte photographic paper is a useful and enjoyable
tool for educating professionals, parents, and the public
about the value of play. Great for the waiting room!
Children love it, too! Book sections include: Introduction;
Solitary, Sensory, & Object Play; Social Play;
Dress-up and Imaginary Play; and Cross-Species Play.
Click here to buy now using our on-line store.
Book Sections:
Introduction • Solitary, Sensory, and Object Play • Social
Play •
Dress-up and Imaginary Play • Cross-Species Play
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Related Book Reviews
and Suggestions
Most of the titles below are available from www.dogwise.com.
If you have trouble obtaining any of these books, please
email Dr. VanFleet.
Animal Assisted
Therapy in Counseling
If you are unfamiliar with
Animal Assisted Therapy, you will find this information
about Dr. Chandler's book useful. This is an excellent
volume on the field!
Download
a flyer about the book.
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Playful Pooch Newsletter
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list!
January,
2009
October, 2008
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