The Impact of Canine-Assisted Therapy and Activities on Children in an Educational Setting

Animal-assisted therapy (AAT) and animal-assisted activities (AAA) are becoming more prevalent in educational settings. Research has shown that there are many benefits to having animals involved in therapy, specifically canines. Canine-assisted therapy/activities and the use of therapy dogs are being incorporated into schools and classrooms. The purpose of this paper is to explore the impacts canine-assisted therapy and activities have on students academically, physically, socially, emotionally, and behaviorally. It will also identify any caveats of the use of therapy dogs in schools, and investigate the evidence to further determine if and how therapy dogs have positive impacts on children in an educational setting