[Pennster]

My therapist has started to bring his dog into the office- only a few times so far. I like the dog, and it seems to just relax and nap after the excitement of a new person entering its space wears off. I was reading about the benefits of dogs in therapy and I'm curious about other people's experiences. I thought it might be weird or distracting but it doesn't seem to have a negative impact. I kind of miss the dog between sessions though, which I think is a little strange- not sure what's up with that (and I hope it fades!).

It would have to be a VERY well-behaved dog and it sounds like your T's is. Personally, it would be a distraction even if well-behaved, and I also wonder about his clients who might not be animal people. I'm a dog person, but I wouldn't really want my T's pet in the room during sessions. I would hope my T would ask me first if I minded.

[ruh roh]

I bring my dog to every session, so I'm glad she doesn't bring hers. Mine is a certified therapy animal, though, and very well behaved. Once he gets his cookie from my therapist and checks around for leftovers, he lies down and that's that. Sometimes, he will vocalize to her and wave his paw in the air to get her attention when I'm distressed, but he is not distracting otherwise and is wonderful to have there.

[Pennster]

Oh yes, Lola, I should have said that my therapist did ask permission, and he has another space in the building for the dog to be in if I had said no. I think he's experimenting with him as a therapy dog, though we didn't talk much about that. I think I will ask him more about how he sees the role of the dog.

I had thought it would be a distraction, and I was surprised to discover it wasn't once the dog had settled down after the first two or three minutes.

[Pennster]

Originally Posted by ruh roh

I bring my dog to every session, so I'm glad she doesn't bring hers. Mine is a certified therapy animal, though, and very well behaved. Once he gets his cookie from my therapist and checks around for leftovers, he lies down and that's that. Sometimes, he will vocalize to her and wave his paw in the air to get her attention when I'm distressed, but he is not distracting otherwise and is wonderful to have there.

That's amazing he relates to her like that. Sounds like a comforting presence.

[atisketatasket]

No. 1 does have a dog, and does bring her to sessions - when the officemate who's allergic isn't in. I've never met the dog.

In college I had two professors who brought their dogs into class or just their office. Both were dreadful - the one who brought hers to class, the dog would just wander up and down the aisles the whole class, clanking its leash behind it and trying to get at any food we had in our bags, while the one who left his dog in his office during class, the dog would start to howl for him. And all the way down the hall in the classroom we'd hear AWOO, AWOO from the dog.

Anyway, I'd prefer not to share therapy space with a dog, unless it were actually an assistance animal the therapist needed for some reason.

[Out There]

He works from home and did have a dog , who I adored , but it was never in the therapy room. I feel animals in therapy can be beneficial. I'd like to take my cat to therapy but he's 21 and a bit incontinent so he's happier at home.

[AnxiousGirl]

I wish. It would be so calming to pet a dog while talking about certain things.

[stopdog]

The first one had her dog at an early appointment and did not tell me. It was awful. I have since refused to schedule appointments if the dog was going to be there. It is better to have no appointment than one where the dog was there.
I have my own pets. The therapist can deal with hers on her own time. I am not going to pay for it.

[laxer12]

My T has a dog and she said she occasionally brings him in because she is trying to train him to be a therapy dog. I've only seen him once though. I think she didn't have many clients that day and generally avoids bringing him when she'll be there late.

He was really well-behaved though! He came over to me and I pet him for a minute or two and then he went over to her and laid down. I would have preferred it if he had been by me though

[Sofya Semyonovna]

Sadly, no. I would like therapy 1000x better if a dog were there.

[BrazenApogee]

my former T had a neighbor T who had a small puppy she was training to be a therapy dog. it was cute, but loud and obnoxious. my current T has a neighbor T with a nice quiet therapy dog. it came over to me in the waiting room once and just quietly let me pat him. was nice and made me smile. i wish that was my T.

[ScarletPimpernel]

My ex ex-T once brought in her dog. I used to bring my dog in a lot. Ex-T also used to let me bring in my dog. Current T would allow my dog, but the building doesn't.

I don't find them a distraction. For me, it was calming and comforting. The dog relieved a lot of anxiety.

My T worked from home, and our sessions were outside, so animals in general featured quite heavily. He kept sheep, who I absolutely adored. We usually walked through their field on the way out and on the way back, and I loved to stopping to chat to them. It must have been quite strange for T to see this closed off, unavailable, untouchable person suddenly hugging and kissing sheep! My last session was TOUGH, and I was trying to explain why I was mad at him, when all of a sudden in the distance a sheep moved, and it totally looked like a sheep was coming out of his ear. It was a fabulous and wonderful distraction that helped keep the mood elevated.

T had several dogs, who I never met. He often offered to bring one in to session, and I was very tempted. Theres a good chance if the dog came over and wanted to cuddle I would probably burst out crying and not stop (I don't cry ever normally). The fear of that happening was insignificant though compared to the real headspin and reason why I never said yes to the dog attending. I got it in to my head that my T wanted the dog in session for several reasons. Absolutely it would be therapeutically beneficial. But his dogs are his soul mates, and I think he was scared of me, so I think he saw having the dog in session as protection against me - and that thought just devastates me - that he would need protecting from me. Im not scary! But it doesn't stop there, because even if he wanted the dog for protection I would still want the experience of dog company. But then I worry that the dog will pick up on his fear of me, and the combative relationship we have-dogs are so in tune with their owners feelings - and so I get really scared the dog will attack me because of that. (My mums dog did that a couple of years ago and bit my face and left me with a cut forehead and two black eyes). I never told my T any of this, because I didn't want to hear him say he fears me.

[RedSun]

My T has two cats, I see her in her home. The cats wander in and out. One sat on my lap once, - it was a really difficult session and I was struggling to stay grounded, it was so helpful to have the cat. Don't know how is feel about a dog though....

[ThisWayOut]

Current t had brought her Foster dog in back when she still had him. It was nice to be able to cuddle him. I've brought my dogs in before as well, though not too often. I've also brought other pets, but more out of necessity than anything else (on the way to or from the vet).
Animals are comforting to me, so I wouldn't mind.

EMDR T once brought her dog - I found it rude to do so without prior discussion. She was like "Yeah, I only have 2 appointments today - you and a family - and I thought "Well, they won't mind if I bring the dog"". And then she 'justified' it by saying it might even help the EMDR as the dog was 'added' to the zapping lights. The dog was well-behaved, but still, I prefer to have my T's undivided attention.

[musinglizzy]

I often bring my dog to therapy. She does not bring hers. I most recently brought a parrot in. He pooped all down the back of her white blouse...lol

[divine1966]

I am easily distracted as it is and having animals or pets roaming around therapy room wouldn't be something I wanted

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[musinglizzy]

Originally Posted by divine1966

I am easily distracted as it is and having animals or pets roaming around therapy room wouldn't be something I wanted

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Sometimes I bring my dog for that reason. If I want distraction, or if I want my T to be distracted. Crazy, I know. But she just loves all over on my dog.... and there are some times I just find it useful to have him around.

After my session yesterday, if I go to my session on Monday, I already plan on bringing him with me. She's easily distracted, and/or it gives me an excuse to focus on something else and shut her out if I need to. I'm weird that way... but inside, I've been so angry and hurt by her for so long....