AAAIP

Did you know facility animal programs have grown exponentially over the last two decades? 👇 From comforting patients to supporting staff, facility animals are making a profound impact on wellness and care. Programs like Mayo Clinic's Caring Canines and Children's Healthcare of Atlanta's Canines for Kids have paved the way for this essential work. 👏 🔗 Explore the growth, best practices, and future of facility animal programs in our new Facility Animals Whitepaper: https://bit.ly/4isTJJP

In honor of National Horse Day, we’re celebrating the incredible bond between humans and horses with a special shoutout to Prairie Conlon, LPC, NCC—a therapist and animal-assisted intervention professional who shares her life with her beautiful horse, True. 🌟 When Prairie isn’t enjoying the calming presence of True, she’s making a difference in her clients’ lives or hosting The Animal Effect Podcast, where she dives into the amazing ways animals enrich our well-being. 🎙️ Horses like True remind us how animals can heal and inspire us every day. 🐴❤️

We are on a mission to raise awareness of best practices as far and wide as possible! 📣 Our President/CEO Catherine "Annie" Peters and Gina Fisher Caldwell, PhD spoke today at the 6th annual National Dog Show Therapy Dog Symposium at Rowan University in Glassboro, NJ. 🐕 The topic of their presentation was the Art of Therapy Dog Training and Partnership: The Need for Trust and Open Communication. 👏

It’s been a decade of training, fostering, and adopting SO many dogs, and each one—whether temporary or forever—has taught me about the incredible human-animal bond. One question remains central to my work in this field: what does it take to find and train a therapy dog? I’ve cracked the code with adult rescues, but there’s so much more to learn about puppies. I’m thrilled to share my latest project, which allows me to connect with local AAI powerhouses to temperament test, train, partner with, and follow pups from two litters that show tremendous promise as therapy dogs. I can’t wait to share our findings and the love of these special dogs for years to come. 👉 If you live in Georgia and are interested in being part of this exciting pilot, please reach out! 👈 Oh, and meet Norah, my chosen partner who makes preliminary temperament tests look like a breeze! -Taylor Chastain Griffin, PhD

For some patients, a trip to the dentist can be stressful—but the calming presence of a trained therapy animal can make all the difference. 🐾🦷 #dentists #inspiration #innovation #healthcare

Your dog’s body language is their most important form of communication. Understanding these signals is key to fostering a safer, more effective partnership. Our new Canine Body Language course is designed to help you: ✨ Recognize signs of stress or discomfort. ✨ Interpret key body signals with confidence. ✨ Respond in ways that promote your dog’s well-being. Don't miss out—sign up for our Canine Body Language course by December 9th and save $50: https://lnkd.in/g8PN88tn...

Happy Thanksgiving from all of us at AAAIP! We're deeply thankful for our incredible community of professionals who share our passion for the power of the human-animal bond. 🐾❤️ -Taylor Chastain Griffin, PhD

What do you think—is this dog smiling? Canine body language can be tricky—even seasoned dog lovers sometimes misinterpret key signals. 🐶 For handlers partnered with therapy or facility dogs, knowing how to decode your dog’s body language is essential. 🚨 Misinterpreting your dog’s emotional state can compromise their well-being and the safety of your interventions. Our Canine Body Language course is here to help you decode your dog’s signals with confidence. Learn to spot stress, improve your dog’s comfort, and build a stronger bond to ensure safe and effective animal-assisted interventions. 🐾👏

Do You Speak Dog? 🐶 Understanding canine body language is the key to building stronger bonds, improving communication, and creating safer interactions. For therapy and facility animal handlers, it’s more than a skill—it’s a must-have for success in animal-assisted interventions. That’s why we created a new course, Canine Body Language. Learn to interpret your dog’s signals with confidence, prevent stress, and elevate your partnership. 🎯 Discover how this course can transform your work with therapy animals. Read the full article to learn more:

We’ve all been there: a friend shares a cute photo of their dog and child, and you—the one who knows dog body language—immediately notice something others might miss. 🚨 For handlers working with therapy and facility animals, understanding subtle cues like a perked ear or a still tail is critical. It’s not just about safety; it’s about creating a stronger bond and advocating for your dog’s well-being. That’s why we created the Canine Body Language course—to give you the tools to understand your dog’s cues and ensure a positive partnership. 👏 Understanding canine body language isn’t just a skill—it’s the foundation of advocacy, safety, and effective animal-assisted interventions. 🐾