Optimizing Therapy Dog-Handler Team Welfare: A Guide for Researchers and Practitioners [Hardcover]

Informed by research and grounded in critical discussions of theory and practice,?Optimizing Therapy Dog-Handler Team Welfare?challenges readers to explore the complexities inherent in, and arising from, practices that prioritize the welfare?of?therapy dog-handler teams.

John-Tyler Binfet, PhD, is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of British Columbia, Okanagan campus.

Christine Yvette Tardif-Williams, PhD, is a professor in the Department of Child and Youth Studies at Brock University.

Informed by research and grounded in critical discussions of theory and practice, Optimizing Therapy Dog-Handler Team Welfare challenges readers to explore the complexities inherent in, and arising from, practices that optimize welfare for therapy dog-handler teams.

Each chapter begins with a case study that elucidates the complexities of canine-assisted interventions and invites readers to consider welfare from multiple perspectives. This book positions welfare as a factor impacting both the therapy dog and the handler, considering the dog handler as a cohesive team.

Researchers, educators, and practitioners from across disciplines will find this book both scientifically savvy and practical.

1. Introduction  2. History of Canine-Assisted Interventions  3. Defining Therapy Dog-Handler Welfare and Understanding Its Role in Research and Programming  4. Determining Dog-Handler Team Suitability for Canine-Assisted Interventions  5. Factors Enhancing and Compromising Welfare  6. Safeguarding Welfare Across Varied Contexts and Clients  7. Policies, Practices, and Within-Session Considerations  8. Conclusion 

Binfet and Tardif-Williams have written an exceptional book that delves into thelãy