Dogs are great for many reasons. In most cases dogs are seen as wonderful pets and companions. There are police dogs, rescue dogs, and working dogs that will pull sleds or hunt.

In recent years psychologists have been using dogs in therapy. It seems that a person with Down syndrome, mood disorders, and other psychological issues benefit greatly from owning or being around dogs. This has made a new job for some of the dog breeds out there.

If you are looking for a therapy dog or you know someone who is you will want to read a little further about the type of therapy dogs used and why they are beneficial. Most therapy dogs are going to shower individuals with plenty of attention and affection. A good therapy dog will be very affectionate, intelligent, and easily trained. This type of dog will not display stubbornness or any behaviour that may be hinder in the benefits of therapy. Some of the breeds of therapy dogs include German Shepherds, cocker spaniels, pugs, cockapoos, and Yorkshire terriers. When you are looking for a therapy dog you want a type of dog that will want to either sit in your lap or sit near you and give plenty of support and affection.

What you need to realize with most therapy dogs is that they are very well natured. They tend to be extremely sensitive to voices as well. Raised voices and strong language can influence the dog in the wrong way just as it would a child with behaviour issues. This is one of the reasons why the breeds mentioned make such wonderful companions.

They feel the emotions of the owner and can act accordingly. You will find that with most therapy dogs the individual needs some type of support. They are looking for a companion that will offer the undivided attention and affection they need. With child who have Down syndrome they tend to relate to themselves and have a very hard time relating to humans. With dogs most individuals tend to see a difference in how outgoing the individual can become when they have a therapy dog.

Therapy dogs require the same amount of care as other dogs, so it is wise to have at least one individual that can provide the walks, nutrition, and other needs of the dog. Some individuals who need therapy dogs are able to provide this care. It will depend on the situation. You will also find that training is very important. You want to make sure that the dog is trained properly for obedience as well as house training.

You also want to make sure that the dog has been trained to be socialized as some of the breeds need to be adapted to others before they make great therapy dogs. Therapy dogs are becoming more important for children with behaviour issues as well as those who have mental deficiencies. Anyone can purchase a dog for therapeutic reasons, just based on wanting unconditional love from at least one pet in their life. You will find that some therapist offices will actually bring in a dog to introduce to their client to help during sessions to see if it helps them talk more. When choosing a therapy dog make sure that before you purchase the dog the person and the dog work well together.

In some cases the dog may not attach itself to the right person.

Gerry Ronson writes for the websites Dog Supplies and Hypnosis Downloads.