What should our response be when an incident occurs while we are on a therapy dog visit? First, we need to define “incident.” An incident is “a situation that might be, or could lead to, a disruption, loss, emergency or crisis.” The piece that is often forgotten or overlooked in this definition by therapy dog Handlers is things that could lead to other issues. It’s crucial that Handlers recognize the early signs and situations that our therapy dogs are absolutely remembering, and in fact, are stacking up in their brain (trigger stacking) prior to any visible display of behavior.  

For example, we take our therapy dog to a classroom program where children are being very loud that particular day. Our dog seems a little uncomfortable, but it’s a classroom we’ve been to many times, and we dismiss our dog’s discomfort and continue with the visit. Then, a child runs up behind us where we are sitting and the dog is laying on the floor, startling our dog who jumps up in surprise. We think, “no big deal, it’s just kids being kids,” and continue with the visit. Just about the time we are thinking it might be time to end the visit and leave the classroom because our dog has not ever really settled in, a child leans over to give our dog a hug (something that has been allowed to occur in the past) and our dog growls at the child. Had we listened to our dog and paid attention to our dog’s discomfort at the beginning of the visit, we could have cut the visit short and taken our dog home to try visiting another time. Our dog’s behavior would not have escalated to growling at a child they knew in a classroom they had visited before.  

 Recognize 

Recognizing subtle behavior changes is key to keeping our dogs, and the people we visit, safe and comfortable. There is nothing wrong with telling a facility that our dog is uncomfortable and we need to end the visit early. Paying attention to and listening to our dog is the number 1 way to prevent bigger incidents from occurring! 

What are some of these subtle behavior changes to watch for? (Examples, not an exhaustive list.) Overly hungry or thirsty, or just the opposite, not eating or drinking when they normally would. Panting when it’s not especially warm. The inability to settle. Startling more easily. Noticeably higher or lower than normal energy level. Scratching. These behaviors/incidents on their own may not be a reason to end a visit early, but they are certainly something to watch and observefor any escalation.  

 Respond 

Leaving a visit early is not failure or giving up, it is supporting and advocating for our dog. Explaining to the facility that we need to leave because the visit is not going well is difficult, but necessary, and hopefully the facility understands that we have everyone’s best interests in mind. Educating the facility about our dogs and their communication is important and will benefit all those involved. 

Even when we try to do everything right and we try our best to be watchful and supportive, bigger incidents occur. Our response should be quick and professional and be done to ensure the safety and well-being of all those involved, including our dogs. 

First and foremost, end the visit. It does not usually work to “take a break” and resume visiting. End the visit and take your dog to safe place so that you can talk with the facility before you leave. Let the facility know what happened that caused you to choose to end the visit. Be honest!  

 Report 

Once you are home and have taken care of your dog, contact Alliance of Therapy Dogs (ATD) to let them know what happened. The ATD Office is there to support you and they want the best for all ATD teams.  

What happens next depends on what happened. You may want to take a break and let your dog rest before resuming visits. You may consider consulting with a trainer. The ATD Office may ask you to suspend visits while they look into the incident. All these things are intended to support you, the Handler, and your dog. When an incident occurs, sometimes we need other people to help us make better decisions for ourselves and our dogs. With ATD you have that support available to help you. 

Be a student of your dog. Watch for subtle signs your dog is not handling a visit very well. Advocate for your dog and don’t be afraid to end a visit early if needed. Being proactive will go a long way in helping to prevent a bigger incident from happening.