ABSTRACT
The aim of this chapter is to provide readers with an overview of factors impacting the welfare of both clients and therapy dogs. The factors impacting canine welfare are reviewed and particular attention is paid to the importance of recognizing indicators of stress in dogs. It is argued that handlers must be trained in the interpretation of canine behavior and especially attuned to identifying canine stress indicators. Next, an overview of strategies to mitigate canine stress is offered, including a discussion of the length of working sessions for therapy dogs, the number of clients a dog should support at any one time, and how to terminate a visit should a therapy dog be unable to settle within a session. An overview of how to set behavioral boundaries for clients and recommendations for handler training to safeguard both client and therapy dog welfare is provided.
