Animal-Assisted Therapy for Troubled Teenagers

Animals, big or small, fury or scaly, they will offer unconditional love and help to whomever needs it the most. That is why it is a good practice to use animals in therapies with troubled teenagers.

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Whether their ailments are related to physical disabilities or if they just need a right push in the right direction to develop or behave better, animals will be there to help.

Choosing the right animal

It is very important to let your kid know that the animal will be their responsibility, so that they will have to take care of it. This is important so that the teenagers can take more responsibility.

On the other hand, it is important because this will deepen the bond between the animal and the troubled teenager.

Also, if your teen has some kind of disability, it is worthy to note that they can take care of the animal humanly, without causing any harm or fear in the animal. In addition, if the newly welcomed pet is not the right choice, it should be treated with respect and care nevertheless. If you decide to keep the pet and you run into some problems, there are shelters and societies that will help you adopt the pet.

Before heading off to a pet shop, it is firstly important to determine what kind of animal will be the best choice for your troubled teen. A general rule of thumb is that you should look for animals that are complete opposites of what the child is like, i.e. an interactive pet if the child needs to be drawn outside more or if they have trouble getting along with others.

Dogs as therapists

It is already widely known that dogs, even when untrained, are great therapists and they have a natural affinity towards humans. However, if you truly wish to have the best you can get, look for a licensed and certified dog. Although they will be more costly, it is well worth the price.

Moreover, dogs are more than just a therapist. They will soon grow into friends for life, which will help your troubled teenager and also help the whole family to lift the mood.

Birds as therapists

You would be surprised how much parrots and parrot-like birds are good for therapies, as they tend to socialize with humans. Their marvelous personalities help them bond with their owners extremely fast. Not only that, they can bond well with other household pets as well.

Parakeets are perhaps the best option as they are low maintenance but extremely trainable and happy to have around.

Reptiles as therapists

Although it might seem like they require a lot of attention and care, reptiles are easy to take care of. They are also well accepted by all age groups. Moreover, some reptiles are just meant to add to the “cool” factor. So not only will troubled teens have a great therapist to help them out, they will still look awesome wherever they need to take them.

Horses as therapists

Even though horses are expensive to have around, once fully trained and certified, they are great healers and an excellent choice for whomever needs help. Horses are easy to bond with, and they will benefit even the physically disabled teens in ways that no other human could.