Our working resource library is informally organized into three areas:
- Directory of local resources, compiled for us by Dr. Sia Kruss, Spring 2017
Important: These listings do not constitute recommendations,
We have no way of assessing the quality of any program but our own.
Nor should these be considered the only options available.
We offer this list as a starting point for your own due-diligence.- Jump to NW Sources of Volunteer Handler/Therapy Dog Teams
- Jump to Other National/International Organizations Certifying Volunteer Handler/Therapy Dog Teams
- Jump to Local Training for Volunteer Handler/Therapy Dog Teams
- Jump to Portland Metro Organizations Providing Direct Dog‐Assisted Therapy Services
- Jump to Other Local Organizations Providing Services Similar to Dog‐assisted Therapy
- Jump to Local Service Dog Organizations
- People-Oriented Topics: Therapy programs, organizations and research
- Animal-Oriented Topics: Dogs, Training, and Animal Behaviorism
This is not an exhaustive list by any means, but it does include our favorites! If you know an organization that should be on this list, please let us know at: STAR@theLittleDogLaughed.org.
People-Oriented Topics
Publications
Therapy and Domestic Violence Intervention Programs
- Teaching Compassion: A Guide for Humane Educators, Teachers and Parents, by Pamela Raphael with Libby Colman, PhD and Lynn Loar, PhD
- Teaching Empathy: Animal-Assisted Therapy Programs for children and Families Exposed to Violence, by Lynn Loar, PhD LCSW and Libby Colman, PhD
- Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence:Readings in Research and Application; edited by Randall Lockwood and Frank R. Ascione
- Child Abuse, domestic Violence, and Animal Abuse: Linking the Circles of Compassion for Prevention and Intervention; edited by Frank R. Ascione and Phil Arkow
Training Humans
- Teaching People Teaching Dogs: Insights and Ideas for Instructors by Dani Weinberg
- Coaching People to Train Their Dogs by Terry Ryan
Web Sites and Online Resources
Local
- Cold Noses Warm Hearts Dog Training and AAT – We are proud to report that Linda Hamilton is on our Advisory Board!
- Project POOCH
- Project Click! Humane Society for SW Washington Pet Facilitated Therapy
- Hands and Words Are Not For Hurting Project® – an international project created in Salem, Oregon!
- Portland Area Canine Therapy Teams (PACTT) Program
Other States and National
- The “Coaching Boys into Men” program created by Futures Without Violence (Formerly Family Violence Prevention Fund)
- Forget Me Not Farm Children’s Services (Santa Rosa, CA), founded in 1992 – watch “Faith and Hope on a Farm” for a quick picture of their amazing work.
- US Dept. of Justice Defending Childhood Initiative
- The Greenbook Initiative
- National Link Coalition – “Working together to stop violence against people and animals”
- The Latham Foundation – Promoting Humane Education since 1918
- SHIP for Battered Mothers and their Children
- PlayfulPooch – Dr. Risë VanFleet’s site supporting Animal-Assisted Play Therapy
- Gabriel’s Angels: Pets Helping Kids® in Arizona (no, they don’t allow the use of clicker-training as per their main office)
- Pet Partners® (formerly Delta Society)
- Therapy Dogs International (TDI)
- Alliance of Therapy Dogs (formerly Therapy Dogs Inc.)
- Project Canine (Seattle, WA)
- A Guide to Psychiatric Service Dogs
Animal-Oriented Topics
Books
- Click for Joy! Questions and Answers from Clicker Trainers and their Dogs by Melissa Alexander
- Canine Body Language: A Photographic Guide Interpreting the Native Language of the Domestic Dog, by Brenda Aloff
- Bones Would Rain from the Sky: Deepening Our Relationships with Dogs by Suzanne Clothier
- How to Speak Dog: Mastering the Art of Dog-Human Communicationby Stanley Coren
- The Culture Clash: A Revolutionary New Way to Understanding the Relationship Between Humans and Domestic Dogs, by Jean Donaldson
- Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior, by Temple Grandin and Catherine Johnson
- Through a Dog’s Ear – Using Sound to Improve the Health and Behavior of Your Canine Companion by Joshua Leeds & Susan Wagner, DVM, MS; includes a CD music
- The Other End of the Leash: Why We Do What We Do Around Dogs by Patricia B. McConnell
- The Power of Positive Dog Training by Pat Miller
- Don’t Shoot the Dog: The New Art of Teaching and Training, by Karen Pryor
- On Talking Terms with Dogs: Calming Signals by Turid Rugaas
- Barking: The Sound of a Language by Turid Rugaas
- Clicker Training for Obedience, by Morgan Spector
Just for Fun
- Fun Nosework for Dogs by Roy Hunter
- Clicker Dances with Dogs, by Kay Laurence
- Learning Games, by Kay Laurence
Web Sites and Online Resources
Web Sites
- Animal Behavior Resources Institute
Full of excellent articles and videos shared by leading professionals in animal behavior and training. - ClickerTraining.com
Don’t be put off by the initial sales pitch for (actually very fun) products. Once you wade in, this site offers a PLETHORA of good information - Dr. Sophia Yin, DVM, MS | The Art and Science of Animal Behavior
- De-Bunking the “Alpha Dog” Theory, a 2011 article published in The Whole Dog Journal
- Stale Cheerios: all about positive animal training
Mary Hunter, a behavior analysis student in the Master’s program at the University of North Texas, has a delightful site/blog. One of my favorite articles is her nice explanation of What is clicker training? - How Well Can Children Interpret a Dog’s Emotional State? Article by Stanley Coren, Ph.D., Published on June 26, 2014 in Psychology Today.
Practical Applications
Just for Fun
- “Useful Dog Tricks performed by Jesse” – YouTube
- “White Knuckles” by OK – Go, with friends (Corvallis) – YouTube
absolutely amazing when you realize this was done in a single take! - “White Knuckles – Outtakes + 4 Angles” the same video, showing what it took to reach that end product – watch the dog handlers!