On International Children’s Day, children in Aizkalne discovered dog therapy!

“Four-legged teachers,” or developmental activities incorporating elements of canine-assisted therapy, took place in Aizkalne on 1 June, International Children’s Day. This was another activity carried out as part of the project “Complex Support Measures to Reduce Social Exclusion among Young People and Families with Children.”

In Latvia, canine-assisted therapy is a relatively new form of rehabilitation, as it requires a dog with a suitable temperament and upbringing—a dog that enjoys being with people—as well as specially trained dogs. Latvian dogs most often travel to Poland for training and certification. Although this method is most commonly used when working with children who have serious illnesses, activities with dogs are highly beneficial for any child, as they have a positive effect on a child’s psycho-emotional state, build self-confidence, encourage motivation, and reduce anxiety that arises when encountering the unfamiliar. It is precisely with this aim that the activities are being offered as part of the project. Moreover, they will take place throughout the summer: in June, three more sessions will be held in Aizkalne; in July, the next group of children will attend them in Preiļi; while August will be devoted to children from the Riebiņi area, thereby offering this activity to as many children as possible.

“They are magic dogs”—with these words, canine-assisted therapy specialists Antonina Nackeviča and Natālija Kovaļonoka addressed the children in Aizkalne. They had travelled from Daugavpils with three lovely dogs. At the beginning of the session, the children were shown what the dogs could do. In addition to the familiar tasks of following commands such as “sit, lie down, dance!”, the four-legged teachers demonstrated how they could collect important items such as a wallet, keys, a comb, snacks, and a leash, and put them all into a backpack. The children watched in genuine amazement as one dog unrolled a mat to make itself a bed and then put it away again. In this indirect way, the children learned how important it is to collect the things they need themselves, what to take in their schoolbag, and how to deal with the sometimes difficult task of making the bed in the morning—if a dog can do it, why couldn’t a child? The children were also gradually encouraged to interact actively with the dogs: they learned how to pet them correctly (and it is a misconception that a dog likes having its head stroked—the best places to stroke it are the back and chest), brush them, walk them on a leash, and feed them. A competition was held to see who could crawl through a tunnel faster—the dog or the child—and this activity was repeated several times. During the following sessions, the specialists will work more purposefully with each child’s individual difficulties—whether these involve fear, anxiety, difficulties adapting, or communicating with others. A dog can teach children to overcome all of these challenges, which is why these sessions are so valuable. Although canine-assisted therapy is new in the municipality, the children and parents were delighted by the experience. After taking a group photo with their beloved companions, the children, bathed in the June sunshine, continued their energetic activities in the nearby children’s playground, which had been installed less than a year earlier but had already become a very popular place for recreation.

Overall, it can be said that International Children’s Day was a great success. However, words of thanks are due both to Gunta Uzuleviča, Head of the Aizkalne Parish Administration, and Māra Rožinska, Head of the Community Centre, for their support in ensuring that the sessions could take place, as well as to the Preiļi Municipality Council, personally its Chairwoman Maruta Plivda, and the Riebiņi Municipality Council, personally its Chairman Pēteris Rožinskis, for granting co-financing for the implementation of the project activities.

Anita Gāga

Board Member of the Association “Family Support Centre ‘Puķuzirnis’”