Pressure Therapy - Service Dog

Pressure Therapy. Those words can sound a little intimidating when put together. What exactly is happening during pressure therapy - am I being pressured into doing something I don’t want to? Am I being squeezed? Is it like extinction therapy? Shock Therapy? The answer to all of those questions, luckily, is a strong no.

Pressure Therapy is so much simpler than all of that. It’s so much more appealing, don’t worry. In fact, the point of Pressure Therapy is to RELIEVE anxiety and provide comforting tactile feedback.

Weighted blankets have taken off in popularity during the past few years, and so most people understand the general idea of them at this point. Using a dog is a similar idea - K9 partners can be trained to give pressure on cue, by jumping onto or leaning on their handler or another person. This gentle pressure applied to the person’s body calms their nervous system. Dogs have some additional benefits over weighted blankets.

Scientific studies show that when people hold a dog, their level of oxytocin goes up, and their level of cortisol goes down. To rephrase that, when you cuddle a dog you have more happy hormones and less stress hormones. Sounds good, right?

Since dogs are trained to apply pressure on cue and to hang around their handler, they should be available at just the right time without searching (hopefully!).

Additionally, building a relationship with a dog can make a person feel understood and accepted for who they are. Ultimately that’s what humans crave, isn’t it?

Dogs applying Pressure Therapy can help calm senses, reset hormones, relieve anxiety, and provide emotional comfort.

A Service Dog provides anxiety support through gentle, loving pressure.

Healthline has this to say about pressure therapy:
“[DPT] can help reduce anxiety in both children and adults, and [it’s] typically safe to use. …

Weighted blankets help ground your body … by pushing it downwards. This process, known as “earthing” or “grounding,” may have a deeply calming effect. The blankets also simulate deep pressure touch (DPT), a type of therapy that uses firm, hands-on pressure to reduce chronic stress and high levels of anxiety.”