Be Part of the Story
Dog Assist was born from an old passion and a simple question: how can we build a relationship between humans and animals that is based on trust, safety, and mutual respect?
From the very beginning, we wanted to do things differently. Not to use animals as decoration or as a tool, but to recognize them as real partners in therapy and education.
Our Mission
To bring people and animals together to build bridges of trust, safety, and progress. In a warm and friendly environment, we offer evidence-based interventions where each person develops emotional, behavioral, and motor skills with the help of our non-verbal partners.
- We work interdisciplinarily: therapy, education, physiotherapy
- We create personalized plans for each participant
- We respect the welfare of the animals involved
- We foster open collaboration with families and specialists
Guiding Values
At Dog Assist, we believe real change comes from carefully built relationships. At the heart of our work is the authentic bond between humans and animals, a bond that brings safety, trust, and joy.
We are guided by simple but powerful values:
- Respect, for every person and every animal
- Empathy, to understand needs beyond words
- Safety, ensuring every session is a protected and warm space
- Professionalism, because we provide responsible interventions
- Transparency, for honest collaboration
Meet the Team
The team bringing the Dog Assist story to life - dedicated specialists and trusted friends.
Our Approach
At Dog Assist, everything we do starts from a simple principle: the wellbeing of the client is always central. Every decision, method, and relationship we build responds to their needs and supports them step by step in reaching their full potential.
A Multidisciplinary Team
Our strength lies in the team. Psychologists, physiotherapists, social workers, and dog handlers work together as a unified whole to bring real progress to our beneficiaries. We collaborate closely, consult constantly, and build personalized plans so that each child or adult receives support from multiple perspectives.
Relationship First - The Safety Circle
We believe progress is possible only within a framework of emotional safety. Therefore, all our colleagues, whether therapists or dog handlers, undergo the Safety Circle program. This helps us understand how to be present, respond to children’s emotional needs, and build trust-based, predictable relationships.
Play - But Not Just Fun
For children, play is the natural language of learning. At Dog Assist, each intervention is built on playful activities designed to be motivating and relevant for the child. Together with therapy animals, we turn exercises into games that spark curiosity, joy, and engagement.
Building the Relationship Through Play
At Dog Assist, we consciously avoid rigid techniques or mechanical behavior modeling. Instead, our psychologists use Floortime (a scientifically validated approach recognized by the Romanian College of Psychologists), attachment theory, and positive discipline - methods that focus on relationships, respect for the child’s pace, and building authentic motivation.
For us, the child is not a “program” to train, but an exploration partner. We accompany them patiently, follow their interests, and provide safety so that development comes naturally, through joy and connection, not pressure or external rewards.
Complex Programs, Not Just Exercises
In physiotherapy sessions, we do more than stretches or physical movements. We build complex programs that combine sensory integration and occupational therapy elements so the child progresses physically, emotionally, and functionally. Each activity is meaningful and transferable to daily life.
Support for the Family Too
We know a child does not live in isolation, but within their family and community. That’s why at Dog Assist we also work with parents:
• through the Safety Circle program, providing clear guidelines for daily challenges
• through support groups coordinated by our social worker
• through individual counseling sessions for parents
• and in collaboration with our partner lawyers from Brehar, Paler Grosan, Cătana, and other community actors
Our goal is not just to help the child during a therapy session, but to equip the family with tools that make a difference at home, school, and daily life.
Animals - Partners, Not Tools
Our dogs and alpacas are team members, carefully selected and trained using positive methods. Their wellbeing is essential: only a respected and happy animal can be an authentic partner for humans.
Step by Step
From these principles, our Step by Step method was born. An approach based on emotional safety, mutual trust, and staged progress - for children, families, and our therapy animals.
This is the Dog Assist Approach: a model built on collaboration, respect, and care, where every step matters and every relationship has the power to transform.
Human-Animal Interaction - Why It Matters
We work with therapy animals because the bond between humans and animals brings something no other therapeutic tool can: an authentic, immediate connection.
A dog or alpaca does not judge, ask for explanations, or label anyone. They respond to the present, real emotions, and nonverbal communication. In their presence, children and adults feel safe to be vulnerable, make mistakes, and try again.
Benefits of Animal-Assisted Therapy
- Easier Access to Relationship - many children who avoid adult contact are willing to approach a dog or alpaca. The animal becomes a bridge to the therapist.
- Intrinsic Motivation - activities involving animals are more engaging and meaningful, increasing the child’s desire to participate and repeat exercises.
- Emotional Regulation - simply having the animal present can reduce anxiety, calm the child, and create a more welcoming space for learning and therapy.
- Learning Through Experience - interacting with an animal provides natural opportunities to practice patience, empathy, communication, and collaboration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do we do AAT?
For us, animal-assisted therapy is not just a cute "gadget," but a framework that complements and amplifies therapeutic work. Combined with psychology, physiotherapy, and education, animals bring emotion and motivation that open doors otherwise difficult to reach.
AAT is not only "what we do" but "why we do it": to give each child or adult the chance to grow in an environment where safety, trust, and joy are built together - humans and animals, step by step.
Why are animals part of therapy?
Because they bring something humans alone cannot: a natural connection without judgment or pressure. Children and adults feel more relaxed and motivated when an animal is present.
How do you select therapy animals?
We select them based on temperament and willingness to collaborate with humans. Not all dogs or alpacas are suitable for therapy. We choose only balanced, social animals eager to interact.
Are the animals trained to perform tricks?
No. They are trained to feel comfortable in various situations and collaborate. We use only positive education and focus on the animal-handler relationship.
Don’t the animals get tired? How do you protect them?
Yes, animals also need breaks and rest. We have clear work and rest schedules, attentive veterinary care, and constantly monitor their wellbeing.
What do children learn from interacting with animals?
Empathy, patience, simple communication rules, and collaboration. For many, the animal becomes the "bridge" through which they learn things otherwise hard to reach.
Does animal-assisted therapy replace other therapies?
No. It complements psychology, physiotherapy, or education. Interventions are integrated into a broader, individualized plan for each child.
Is it safe for children to work with dogs and alpacas?
Yes, safety is our priority. Animals are carefully selected and monitored, and a specially trained dog handler is always present during sessions.
Want to Support Our Work?
The therapy we provide would not be possible without people like you.
Your support means more smiles, more hope, and more success stories.