October 15, 2025, 9:19 am | Read time: 5 minutes
When children and adolescents have experienced something traumatic, they often find it difficult to talk about their feelings. A therapy dog can achieve more than many words: It creates closeness and trust—and opens the door to topics that otherwise hardly anyone dares to discuss. PETBOOK spoke with Josephine Scholz, a child and adolescent psychotherapist at the Trauma Clinic of Charité in Berlin, about the role of dogs in trauma therapy.
“A Dog Can Be a Bridge”
PETBOOK: Ms. Scholz, what role can dogs play in the therapy of children and adolescents with traumatic experiences, especially with post-traumatic stress disorders?
Josephine Scholz: “I believe that a dog can very well act as a kind of bridge. With children and adolescents with trauma-related disorders, we often have the problem that they don’t really dare to speak, to confide, or to talk about conflict topics at all. And a dog can help because it is simply there–it ensures that one warms up, that there is someone in the room who exudes a certain security.
You don’t have to maintain constant eye contact; the child can look at the dog, focus on it, and under these circumstances, it is much easier for many to talk about difficult topics.”
How do you decide when to use a therapy dog?
“Of course, it also depends on who in the team is willing to take a dog home and have it trained as a therapy dog. That’s the point I’m at right now. We currently don’t have a dog in our team, but there is already one in the day clinic.
In general, I would say: In the area I work in—child protection and trauma consequences—a therapy dog can always be used. There are so many advantages. A dog can take on a bit of co-regulation, helping the children calm down, open up, and ultimately talk about their issues.”
“Too Bad, Today I Wanted to Tell the Dog Something Very Sad”
Does the dog stay throughout the entire therapy or only for individual sessions?
“Usually, the dog is not there every day. In the day clinic, it comes along occasionally, participates in the daily routine, but there are also days when it has a break. I think it would be similar in our department.
Of course, it would be nice if the dog generally accompanied the therapy process. A colleague told me that a child was once very disappointed because the dog wasn’t there that day, and the child said, ‘Too bad, today I wanted to tell the dog something very sad.’
This again showed how important the dog is in the therapy process. It also made the colleague think about whether it makes sense to take the dog along as regularly as possible once it is part of the process. Of course, it’s always a question of feasibility.”
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The Dog Keeps Every Secret to Itself
Many children with experiences of violence have difficulty trusting people. How do dogs help rebuild trust and self-esteem?
“The dog is simply there—and it doesn’t judge. It participates, offers closeness, provides security, and gives a sense of control. And it keeps every secret to itself.
I believe that’s what makes dogs so special in the therapeutic process. They provide a sense of security that cannot be forced. Especially for children who have experienced terrible things, this is incredibly valuable.”
The organization Vita e.V. Assistance Dogs, with which you collaborate, follows a holistic approach. What makes this concept so special?
“The dogs are very well trained from a young age, and it is also checked whether they are suitable at all. This leads to the dogs being very reliable and well-behaved. You can also see how calm and balanced they are in action. As a result, they can be a strong partner alongside children, adolescents, or even adults—someone who provides support without demanding anything.”
Therapy Dog at Home Too?
If a dog is so beneficial in therapy, would it also make sense to integrate a therapy dog into the family?
“Certainly, that would be something wonderful for many children. But the question is whether it’s realistic—whether it fits into the family dynamics. Here in Berlin, many families live in tight spaces, parents work, and a dog, of course, means responsibility.
In principle, it would be a great thing, and many children wish for it. When they experience in therapy how valuable the contact with a dog is, they naturally want to experience that at home too.”
What do you advise parents who see that the therapy dog is good for their child, but they themselves cannot keep a dog?
“You can look for opportunities to allow the child to have contact with dogs outside of therapy. For example, at an animal shelter—many offer days when you can walk the dogs or feed them.
Of course, these are not always as accessible as well-trained therapy dogs, but it is still a valuable experience. Some children also put up flyers or ask in the neighborhood if they can walk a dog.
Of course, you have to see how well-trained the dog is and whether it is responsible. But in general, any contact with an animal that strengthens trust and empathy is an enrichment.”