About Carlie the Therapy Dog In Training
Meet Carlie!
She’s a therapy dog in training.
With her calm, affectionate, and friendly temperament, she is a wonderful therapy dog. She provides her patients with unconditional love, comfort, and reasons to laugh. She enjoys when patients pet her and let her curl up on their laps during sessions.
Carlie is named after Carl Rogers, who was a famous humanistic psychologist. His theory centered on the importance of therapists having unconditional positive regard, empathy, and authenticity with clients. These qualities are embodied in therapy dogs as well.
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What is a therapy animal?
A therapy animal is a pet that has been evaluated on their ability to safely interact with a wide range of populations to provide physical, psychological, and emotional benefits to those they interact with. Their primary role is to partner with their handlers to serve others. Therapy animals typically have an affiliate (approaches new people), calm, and reliable temperament.
Animal Assisted Therapy
Animal Assisted Therapy is therapy that incorporates animals, such as dogs, into the treatment plan for a client. It is used in conjunction with talk therapy to enhance and complement the benefits of traditional therapy. There are many benefits to interacting with animals.
Therapeutic Benefits of Animals:
Animals provide a sense of security and emotional support. Dogs in particular offer unconditional acceptance and positive regard.
Animals can promote relaxation. Research has demonstrated that petting an animal can help lower blood pressure and heart rate as well as increase oxytocin (a feel-good chemical in the brain).
Animals help improve motivation and engagement in therapy.
Animals can be instruments of learning, which can increase self-confidence and self-esteem.
Animals in therapy ask for clients to develop empathy, nurturance, and responsibility, and model other skills like forgiveness and patience.
Animals offer humor and fun due to their playful nature.
Animal Assisted Therapy Originated with Sigmund Freud
Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic practice explored the unique bond between humans and animals. Later in life, Freud included his dog in therapy sessions. Freud noticed his dog’s ability to create a safe and supportive environment for patients. He appreciated that patients were less anxious and better able to share their feelings when a dog was in the room. Freud believed dogs had an innate ability to understand humans and their current emotional states, which made them a valuable asset to his work. His most significant dog, Jofi, was a Chow Chow. The American Kennel Club recognized Jofi as one of the most important female dogs in history.
Credentials and Qualifications
Dr. Emma Nowicki
I have taken continuing education on Animal Assisted Therapy and learned effective techniques for incorporating an animal in psychotherapy sessions.
Carlie
For general obedience training, Carlie completed individual training through The Dog Wizard and two group classes through the Capital Dog Training Club.
For the therapy dog assessment, Carlie is scheduled to take the Canine Good Citizen test in July 2026. She will also complete a Therapy Dog Handling Assessment and 3 Observations from an International Registry of Certified Therapy Dog Teams.
FAQs
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Carlie is a Toy Cavapoo, which is a combination of a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel and Toy Poodle. She is an F1b generation, which means she had one Cavapoo parent and one Poodle parent.
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Carlie is seven pounds.
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Yes, Carlie is a “hypoallergenic” dog since she has hair and not fur. Carlie is 75% Poodle and 25% Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. While Carlie is a hypoallergenic dog, there may still be a risk for allergic reactions. Please let Dr. Emma Nowicki know if you typically have allergies to animals.
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Carlie loves coming to work and seeing her patients. She develops a strong bonds with patients. She will usually sit on the couch next to patients, eager for pets or play with toys. She will sometimes nap in sessions and she can retreat to her bed.
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Emotional Support Animals (ESAs) have a one-to-one relationship with their owners and help them with their mental health. ESAs do not complete formal training and do not have public access rights.
Service Animals have a one-to-one relationship with their owners and help them with their physical health. Service Animals have completed rigorous formal training and have public access rights.
Therapy Dogs have many relationships with people other than their owners and assist their clients with their mental health. They are required to complete formal training.
