Kynotherapy is a method which increases the effectiveness of the development of one’s personality, as well as the effectiveness of their education and rehabilitation. This method is mainly based on properly selected and trained dog, directed by a well qualified kynotherapist.
There are a few forms of kynotherapy. One of them is Meeting with the Dog (SP) which is specially designed to create a positive relationship between participants and a dog. During the spontaneous and cheerful play (directed by the kynotherapist) the participants acclimate to having contact with the dog, by stroking it and issuing commands. The task of SP activity is to provide the participants with a positive emotions and satisfaction of being close to the dog. Moreover, they fight the fear of contacts with others, stimulate the development of their senses and boost their activity, not to mention letting themselves escape the reality.
The second form of activity is Education with the Dog (EP) which is based on facilitating the intellectual and cognitive sphere. As it is more sophisticated than the previous one, it demands a proper preparation, knowledge and skills beyond SP. Generally, EP activity takes place in kindergartens and schools. The dog takes active part in the meeting, it motivates the participants to learn and by creating friendly emotional atmosphere it increases the possibility of absorbing the knowledge. As e result, children memorize more eagerly the content connected with their new friend – the dog.
The last form is Theraphy with the Dog (TP) which is generally a set of exercises. These exercises are directed to a certain and planned goal of complex rehabilitation, based on a methodology elaborated in cooperation with a specialist, for instance an attending doctor, a rehabilitant or a psychologist. TP characterizes with the individual approach to each participant, to their abilities and needs. Moreover, TP is a system based on development, i.e., the dificulty of the exercises rises with the progress. The most beneficial form of TP is an individual activity or an activity in small groups.