our publications

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In order to develop extensions to the SPIRIT and CONSORT statements, we have conducted a systematic review to identify shortcomings in the design and reporting of dog-assisted intervention RCTs. This review also aimed to determine the effectiveness of mental health-focused dog-assisted interventions for populations with mental health and neurodevelopmental conditions. While we found that dog-assisted interventions may be promising for improving mental health and behavioural outcomes, particularly for conditions requiring social support, there remains significant room for improvement in relation to the design and reporting of these RCTs, highlighting the need to develop dog-assisted specific SPIRIT and CONSORT extensions. 

The systematic review is available to read open access here! 

We conducted an online survey with 31 dog-assisted intervention (DAI) providers across England to explore how these services are structured, delivered, and implemented in practice. Findings showed that DAIs are widespread, reaching over 7,600 institutions, particularly in mental health, education, and NHS settings. Sessions were primarily individual, often weekly, and typically lasted 30–60 minutes, but significantly in structure and use of therapeutic goals. While all providers used temperament assessments to select dogs, only about half of handlers had formal training, and dog welfare monitoring relied primarily on informal observation. Key challenges included limited access to suitable spaces, infection control concerns, and difficulty matching dogs to service users. The study highlights the need for greater standardisation in handler training, session structure, and dog welfare practices to ensure DAIs are delivered safely, consistently, and effectively.

The survey is available to read open access here!