Date of Award

4-2026

Degree Type

Capstone Project

Degree Name

Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD)

Department

Occupational Therapy

First Advisor

Kristen VanNess

Second Advisor

Holly Grieves, OTD, OTRL

Abstract

This doctoral capstone focused on designing inclusive dog training opportunities in the community by integrating occupational therapy approaches to empower meaningful participation and increase carryover of skills into daily life. The project addressed a need for options that are supportive of dog owners (typically referred to as “handlers” in the dog training setting) who experience health and learning barriers impacting human-dog interactions and the ability to attend dog training classes in a group setting. Occupational Therapy’s role in adaptive recreation and use of occupation-based practice guided the development of a foundations-level accessible small group class, individual adaptive sessions, and educational workshops relating to this topic. Literature reflects physical, cognitive, and psychosocial benefits of the human-dog bond and social connections in group activities, however these benefits may be limited when diverse needs are overlooked. Addressing this gap aims to maximize the benefits, supportive of the daily routines involved in owning a dog and the skill-building opportunities in dog training activities.

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