Empowering Children to Overcome Fear of Dog

The Slovenian Society for Dog-Assisted Therapy Tacke pomagacke continued its promotional activities for the professional handbook on overcoming the fear of dogs, From Fear to Friendship.

The handbook was presented across various regions throughout Slovenia, thereby successfully concluding the nationwide promotion of both the program and the handbook. The publication attracted considerable interest from the general public and also generated notable interest among educational professionals.

 In May 2025, the first group of reference handlers successfully completed a dedicated training program designed to support activities aimed at reducing fear of dogs.

At the end of November 2025, the second group of volunteer therapy dog handlers also completed their training. The next training cycle is planned for spring 2026, after which the majority of the Association’s therapy dog handlers will be professionally qualified to conduct fear-reduction activities. All participants receive appropriate certificates upon successful completion of the training. The newly acquired knowledge has also proven highly valuable in the Society other programs, as it is common for each participating group to include at least one child who experiences discomfort or anxiety around dogs.

 We are extremely proud of the achievements reached during this period and sincerely grateful for all the support received, which we recognize as an important acknowledgment of the professional quality, relevance, and societal value of our work.