Dog therapy

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Image List:

• Image 1: At the UCI Child Development Center, a study is under way to see if pet therapy benefits children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Here, Jaden Mills, left, and Christopher Bibona, both 9, take turns reading a book to Cinder, a golden retriever.
• Image 2: As part of Sabrina Schuck's study, children with ADHD bond with pet therapy dogs. Here, Christopher Bibona, 9, plays catch with Schuck's golden retriever, Bristol.
• Image 3: During sessions in which children with ADHD develop social skills, they receive positive reinforcement for good behavior. Their reward? Fun face time with Sammi, an Australian shepherd, and other pet therapy dogs.
• Image 4: UCI grad student and CDC behavioral intervention instructor Maryam Abdullah "fist-bumps" a student for raising his hand and properly answering a question during the social skills session. Positive feedback is critical for children with ADHD.
• Image 5: Instead of being a distraction, pet therapy dogs improve the kids' ability to focus, Schuck says. Here, study participants Frankie Garcie, Dillon Sivcovich, Jaden Mills and Eric Silva, from left, join in high fives.
• Image 6: Mills listens attentively to Abdullah in hopes of earning coveted time with the dogs and more points for good behavior.
• Image 7: Eric Silva, 9, hugs Bristol during bonding time. Interaction with pet therapy dogs has a calming effect on the kids, who look forward to social skills sessions instead of dreading them, Schuck says.