When therapy dogs help humans, where does love end and burden begin? In the new episode of the series Sometimes at Eight, Sasha Riess talks with Svetozar Stevin, founder of the organization Friendly Paw, about the role of therapy dogs in people’s lives and their wellbeing. The full video conversation is available below, and here are the key points and messages from this open and sincere discussion.
How Therapy Dogs Help Children and the Community
Svetozar Stevin, a physiotherapist and occupational therapist by profession, has worked for years with both typically developing children and those with developmental challenges. As he explains, his love for dogs merged naturally with his professional calling.
“Even during my studies, I tried to combine working with children and my love for dogs. That was when I first heard about therapy dogs and guide dogs for the blind. I began learning, connecting with professionals abroad, because at that time, there was almost nothing like that in our country.”
Together with veterinarian and behaviorist Dunja Kovac, Svetozar formed the first team in Serbia focused on including dogs in work with children, both in individual and group settings. As he says, the goal is not only to provide support for children but also to educate the community about what dogs truly are and what their real needs are.
The Legal Status of Therapy Dogs in Serbia
One of the key topics discussed was the lack of legal regulation regarding the status of therapy dogs in Serbia. “In our legal system, the terms rehabilitation dogs and therapy dogs appear, but nowhere is it precisely defined what they are allowed to do, under which conditions, and who is qualified to train them.“
Unlike in countries such as Croatia, where therapy dogs can freely enter hospitals, in Serbia this work is still mostly limited to kindergartens. Since 2017, Friendly Paw has succeeded in introducing therapy dog programs into public kindergartens in Novi Sad, where children learn about dogs, emotions, and empathy.
When Therapy Dogs Absorb Human Emotions
Later in the conversation, Sasha Riess raises a rarely discussed question: do dogs actually suffer because they are placed in service to humans? “Are dogs truly serving humans, or have they become victims of that service? When a dog takes on our emotions, stress, and trauma, what is the cost to its health?”
Sasha adds that many people forget the physiological side of the story. Hormones, cortisol, stress, the sympathetic nervous system — all of these affect the dog just as they affect humans. Therapy dogs must often be sterilized to minimize hormonal imbalance and prevent stress responses. This highlights the importance of canine emotional labor, where the dog’s well-being must be the priority.
Therapy dogs help people in hospitals and schools every day.
How Education Supports Therapy Dogs and Their Handlers
“If we want to evolve in anything, we have to start with ourselves,“says Svetozar. He emphasizes that every interaction with a dog carries the potential for learning but also the responsibility of self-reflection. Through a decade of work, he has often faced situations that reminded him that every encounter requires presence, attention, and continuous growth.
A Dog in Service to Humans – Choice or Destiny
The conversation also touches on the philosophical side of the human-dog relationship. Svetozar shares an example of a street dog from his neighborhood who voluntarily follows children to school. “He has his own mission. He chose to care.”
Sasha Riess adds that dogs, unlike humans, never lose connection with their nature. “Humans are the only species that can create an environment in which they themselves cannot survive. A dog, no matter how much it serves, always knows where it belongs.”
Open Questions That Remain
The conversation ends with many questions left to resonate:
Is a therapy dog a helper or a victim?
Can love justify the stress a dog absorbs?
Where is the line between helping and exploiting?
“These are topics that cannot be exhausted,“ concludes Svetozar. This episode opens the eyes of dog owners, parents, and educators to the reality of canine emotional labor and the science behind the service.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that true therapy starts with respecting the dog’s autonomy. When we protect their peace, they can truly heal us. Explore the ethics of connection: Linktree Sasha Riess
Teeth cleaning in dogs is a far more complex issue than it seems at first glance. Everything depends on why the dog has dental problems. In most cases, the issue is dental plaque, but it’s important to understand that bacteria in this process are a secondary occurrence.
Understanding the Cause, Not Just the Symptom
Dental plaque itself is a normal phenomenon. The problem begins when calcification and mineralization of the plaque occur, a process that would not happen if the thyroid gland were functioning properly.
When that function weakens, minerals begin to “wander” through the system, depositing themselves and creating the foundation for tartar buildup. That’s why teeth cleaning in dogs is often only a symptomatic solution. Ultrasound treatments and toothpastes can help temporarily, but the problem returns quickly because the underlying cause remains unresolved.
How Tartar Forms: The Mineral Process
The process begins with calcification and mineralization of plaque. The first colony of bacteria adheres to these minerals, followed by an entire microbiological community attaching itself to the surface. The result is:
Unpleasant odor
Tissue decay
Formation of a solid tartar layer
The only real solution is to prevent excess mineral accumulation, which depends on maintaining healthy thyroid function within the human dog relationship.
The Connection Between Stress and Tartar
The thyroid gland is directly connected to the adrenal glands and to the levels of adrenaline and cortisol in the blood. When a dog is anxious and lives under constant stress, adrenal activity increases while the thyroid weakens. This leads to an overall imbalance, including dental problems.
Peace and a stable relationship reduce the risk of dental problems
Chronic stress can even cause the formation of small nodules on the parathyroid glands. That’s why resolving teeth cleaning in dogs is directly related to communication and a sense of safety within the home.
The Real Solution: Peace and Balance
A dog that lives in peace, with a stable relationship and clear boundaries, has a much lower chance of developing chronic dental issues. The true answer doesn’t lie in ultrasonic cleaning but in understanding the cause—from hormones to the dog’s emotional state.
The teeth are a mirror of a dog’s inner balance, just as our smile reflects our own health and peace.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we look beyond the surface. A healthy smile starts with a balanced soul and a stable thyroid. Explore our philosophy of harmony: Linktree Sasha Riess
Spaying and neutering dogs were considered for decades a routine and almost mandatory practice of responsible ownership. However, modern veterinary science and new research are now questioning this approach, pointing to serious long-term health consequences for dogs and cats.
How the Professional View on Spaying and Neutering Has Changed
For many years, it was believed that the ideal time to neuter a dog was around the second year of life, after growth and development were completed. Yet, long-term experience in working with dogs, monitoring behavior and health issues, and reviewing scientific studies have shown that routine spaying and neutering dogs is not a universal solution.
Today, there is a growing emphasis that these procedures should be viewed exclusively as a therapeutic model, not as a preventive measure applied without individual assessment.
WSAVA Changes Recommendations: Spaying Only When There Is a Medical Reason
The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) has officially changed its recommendations regarding spaying and neutering dogs. In an executive summary published in 2024, it states that due to increasing evidence of harmful health effects of traditional gonadectomy, responsible owners are encouraged to leave dogs and cats intact unless there is a clear medical reason.
Special attention is drawn to the increased risk of:
Malignant diseases
Joint and skeletal disorders
Hormonal imbalance
Metabolic problems
WSAVA emphasizes that spaying and neutering dogs younger than six months is not recommended, as it significantly increases the risk of long-term health consequences within the human dog relationship.
When Spaying and Neutering Dogs Is Justified
According to modern guidelines, these procedures have justification:
In cases of malignant diseases of the reproductive system.
When there is a clear therapeutic reason.
In special circumstances such as shelters, with the use of alternative methods that carry lower health risks.
WSAVA changes its position on routine gonadectomy.
WSAVA also points out that although population control is important, it is not clear whether mass low-cost sterilization programs have truly reduced the number of abandoned animals, nor whether TNR programs bring long-term results.
Responsible Ownership Means an Individual Decision
Spaying and neutering dogs are not a question of morality but of medicine. A modern approach requires individual assessment of each dog, its health, environment, and real risks. Routine decisions without analysis are no longer in line with current science.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we advocate for decisions based on biology and individual needs. Respecting the dog’s hormonal integrity is a key part of the Order of Harmony. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
In the modern world of dog care, we increasingly see how good intentions can easily slide in the wrong direction. We have more information and products than ever, yet we are exposed to a greater risk of viewing dogs through a human lens. One question that appears every winter is whether dressing dogs in jackets or boots is a necessity or another example of anthropomorphism.
Thermoregulation: How Dogs Actually Experience Cold
To speak about this responsibly, we must distinguish between appropriate support and human projection. Dogs have a fundamentally different thermoregulation system. While humans rely on sweat glands, dogs regulate temperature primarily through breathing, panting, and the complex interaction of skin and coat.
All dogs have an undercoat, a natural thermal insulation system. Fur is not a passive “coat”; it creates an air layer that protects the dog from both cold and overheating. When dressing dogs without understanding this, we risk disrupting the very system that naturally protects them.
Adaptability: The Dog as a Being of Inner Resources
The dog is one of the most adaptable animals. Its strength lies in using its own inner resources to adjust to the present moment. A dog uses neuroplasticity to optimize functioning in a specific environment. A human often says, “I am cold, so my dog must be cold,” but the dog does not interpret clothing as love. It experiences it through restricted movement, trapped moisture, or overheating.
Paws are a highly specialized structure, not bare feet.
Why Paws and Boots Are a Special Challenge
A particularly important aspect of the human dog relationship involves the paw pads. They are not “bare feet” but highly specialized anatomical structures that participate in thermoregulation, stability, and body awareness.
Pads are programmed to adapt to terrain. When we interrupt this process with boots or excessive creams, we change the biomechanical model of movement. This can influence joint alignment and weight distribution, creating patterns that resemble hip dysplasia or heel-related problems.
When Is Support for Dogs Justified?
This does not mean that dressing dogs is never justified. There are specific situations where protection is a choice based on knowledge, not subjective feeling:
Older dogs with reduced mobility.
Dogs with chronic illness.
Dogs with compromised or diseased coats.
Life with a Dog Is a Relationship, Not Fashion
Before deciding on clothing, it is essential to understand canine physiology and the nervous system. Many products exist because they are commercially profitable, not because they are necessary.
Life with a dog is not a matter of fashion, but of relationship and respect for natural adaptability. When we step away from anthropomorphism, we open space for genuine care and harmonious living within the human dog relationship.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we prioritize the dog’s natural biological functions over human trends. Respecting the coat and the paws is the first step toward true harmony. Explore our approach: Linktree Sasha Riess
Red tears in dogs often confuse owners and cause concern, but behind them lies a complex process within the human dog relationship. These stains are not just an aesthetic issue; they are a biological signal that something in the dog’s body is shifting due to stress or diet.
Physiological and emotional causes of red tears in dogs
„Red tears are a metabolic process,“ explains Sasha Riess. „You can see it in the tears, saliva, and sweat glands.“
A dog’s body temperature is naturally higher than a human’s, around 38°C. Because of this, the warm, moist areas of the face become an ideal environment for bacteria to flourish. These bacteria, reacting with porphyrins in the fluid, produce the characteristic reddish-brown color.
Red tears are therefore a triad of:
Bacterial imbalance
Disrupted pH levels
Emotional stress
How the human dog relationship impacts tear staining
Dogs are sentient beings that react deeply to the feelings of their owners. If you notice your dog withdrawing or showing restlessness alongside red tears, you may be looking at an emotional reaction. In the human dog relationship, dogs often act as emotional sponges.
Sasha Riess advises: „Check how attached the dog is to you and whether there is any other behavior that shows tension. Dogs are emotional animals and can respond to your own emotional processes.“
Pay attention to environmental shifts:
Has a family member left the household?
Has the daily routine changed significantly?
Is the dog experiencing separation anxiety?
Natural solutions for red tears in dogs
An imbalance in the microbiome often manifests through the eyes. If the pH level of the tears is off, bacteria grow more easily. To restore balance:
Adjust or change the dog’s food: Move toward more natural, less processed options.
Introduce probiotics: Support the gut-eye axis.
Maintain hygiene: Keep the area dry to discourage bacterial growth.
„First, resolve the physiological part. Change the food and add a probiotic,“ says Sasha. „And at the same time, reduce the dog’s exposure to stress.“
Restoring balance in your shared life with your dog
Chronic stress triggers higher levels of cortisol, which weakens the immune system and disrupts the microbiome. When the human dog relationship is strained or the environment is chaotic, bacteria grow faster.
Closeness and calm communication help a dog release stress and reduce the appearance of red tears.
How to Help Your Dog
Helping a dog with red tears involves a two-step approach of understanding and action. Addressing the issue gradually through diet, hygiene, and stress reduction is key. Consider keeping a small diary to track when the tears appear—after which meals or emotional events? This makes the root cause easier to identify.
Caring for both the emotional and physiological balance is the best way to prevent red tears. Dogs are mirrors of our emotions. If we learn to read their tears, we might learn something about ourselves as well.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that precision in nutrition is a reflection of our care. When we measure with love, we feed the soul. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
Parvovirus in dogs is a disease that is rarely discussed openly, even though it is extremely dangerous and can have fatal consequences. From personal experience and conversations with dog owners, I have learned that vaccination does not always mean complete protection. I want to share my understanding because I believe every dog owner should be aware of the full scope of prevention within the human dog relationship.
Vaccination and Parvovirus: Where the Problem Begins
“My dog was vaccinated three times and still died from parvovirus.”
At first glance, this sounds impossible. Yet, it is not an isolated case. I have heard similar stories from many owners, including my own students. One of the reasons is that viruses such as canine parvovirus and coronavirus can evolve over time, while vaccines are developed based on known strains.While vaccination significantly reduces risk, it is not an absolute guarantee. A dog may receive all required doses yet still become ill if multiple factors weaken the body’s ability to respond.
Why Vaccine Quality and Timing Matter
A vaccine may still be within its expiration date, but that does not always mean it reflects the most recent formulation. Veterinary vaccines are periodically updated to improve coverage. This is why, in a conscious human dog relationship, it is important for owners to ask veterinarians about the specific protocol and the „freshness“ of the strain coverage, rather than relying solely on a date in a passport.
The same principle applies to parasite prevention. Preparations suited to current conditions and used correctly provide much better overall protection.
The Role of the Immune System: Protection Beyond Vaccination
Even the most up-to-date vaccine cannot replace a strong immune system. Dogs with resilient immunity cope better with viral exposure. In practice, this means that a dog’s lifestyle is the true foundation of the human dog relationship:
Nutritionally balanced and appropriate diet.
Regular physical activity.
Minimal chronic stress.
Routine veterinary monitoring.
A dog living in a stable, healthy, and active environment develops a stronger physiological response. Such an organism is better equipped to recognize and respond to pathogens, even when external protection is not perfect.
A healthy lifestyle strengthens a dog’s natural immunity.
Why Vaccination Alone Is Not Enough
Modern veterinary care often places a strong emphasis on vaccination, which is essential and should never be dismissed. However, vaccination alone is not sufficient. Without a supportive immune system and attentive daily care, a dog remains vulnerable. True prevention is a combination of factors: vaccination, immune resilience, and quality of life must work together.
A Message to Dog Owners
Do not rely solely on the vaccination calendar. Speak openly with your veterinarian about protocols and your dog’s overall health. Invest daily in your dog’s wellbeing through nutrition, movement, and emotional stability. Only through this integrated approach can we offer dogs the life and protection they truly deserve within the human dog relationship.
At Integrative and Holistic Grooming Education, we believe that precision in nutrition is a reflection of our care. When we measure with love, we feed the soul. Explore our philosophy: Linktree Sasha Riess
