Cart Push

Intervention Summary

Goals: Gait training
Patient task: Patient pushes cart around gym or hallway
Dog task: Facility dog sits on cart
Scale: Resistance, Walking direction, Memory task
Equipment needed: Rolling cart

---

Intervention Overview

Treat your facility dog like the king or queen they are! Your dog will lay on a rolling cart while your patient pushes them around the gym or hallway. This is a great way to simulate grocery shopping!

Patient Instructions

• Patients holds onto handles of rolling cart

• Patient pushes cart around the gym or hallway

Dog’s Role

• Patient laying down on top of rolling cart

• Interaction level: passive

Scaling

Make it easier:

• Assist patient with navigating cart

Make it harder:

• Add additional weights to the cart (like a heavy Costco trip!)

• Add weights to patient’s legs or theraband around patient’s waist for posterior resistance

• Change walking direction (forward, backward, turning) or speed (fast, slow)

• Cognitive memory task: give patient list of items around the gym to retrieve like a grocery list

Additional Notes

• Equipment: Rolling cart