AUSTIN—There are many reasons why dogs are man's best friend.

No matter what your health condition is, your canine companion can help guide you through recovery. Bailey is one of more than 70 therapy dogs at Divine Canines.

They visit several Central Texas locations regularly. One of the patients, Peggy Goulding, felt a special connection with Bailey because both of them have back injuries.

She said Bailey's positivity inspires her to stay optimistic.

"It just was a motivation to me on a daily basis. This may not be comfortable, this may not be easy but this is something that I can do. I would think back to Bailey and that gives me more motivation to move on,” said Goulding.

Aside from keeping patients company and assisting in physical therapy, these canines can also help boost morale among caregivers. Divine Canines teach dog owners how to train their pet to be therapy animals.