In this case, the kid seemed to be enjoying the 'roughhousing' immensely and I don't think it was too rough. I do think that it seemed a bit more rough than normal because the dog was so big and the child so small. In general, therapy teams are told to err on the side of caution because we generally visit people who aren't as healthy and, due to liability reasons, we *must* be safe rather than sorry. Additionally, most (not all but most) therapy teams visit elderly people who are much more susceptible to small nicks, scratches, and bumps. It is imperative, thus, that we keep our dogs on a tight lead - literally. But I think because this child has known the dog for so long and is initiating the play, it's okay.

It all just depends on the dog, the facility, the organization, and, most importantly, the human