PAT - How do your dogs respond?

[Eve]

My sister in law PAT dogs in Medway with her golden retrievers. She goes every Weds afternoon to an old people's home. They do not expect you to commit lots of hours as old person and very young people tire easily. I know my sil does 2 hours a week. Most of the time the goldens just lay on the bed so they old person goes to sleep stroking her.  She has 3 retrievers all qualified PAT dogs and rotates them.

Pets aren't allowed in homes so it is such a treat when they see the girls.

[goldblend90]

Harley is a registered PAT dog, and we go to a special needs school once a week, and a residential home once a month.  These times I agreed with the individual establishments, as to what hours suited Harley & me.

I find it extremely rewarding, to see how Harley can make people open up, be it young or old, and put a smile on their face.

As we have been at the special needs school for about 10 months now, Harley gets excited when I buzz the intercom to be let in the car park, (prior to him getting out of the car), and then we have to walk quickly to our allocated classrooms, as Harley has many fans within the school, who just want to say "Hello".

At the residential home, many residents suffer from Dementia, but having Harley there, although they cannot remember what happened last week, can chat away about past animals that they have had, so I think it "unlocks" them a little, and Harley just loves all the fussing, and occasional biscuits.

Jenny, Harley & Mayhem 

[Liz F]

 Coco loved going and used to bark her head off when we arrived so they all knew we had arrived   

If barking one's head off is allowed, I may register Ollie as well! 

Ditto 

[Joules]

 Coco loved going and used to bark her head off when we arrived so they all knew we had arrived   

If barking one's head off is allowed, I may register Ollie as well! 

Ditto 

Well, they didn't seem to mind - it woke everyone up! 

[leisl]

The Charity are happy for you to give as much or as little time as you can spare as a general rule.  We don't mind if you say you are going to go once a month, thats fine, what they don't want is people saying they will go once a week and then turn up one week in four. 

You will find often that that one hour stretches over time but even if it doesn't that one hour can make the world of difference to so many people.

[Emilyoliver]

Am looking forward to this.  Hope the application pack arrives soon...

[Joules]

Am looking forward to this.  Hope the application pack arrives soon...

I warn you, when I applied, they took bloomin ages to process it    It was worth it though 

[Emilyoliver]

Am looking forward to this.  Hope the application pack arrives soon...

I warn you, when I applied, they took bloomin ages to process it    It was worth it though 

First lesson in this will have to be patience then 

[Scarlett]

Can somebody explain the poor Greek what is the whole procedure from day 1 (training) to the license for PAT dogs in England?

thanks

[seaangler]

Hi ya Scarlett...If you type in training for pat dogs in google you will find all you need for training pat dogs...It is not cheap by all means for the one day cource...Yammas chris

[Scarlett]

Hi ya Scarlett...If you type in training for pat dogs in google you will find all you need for training pat dogs...It is not cheap by all means for the one day cource...Yammas chris

I will Christos! Thanks!!
So much wanted to make Scarlett a PAT, but I think in Greece the community uses only stray dogs...we have a lot of them unfortunatelly...but...that's not fair anyway

[seaangler]

Hi ya Scarlett...If you type in training for pat dogs in google you will find all you need for training pat dogs...It is not cheap by all means for the one day cource...Yammas chris

I will Christos! Thanks!!
So much wanted to make Scarlett a PAT, but I think in Greece the community uses only stray dogs...we have a lot of them unfortunatelly...but...that's not fair anyway

Yes i know and at the moment we are having to Deal with a fair few dogs that have been left behind by ex pats returning back to England as to the down turn of Greece in her economic decline(on the island of Corfu at the moment)....(and we are supose to be an island of animal lovers) 

[Scarlett]

Really???
Oh no!!!

[MollieMoo]

Mollie is 5 and has been a PAT dog for around 4 years.  We visit the local nursing home and she absolutely loves it.  When I first started I used to go once a week, and I found this a bit to repetitive for us and the I think the residents, so now we visit once a month and they really look forward to our visits.  Mollie is a part worker/part show cocker and is a very busy girl, she gets very excited when we arrive as she knows where she is (she knows what's happening when I put her PAT coat on at home )  She is constantly on the search for biscuits and crumbs on our visit, and it is very hard to stop the residents giving them to her even though she is supposed to be on a restricted diet  The one resident was throwing biscuits at me this week trying to get them to Mollie  I time my visits so I miss dinner time, but we always seem to meet the tea (and biscuit) trolley.

We usually schedule an hour visit with the Activities Co-ordinator who goes round the home with me, but if it takes longer we stay longer.  Mollie and I are usually quite tired by the time we've finished  

I wouldn't say that Mollie is the most sedate of cocker spaniels, but she knows how to work it, how to cosy up on the bed, sit at their feet or when I ask her to put her front paws up on the arms of the chairs so they can stroke her.  It really brightens up the residents day, and it also gives them something to talk about.  I also take my own treats for her, so if the mood takes us, we might do a few tricks for the residents

All the best for your application, it is very rewarding.

[mentalcat]

I have a retired PAT dog and i was an assessor for a number of years.

Isla, my Lab used to visit our local hospice every other week, for about 2 hours, but i always used to have a break for her after about an hour. She would get a drink and a game of ball and then be happy to go back inside. I always used to take my own treats and the patients were happy to 'treat' her with my own treats rather than biscuits.

It really is a rewarding thing to do as long as your dog is comfortable with it, and as far as my hospice visits went, it was as much for the staff and visitors, as for the patients themselves.  I had many people who were scared of dogs, but allowed Isla to come and 'visit' their beds because she was a special PAT dog, and i've sat and listened to many stories about patients dogs' that they had as a child etc.

Isla was always mentally quite tired afterwards, but after a quick walk or ball game was fine.

Best of luck!

Ali