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Pat Dogs - Anyone Know One?

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HopeRosie

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Ive had my Rosie (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) for nine years and it was always my intention that she would be a PAT dog as well. www.petsastherapy.org This is where the dogs and their owners go and visit nursing homes or children's wards and the dogs can be stroked or talked to or just put a wet nose on a knee. This was all because I saw how much my grandad in a nursing home really sparkled when the PAT dog came into his room. The PAT dogs have to pass a strict assessment and have to be at least nine months old.

However I had a stroke after I had my youngest son (hes now 6) (I was 29) and my marriage got progressively more violent until I left in jan of last year - so the time was never right for PAT dog time and to be honest it was me that needed my dog Rosie - weve been through so much. Shes now nine and in heart failure (although currently shes got a good quality of life) which is why we are looking to get a whippet puppy. My life is now settled with the children 200 miles from my ex and we have a lovely house and things are 8) . I would really like our new pup to eventually become a PAT dog - Ive already spoken to the local training group - they also do agility and all the Citizens awards etc so we will be going to them for sure and obviously socialisation and all different experiences for the pup are crucial.

Has anyone got any experience of PAT dogs - know one? or know any sighthounds that do it? Just interested in your experiences.
 
HopeRosie said:
Ive had my Rosie (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) for nine years and it was always my intention that she would be a PAT dog as well.  www.petsastherapy.org This is where the dogs and their owners go and visit nursing homes or children's wards and the dogs can be stroked or talked to or just put a wet nose on a knee.  This was all because I saw how much my grandad in a nursing home really sparkled when the PAT dog came into his room. The PAT dogs have to pass a strict assessment and have to be at least nine months old.
However I had a stroke after I had my youngest son (hes now 6) (I was 29) and my marriage got progressively more violent until I left in jan of last year - so the time was never right for PAT dog time and to be honest it was me that needed my dog Rosie - weve been through so much.  Shes now nine and in heart failure (although currently shes got a good quality of life) which is why we are looking to get a whippet puppy.  My life is now settled with the children 200 miles from my ex and we have a lovely house and things are  8) .  I would really like our new pup to eventually become a PAT dog - Ive already spoken to the local training group - they also do agility and all the Citizens awards etc so we will be going to them for sure and obviously socialisation and all different experiences for the pup are crucial.

Has anyone got any experience of PAT dogs - know one? or know any sighthounds that do it?  Just interested in your experiences.

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I used to take my doggy down to the old folks home, they loved it not been for a while shame on me, i see you are in Nantwich 20 mins from me im there at least 2 days a week nice olde world place yes, come say hello if you see me im a friendly owd git, lol jp or is it jay p lives there you met her yet.

good luck with your life
 
I'm sure I have seen a picture of one of our K9'ers as a Pat Dog, I'm wondering if it was Zephyr but I haven't got time to search at the minute so I'll have a look for you later, when I get to work. I think they would make lovely Pat Dogs although I can just imagine one of mine wanting to jump up and sit behind all the elderly people.

Jenny
 
Hi my college tutors have PAT dogs, two of them are black labs and one a german shepherd. They really r big cuddle monsters!! also i used to work in an old peoples home and they loved it when my friend used to bring her collie in. It really is a good idea i feel.

P.s we used to have an cavalier king charles spaniel Frisk, or High Head Frisko Kid was his sunday name. they are lovely lil dogs he lived til he was 18
 
:huggles: Hi there. I have a beautiful whippet boy bred by Patsy and Roger, Courthill Conspirator (Taig). I work in a Care of the Elderly hospital and Taig comes to work with me every day. He goes onto the wards and into the Day Hospital where he never fails to amaze me with his gentleness and seemingly understanding of the failings of the elderly patients (he is an absolute live-wire at home) but so calm and gentle in the hospital. The patients and staff love him to bits and having a dog's head to stroke does make such a difference to patients, who will re-live their own doggy experiences with you.

Whippets make great PAT dogs so go for it and I wish you lots of luck. :luck:
 
A lady I used to know had two retired racing greyhounds that were very good PAT dogs.Her first, went to her as a stray and was just so gentle with everyone from small children to the elderly dementia patients she used to visit. Her second was a young dog that wouldnt race (turned out to have sight problems). She took a bit of settling down but once she knew where she had to be calm and when she could be giddy she was brilliant too!!!

Tina
 
8) 8) Thanks for all that info - Ive decided that its definatley something Im going to do - Ive spent enough time in hospital myself and would have loved my dog (or anyone elses) to come and visit. My grandad used to have a dog and when a PAT dog came to visit him it was the highlight of his week - at least I know that Whippets are 'out there' helping already.
 
i have been asked by my vets to consider my italians , blue and sophie ( who is currently very unwell) to be pat dogs as was my whippet lurcher and im sure my whippet jessie would be very good at it too, sadly i didnt have enough time to do as much as i could have but my mum used to own and old peoples home for those with dementia and we always had a whippet there and yes they do seem to know and are always perfect around them :)
 
I know a woman who shows foxhounds and I think at least one of them is a PAT dog
 
My late Shih Tzu was a PAT dog and all the old people I took her to see loved her! I was a District Nurse at the time, and Mei used to go and do her rounds of a couple of Homes while I was there treating various patients! She always knew who had choc biccies and sweeties!!

My old whippet would make a lovely PAT dog as she is very gentle, but 5 year old Polly still loves to jump up at people and is a bit too excitable I think. My friend's late exracing greyhound was also very good at pat dog work - very gentle.

My only complaint was that we had to pay an annual fee for our dogs to be PAT dogs -but that might have changed, as it is about 14 years since I was able to take Mei with me, before I had to take ill health retirement myself.

Good luck finding a suitable dog. I think Cavaliers would be perfect! You'd need to get a calm whippet and then it would be good too.
 
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