We Want To Use Our Dogs For Pet Therapy But Dont Want Any Connection With The P.a.t (Pets As Therapy)Dogs Organisation

[RATTER15]

We dont particularly like the PAT dogs association so we dont want to be associated with them but we do want an accreditation to prove our dogs are safe and suitable to take them into Care homes and hospitals and private homes etc.

Does anybody know of an organisation other than PAT dogs that could test and issue a certificate of soundness or similar?

[echokilo]

What about the Kennel Club Good Citizen scheme? http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/dogtraining

[mazie]

Is this any good RATTER. I haven't read through it all. Good luck with your quest, it's a great idea

http://dogs.about.com/od/workingdogs/p/therapy_dogs.htm

[woofgang]

Its not just the accreditation Ratter, you need insurance cover as well.

[woofgang]

mazie that looks as though its only in america.

[mazie]

Whoops so it is woof.....I must pay more attention

[RATTER15]

Mazie, I think that is an American site, but thanks.

echokilo, We have a bronze in that scheme already, we are considering taking it further to do the gold but unsure if it would be enough for what we want, it certainly wont do us any harm to go for it.

[B00]

Out of curiosity, what's wrong with PAT?

[RATTER15]

Yes Woofgang, we are looking into the insurance but that will also hinge on an accreditation for the dog I imagine.

[RATTER15]

Boo, we know people who do the PAT dogs and even they don't like them, they are over strict and limit the dogs too much, you have to pay to join them and pay your own insurance and then you are strictly governed where you go and who you visit. Also they don't actually do therapy apart from just sitting beside a patient, it is then barely allowed to move.

That really is not what we want.

[woofgang]

these folk might be able to advise

http://www.puppygurus.co.uk/dhk/our-school-dogs.php

[RATTER15]

Thanks Woofgang, we will contact them to see if they can help, they are certainly more in line with our aims ans objectives. We just need to be independent of them once our dogs are accredited.

[echokilo]

I think I would just approach some local hospices / eldery care centres etc direct and try to arrange something ..... I have a friend who works with the elderly and regularly takes her dogs and (believe it or not) a donkey to visit them.

[jules77]

Perhaps speak to a few more people on the PAT scheme, as from experience, what you have been told about them being strict etc is not true.

As it is a charity, I would think it would only be fair to pay your own insurance?

[ummmm]

I hope you find a way, Ratter. There was a little dog in my granddads home that just wondered about. She brightened so many people.

[RATTER15]

Jules, I accept that PAT is a charity, I will be providing my own charitable service so I don't feel any need to be paying them, I have heard too much about them to give them a penny (maybe just this area, I don't know) either way, they don't do therapy as such, as I said earlier,We have our own agenda to tie in with our own future plans to set up a therapy centre using many different animals. To do this we need to learn about the whole planning procedure and training and different types of therapy for different people.

[RATTER15]

Ummmm, we have always taken our dogs in to care homes and yes the residents faces just light up but also when walking our three great hounds through town we have often been approached by parents with disabled children wanting to stroke or dogs, the dogs love this as we do, the dogs sense a vulnerability with these children and become very slow and very gentle with them. We see just how much these children get out of it and the look on their faces and as I work in the field of mental health this just seems almost like a natural progression. Carakeel also wants to do this kind of work with me as she is also disabled and lost a Son through brain cancer, she also feels the desire to help others with this kind of work.

[woofgang]

Ratter i am not suggesting that your hounds become steeds, but maybe talking to organisations like riding for the disabled might give you an insight into the management and planning processes?

[RATTER15]

Good idea woofgang, we have such a place nearby actually. Thanks.