PAT Dog blog
Dandy with the ICU staff
Let me give you some paws for thought and introduce myself. My name is Dandy and I have a pawsitive effect on patients and staff as I am furtunate enough to be a therapy dog. I will be writing some blogs to talk about what I do and to share who I have recently seen and made smile.
I can come onto the wards at the hospital and say hi to the lovely patients. They can stroke me, sit with me and my job is to comfort them and make them feel happy – which is paw-some.
Chewsdays are my favourite day of the week because I get to go to the Intensive Care Unit to see the patients and my favourite staff who always give me treats!
I’m eight years-old and registered with the charity – Pets as Therapy.
This means, I’m really well behaved and able to visit hospitals, nursing homes, and schools.
I have a special jacket to prove it, which I must wear whenever I’m working.
Some people might think I look a bit scary as I belong to the Staffordshire Bull Terrier breed, (I have some Bull Mastiff in me too), but I’m a big softy and just love all the cuddles and attention people give me.
This is the case for most dogs like me, it’s just that some have to live with people who don’t really care about them and so they are taught to do bad things.
I’m one of lucky ones and so I know right from wrong.
I’ve been a registered PAT dog for three years now and I’m a regular visitor to Blackpool Victoria.
I love seeing people smile when they see me, especially when they tell I have cheered them up.
I once met a lady who had not stroked a dog for 40 years and she shed a little tear as she touched my coat.
It was a lovely experience and I hope to tell you about many more in my next #PATDogBlog.
Dandydog