Pet Therapy

The Dog

Girl is a temperament-assessed pet and together we visit Delamere School monthly in order to enhance the health and wellbeing of the children. I strive to ensure that everyone, no matter their circumstances, has access to the companionship of an animal for therapy and wellness purposes.

Girl is a black Labrador Retriever. She is friendly and calm, healthy and well-groomed, and loves being fussed over. She is three years old and is up-to-date with her vaccinations including rabies, she is wormed and protected against fleas. Girl weighs 25kg.

In her spare time, Girl is a working stooge dog for Max Canine, helping to rehabilitate aggressive and frightened dogs. She is also a successful working gundog. Girl’s main job however is as a happy and well-loved family pet.

Pet Therapist 

I am Emily and I am Girl’s guardian and handler. We have lived and worked together for almost three years.

I spent 11 years as an Officer in the British Army, leaving at the rank of Major to pursue a full-time career in Dog Training and Behaviour.

I run Max Canine, helping people to help their dogs live a better life. I work 1-2-1 with my clients and their dogs at my HQ in Carrog, North Wales and in their own homes too. I also work once weekly consulting in the South Manchester area.

I have been conducting pet therapy visits with Girl, and my previous dog Max, for the past seven years and specialise in schools for children with special educational needs. I adore working with the children and enjoy seeing and reporting their progress each month. The most rewarding parts of my visit are seeing the children recognise Girl and witnessing their confidence growing.

I am DBS checked and fully insured.

In my spare time, I enjoy …. Who am I kidding, I have no spare time!

Our Aim

Our aim is to bring comfort and companionship to children who may feel isolated, confused and lonely away from home in a busy school environment. We aim to assist the children in improving their literacy skills and encourage confidence and concentration in the classroom. Our visits also help improve the mental health and wellbeing of all children and staff at the school.

Girl’s Training

As part of her training, Girl has gone through a rigorous testing procedure to ensure that she is suitable for therapy work in all environments. Below I have included part of her assessment:

Dogs need to be able to:

1. Walk on a relaxed lead, without excessive pulling and without the use of training aids.
2. Accept being stroked and handled and having their paws, tail and ears touched. Girl’s nails are trimmed short and maintained at all times.
3. Take a food treat gently without snatching. The children love to be able to give Girl a food treat. It is important that she does not snatch and cause fear/injury.
4. Respond appropriately to a sudden noise or disturbance in the room. Girl encounters lots of unexpected stimuli on her visits – she is not fearful of noise and recovers quickly from disturbance.
5. Demonstrate patience and relaxation whilst on the lead in the classroom. Much of Girl’s time in a calm manner whilst Emily works with the children. Girl is able to wait patiently under control at all times.
6. Demonstrate that she can be restricted in an emergency by holding her firmly by the body or collar. Girl needs to be able to accept restraint from me in case of an emergency at school or if I need to withdraw her quickly from a situation.
7. Present in a fit, clean and healthy condition. A fit, healthy dog can behave appropriately under demanding social and physical situations. A well-groomed and clean dog is a sign of a responsible pet owner too!

Our Programme Aims

• Supporting science targets
• Personal, Health and Social education
• Decrease EWB scores
• Rehabilitate fear with individual 1-2-1 short sessions
• Progress reading ability with individual 1-2-1 short sessions
• Encourage confidence/leadership when handling the dog on the lead
• Listening and responding to information and instructions
• Asking questions

Pet Therapy Sessions