Whippets As Therapy Dogs

[lewista]

Join our free community today.

Connect with other like-minded dog lovers!

Login or Register

First, thank you to the breeders who have been discussing whippets with us over email and thank you for referring us to the community here. We do not own a whippet yet but are very carefully considering getting one early next year.

Our question for the general community:

Do you have experience using your whippet(s) as a therapy dog? Specifically, do you visit homes and/or hospitals offering companionship and support to residents with your dog?

We have heard great things about whippet temperaments and are aware of whippets being used as therapy dogs in the US and are very interested in hearing people's experiences in the UK.

 

[Zephyr]

Yes, my Zephyr is a registered Pets as Therapy dog, and he used to regularly go to our local old people's home for cuddles, and to the primary school for talks on looking after your dog, and also to teach children how to behave around dogs. Whippets are such a good breed for a PAT dog as they are a nice size, very clean and don't shed too much, and gentle and loving too. :wub:

He is so well behaved and loves all the cuddles, and the children really love to see a few tricks at the end of a talk, especially when I taught him to skateboard! :lol: Unfortunately he has not been doing this so much recently due to intermittent lameness, but now he is better he will probably start again.

 

[muttz]

My whippet, Courthill Conspirator, is also a hospital visitor. Whippets make lovely therapy dogs and even though he can be as wild as a hawk at home and in all his other activities, racing and agility, he is so gentle and kind when on the wards with our elderly patients.

Good luck with getting your whippet. :luck:

 

[meddling]

Welcome to k9

My girl is just 14 months and regularly comes in to school with me, also spends a lot of time in Church, both involve meeting people in a controlled manner.

I intend to register has as a pat dog if at all possible, although I have no transport.

 

[joey]

Hello, Dallas one of my whippets was a PAT dog, the people we visited loved him as they used to take it in turns to walk him round the room on the lead he was soo gentle and never pulled..tho he did seem to spend a great deal of his time with his head in their bags rooting, and once the patients had made jewelery out of pasta...and all Dallas did was want to eat it

 

[doggy182]

I would like to do this with Poppy, our neighbours when I was little did it with their retrievers.

I think it is such a worthy thing to do and I bet the dogs love all the fuss!

 

[muttz]

They do and Poppy looks as if she would really adore all the fuss . She looks gorgeous. :luck:

 

[doggy182]

  They do and Poppy looks as if she would really adore all the fuss .  She looks gorgeous.  :luck:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Thanks, just checked out the website, loads of info and fact sheets.

Heres the link:

http://www.petsastherapy.org/

Pups have to be nine months old so might apply when Poppy is older and calmer! (w00t)

 

[lewista]

Thanks for the feedback everyone -- I appreciate the PMs as well.

 

[rubywhip]

Thanks for the feedback everyone -- I appreciate the PMs as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

​

Hi

I take my Whipets on a regular basis to visit the local OAP rest Home, they ae not registered pat dogs but they do love the attention they get from the residents,

they even had Xmas presents to the dogs from the residents

Heather

 

[Janimal]

Its so lovely to hear that whippets are also used as pat dogs, and put to such a brilliant use...its great.. :huggles:

I bet most whippets would love to do this... :thumbsup: