Dogs For Good

“"Cruz is my miracle, the definition of hope. He's literally my happy ending"”

“I would absolutely recommend partnering with Dogs for Good. We've been incredibly fortunate in Bristol in being able to work with them. It's allowed us to be able to bridge a gap in support to reach more people affected by dementia, it's attracted volunteers to us and enabled us to deliver a person-centred approach that focuses on what that individual would really benefit from with the added bonus of a dog being involved in the visit as well.”

“Having a dog as part of the service really can be the difference between somebody engaging and someone not engaging. We're trying to connect people to parts of themselves that will keep them motivated and active and bring a little bit of joy to their day.”

“Janet continues, "I never thought for one moment that my son would be able to finish school. Now he’s at college. None of this would have happened without Caddie."”

“"Looking back, Caddie’s presence kept us all calm, reducing our stress levels. In turn, that really helped me give the best support I could to Joel. He brought my son back to me in the most extraordinary way,"”

“"I'd never seen Joel smile before. The day Caddie joined our family, Joel agreed to go outside into the garden - something he’d refused to do for months - and played with Caddie with a ball. My husband Kevin broke down in tears when he saw it; we both knew Caddie was going to transform our lives,"”

“It’s been a wonderful partnership that has brought so much positivity to the people we work with. It’s wonderful to see how the dogs contribute to overcoming anxiety, as well as the resulting physical and mobility benefits.”

“He’s an amazing support and for me personally, I get so much joy from him. So much comfort. Everything I’ve learned in the Family Dog workshops have meant that I totally understand him. I can anticipate his needs, support him and make sure his life is fulfilled and safe. And in return, he gives me and my family all his unconditional love which brings untold comfort and joy and makes life far richer for us.”

“He’s fundamental to my children’s wellbeing,”

“I felt I had to go back and relearn everything from scratch. Yes, I’d done the workshops before but I was now a puppy mum and I needed to focus my learning differently.”

“My husband commented afterwards about how hopeful I was. I wanted to try out what I’d learned and I realised that now, I didn’t feel so alone. I had confidence and was looking through this wonderful window of hope.”

“Previously, new environments and people were too unpredictable for Amelie and she couldn’t contemplate going beyond the front door. But now Paddy is here, she provides a predictable presence and quiet, calm reassurance. Paddy is a ‘bridge’ for Amelie and she’s looking forward to things that weren’t really possible before. Amelie can see a little bit beyond her anxiety, into the world and start to access a future for herself.”

“Within an hour of Paddy arriving, I felt my anxiety start to decrease just watching them together. I caught myself starting to get excited about the possibilities and adventures to come.”