Golden Retriever Poppy: The Newest Star at Parkview Special School ⭐
In the warm and supportive community of Parkview Special School in Lisburn, a new member has recently joined the team. Poppy, a Golden Retriever with a heart as golden as her fur, has been meticulously trained, assessed and accredited as a Therapy Dog. She is lovingly cared for by Colin Ward, the school's principal, who has also undergone extensive training to ensure Poppy’s wellbeing and the safety of everyone at the school.
✨Poppy’s Path to Accreditation
Poppy’s journey to becoming a Therapy Dog was both rigorous and thorough. Following some initial training, Poppy and Colin attended Lead and Learn Dog Training in Crumlin, where Lorraine, as a 'Trusted Trainer' with the esteemed organisation Therapy Dog Training UK, guided them through the process. Poppy first completed a temperament and suitability assessment, followed by advanced training that ultimately led to her certification.
✨Therapy dogs like Poppy can bring a wealth of benefits to a special school environment. They can significantly reduce anxiety and stress among students, offering a calming presence that eases emotional distress. For students with profound learning and physical disabilities, Poppy offers unique therapeutic advantages. Her gentle nature and calm presence help these students experience moments of connection and engagement that are crucial for their emotional and psychological development.
✨A Community Effort: The Role of the PTA
The introduction of Poppy to Parkview Special School would not have been possible without the incredible support of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association, Friends of Parkview. Recognising the profound impact a therapy dog could have, the group's fundraising covered the costs associated with Poppy’s training and accreditation.
This collective effort not only showcases the strong community spirit in Parkview but also highlights the dedication of parents and teachers to en
🐾 Exciting News! Wren is a beautiful (almost!) 18 month old Cocker Spaniel who is just weeks away from becoming a fully qualified Therapy Dog! 🐾
As Wren’s trainer, it’s been amazing to work with her and her owner, Deirdre O'Kane, a Psychotherapist from Ballymena who will soon have Wren by her side during therapy sessions. Wren and Deirdre have both been working hard for many months to meet the high standards required for this role and they are almost there!
In this video, you’ll see Wren in action during a training session at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park in Antrim. These environments are perfect for helping Wren get used to busy, real-world situations, ensuring she’s calm, focused and ready for anything.
Therapy dogs like Wren provide invaluable support to children and adults dealing with emotional and mental health challenges. Wren’s training has focused on making her a reliable, intuitive and soothing presence. Whether it’s easing anxiety, comforting someone in distress or simply being a gentle companion, Wren is almost ready to make a real difference!
I am so proud of how far Wren has come and can’t wait for her to officially join Deirdre in their important work together. Stay tuned for the big day! 🌟
ℹ️ If you'd like some information on training your dog to be a Therapy Dog, you can email me at: [email protected]
#TherapyDogInTraining #MentalHealthSupport #CockerSpaniel #DogTraining #AnimalAssistedTherapy #Psychotherapy #TherapyDogTraining #TherapyDog Therapy Dog Training UK
🐾 Meet Sally, the 7 month old Kerry Blue pup with a newfound focus! 🎉 When she started her training journey, distractions were her best friend. But look at her now! With heaps of perseverance and dedication from her amazing owner, Sally is making incredible progress. Here’s a sneak peek of them practicing their loose lead walking training in class. 🐶
Keep up the great work, Sally! 💪
#DogTraining #KerryBlue #PuppyProgress #DogTrainer #NorthernIreland #PuppyClass #PuppyTraining
🌟 Start Training Early for a Smooth Journey! 🌟
Meet Teddy! 🐾 This adorable boy is now an adolescent and has recently attended a lead walking class with his dedicated owner. While Teddy and his owner have done an amazing job in class, it’s a great reminder of the importance of starting training early.
Training a puppy is much easier and sets the foundation for better behaviour as they grow. Puppies are like sponges, soaking up new skills quickly. However, training an older dog, like Teddy, requires more time, patience, and perseverance.
Starting early can make your training journey smoother and more enjoyable for both you and your furry friend.
Big shoutout to Teddy and his owner for their hard work and progress! Keep it up! 🐕👏
NEXT PUPPY FOUNDATIONS CLASS STARTS TUESDAY 28th MAY 😊
#DogTraining #PuppyTraining #EarlyStart #LeadWalking #AdolescentDogs #TrainingJourney #DogTrainer
Congrats to puppies Spencer, Sally and Charlie on completing their Puppy Foundations training class! Great to see these little guys improving week on week. Looking forward to seeing you all again at the Follow-On class soon!
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#dogtrainer #puppyclass #puppytraining #dogtraining #crumlin #glenavy #Antrim #lisburn #Moira #Belfast #northernireland
It was only 4 degrees but the sun was shining so we had our last puppy class outside!
Lovely to see how the pups have progressed!
Well done everyone!
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#puppyclass #dogtraining #puppytraining #crumlin #glenavy #antrim #lisburn
What a fantastic day at the "BARKET" at The Junction Retail and Leisure Park today! It was great to see such an amazing turnout. I was delighted to chat to so many past and present clients - I loved all the updates! Thank you to everyone who came over to get some dog training advice or information about Therapy Dog training.
The video below is just a tiny snippet of the dogs that were there, see if you can spot yours!!
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#dogtrainer #dogtraining #puppytraining #puppyclass #therapydog #therapydogtraining #antrim #northernireland
Happy Christmas from Lead and Learn Dog Training and our merry pups- Pippa, Croía, Ruby, Stan and Penny! 🌲☃️❄️
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#puppytraining #dogtraining #puppyclass #northernireland
10 seconds of cute puppies learning new skills 🥰
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#puppyclass #puppyschool #dogtraining #dogtrainer #puppytraining #northernireland
Congratulations to these little guys who have just completed the Puppy Foundations Course!
Well done everyone and I hope to see you all again in the new year! 🥰
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#puppytraining #puppyclass #dogtraining #dogtrainer #northernireland
Congratulations to these little guys who have just completed the Puppy Foundations Course!
Well done everyone and I hope to see you all again in the new year! 🥰
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#puppytraining #puppyclass #dogtraining #dogtrainer #northernireland
Is your dog bored, a little crazy, or maybe you just want your dog to have some indoor fun on a rainy day!
Here's a quick easy and cheap way to give your dog something to do that is fun and mentally stimulating!
Happy dog = Happy owner! 😁🐶
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#domorewithyourdog #happydog #canineenrichement #mentalstimulationfordogs #boreddog #boredombuster #havefunwithyourdog #dogfood #dogtraining #dogtrainer #northernireland @everyone
Spotlight on HONEY 🍯🐶
This 4 and a half month old Honey who has just completed a five week puppy class. She's a fabulous wee pup and absolutely smashed it at class due the commitment from her lovely family who worked hard at class AND at home on her training. Well done guys!
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#puppyclass #puppytraining #puppyschool #dogtraining #dogtrainer #northernireland #dogsofnorthernireland #dogsofni #nidogs
#crumlin #Antrim #glenavy #lisburn #belfast
These little guys are only a few months old and have already learnt so much!
In their last class they were learning to "Target the Hand".
Why teach this? It's great for adding to the end of your Recall, to distract a reactive dog, to improve loose lead walking and LOTS more!
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#puppytraining #puppyclass #puppyschool #dogtraining #dogtrainer #handtarget #crumlin #glenavy #antrim #northernireland
This video might not look like much is going on but these guys have been working hard on getting their big, excitable, bouncy dogs to just simply "chill".
Our latest training session was at Crumlin Glen around many (normally difficult) distractions including squirrels, birds, rowdy teenagers, other dogs and even a motorbike!
And l👀k - they did it! 😁
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#rewardbasedtraining #dogtraining #dogtrainer #irishsetter #standardpoodle #crumlin #glenavy #antrim #northernireland #crumlinglen
