Dogs

[sonia owen]

Hi All,

Lovely peice in yesterdays Sunday Mail, about training dogs for people with Dementia, what a great idea. When I see my Mum with my dog, . She has never been a dog lover, but the compleat change in her. If she has not said much to me, when she see's Ash she is compleatly different.

Have a nice week. Love all the super pictures that you all put on here, thanks.
Love Sonia xxxx

 

[turbo]

Hello Sonia, we have a springer spaniel (and a labrador). When my mum was still able to visit and we took the dogs for a walk it was amazing how our spaniel would walk slowly when mum was holding the lead. He seemed to know that he had to be calm (very difficult for a spaniel).

turbo

 

[Jancis]

Guide dogs for the mind

Thanks Sonia, I found the article, here is the link http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...vers-trained-dementia-sufferers-new-life.html

There is another link to a website called dementiadog which is very interesting too. http://www.dementiadog.org/dementiadog.org/Home.html

My uncle had dogs all his life but cannot have one in his nursing home. He has a toy spaniel which he always carries everywhere - and I mean everywhere. Bless him.

 

[Butter]

we have an old border collie who gets very upset with my husband. I don't know if she knows he is ill or if she picks up my anxiety about him. And our son has just got me a spaniel puppy - much against my better judgement but I'm trying to accept it in the spirit in which it was given. My husband cannot manage it. It flusters him. He gets cross with it for no reason. But they have happy times sleeping together in the livingroom ... and the puppy is well adjusted and confident. I think this may be a good opportunity to observe the benefits (and the opposite) of dogs and cognitive decline. If I can manage the menage, that is.

 

[larivy]

I got a westie puppy 6months before mum died mum loved him she would laugh at all the antics he got into although only a puppy he would walk nicely when we were out with the wheelchair and learnt that if I was walking mum he would have to wait and walk behind us
On my visit to nellbelles last week there was soon a bond between him and Tom
He has been my life saver I think dogs sense a lot more then we do and except everyone I know he made mum laugh a lot and kept her attention longer then I could
Larivy

 

[Jo1958]

Meet Dennis, he's the perfect pet, no walking or feeding but lovely company and hubby loves him sitting beside his chair as he's always there for some comfort.

 

[sonia owen]

Loving all your stories, all so positive. Jo yours looks so sweet and cuddly, every home should have one along with Teddies.
I love it when my dog gives me a lick kisses.
Sonia xxx

 

[tre]

At the Day Hospital David attends they have a Pets As Therapy dog called Alfie. He is a Lassie type dog and David took to him immediately even when he was at his most anxious and disorientated. Alfie would sit quietly beside him being stroked.
I do not think that a dog full time at home would be a practical option for us though.
Tre

 

[Saffie]

I saw the report in the Daily Mail and noticed that the dogs concerned were Golden Retrievers, just like mine. However, the similarity rests there, I am the one that waits on her, does everything for her, so I can't see that changing any time soon!
However, she is worth her weight in gold when I need someone to cuddle and to give me affection. She greets my return home so enthusiastically and she stops me from feeling quite so lonely. I adore he and cannot imagine life without her.

I love your cuddly dog Jo. In john Lewis the Christmas before last there was a life sized Golden Retriever which did practically everything a real dog would do, it cried every time I passed it and if it hadn't cost so much I would have bought it!

 

[Bristolbelle]

Oh dear.....

Just popped in for a quick nose around and had to comment on this story.
It's about the most stupid idea I've ever heard in my opinion! What happens to the dog when the sufferer gets worse and can not excercise it? Or remember to feed it, or just as bad overfeeds it. Or when the dog needs vetinary care and the sufferer does not remeber what is wrong with it etc etc. This is gross abuse of dogs as cheap labour to try and replace carers.
Sure dogs are great for dementia sufferer's but only as pets and companions, they have needs and I beleive RIGHTS too. I speak as someone who bought my Mum a dog in the early stages of her dementia. Ok it was 18months old and already housetrained etc, he was an absolute darling and as gentle as a lamb towards her. BUT had I realised her condition would lead to her changing her mind about him being allowed on the sofa one minute and not the next, or she would forget how many times she had fed him and feed him several times a day (which he loved but the vet didn't), or that she would let him out in the garden in the dead of night and forget to let him back in/lock the doors and the first we would know was when we heard him barking - then I would have seriously reconsidered the decision I made.
Yes the first year he was the very finest thing we could have chosen, giving her company security and a reason to live when she was greiving over my Dad prior to us moving in with her. As I said he NEVER once growled at her though he was often the brunt of her confusion. But he had rights too, a right to know his place and the expectations people had of him, a right to regular food and excercise, a right to a "forever home" probably the most significant of all the issues around this scheme when you consider these dogs will most likey develop very meaningful relationship with thier owner/user only to face possible displacement and return to kennels at a time when they themselves may ne moving into thier senior years.
I can not and will not give this idea my backing. Dogs as therapy in dementia yes please, but as an assitance dog NO! NO! and absolutely NO!

 

[dots]

The dogs we had for years became a problem when my husband, who had always adored them, suddenly picked one up two feet off the floor at arms length and shouted HELP! HELP!. I was too nervous to leave him alone with them after that as I was worried as to what might happen to the dogs.

 

[elaine n]

Hmmm.....My dogs were a mixed blessing to us. Fortunately I was here to monitor things. When Gary was agitated Morgan was drawn to him like a magnet and immediately went to comfort him but Gary often reacted badly until I told him Morgan wanted to comfort him and perhaps he should stroke him. Gary calmed in no time but what would have happened if I hadn't been there? The other two (collies) used to dive for cover when things got bad but then none of them were trained to care. I had to lock them in a room when he was really agitated to keep them safe but when he was in the assessment unit he often said he wanted to see Morgan, sadly, it wasn't possible. I think animals have a huge part to play when people are ill but there has to be someone to manage the situation. Gary certainly couldn't have managed a pet on his own but for me they were a life saver and I could never, ever have given them up

 

[Jancis]

Just popped in for a quick nose around and had to comment on this story.
It's about the most stupid idea I've ever heard in my opinion! What happens to the dog when the sufferer gets worse and can not excercise it? Or remember to feed it, or just as bad overfeeds it. Or when the dog needs vetinary care and the sufferer does not remeber what is wrong with it etc etc. This is gross abuse of dogs as cheap labour to try and replace carers.
Sure dogs are great for dementia sufferer's but only as pets and companions, they have needs and I beleive RIGHTS too. I speak as someone who bought my Mum a dog in the early stages of her dementia. Ok it was 18months old and already housetrained etc, he was an absolute darling and as gentle as a lamb towards her. BUT had I realised her condition would lead to her changing her mind about him being allowed on the sofa one minute and not the next, or she would forget how many times she had fed him and feed him several times a day (which he loved but the vet didn't), or that she would let him out in the garden in the dead of night and forget to let him back in/lock the doors and the first we would know was when we heard him barking - then I would have seriously reconsidered the decision I made.
Yes the first year he was the very finest thing we could have chosen, giving her company security and a reason to live when she was greiving over my Dad prior to us moving in with her. As I said he NEVER once growled at her though he was often the brunt of her confusion. But he had rights too, a right to know his place and the expectations people had of him, a right to regular food and excercise, a right to a "forever home" probably the most significant of all the issues around this scheme when you consider these dogs will most likey develop very meaningful relationship with thier owner/user only to face possible displacement and return to kennels at a time when they themselves may ne moving into thier senior years.
I can not and will not give this idea my backing. Dogs as therapy in dementia yes please, but as an assitance dog NO! NO! and absolutely NO!

I think dogs may be of great potential for giving assistance but more importantly for giving comfort so long as there are others keeping an eye on both human and canine companion. My uncle lived alone and when he became ill his little dog suffered because he neglected himself and her - unintentionaly and without realisation. Fortunately little Sophie was taken into care too but I understand BB exactly where you are coming from. You must post on the dementiadog website as they want to hear everyone's story - good and bad.
Love Jancis

PS. Take a look at 'My pets keep me sane' posts on this forum in Community - Groups.

 

[Bristolbelle]

Just to say.....

This kept me awake a bit last night, two of my most passionate intersets clashing horribly. Have sent a long post to Dementia Dogs and offered further comments etc