North East Assistance and Therapy Dogs

07/04/2026

07/04/2026

Yes!!!!!!! I love this. Animals can help health care professionals in sooooo many ways.

Did you know we have trained dogs to:
- press speech buttons to help speech therapists, and help teachers in English Grammar and Maths lessons
- lie on patients in the dentist chair or when giving blood to aid regulation and help calming
- be a balance aid for physical therapy, stamina, balance and stair negotiation
- roll a ball back to a person when one is rolled to the dog aiding bending, flexibility and hand-eye coordination
- lie to each side of a client so they twist to give treats which aids upper body work, crossing the midline and core strength
- provide deep tissue pressure to release endorphins and aid self-regulation in psychotherapy settings
- step onto, reverse onto and spin on blocks to encourage engagement in physical therapy sessions …

… and many, MANY more. Get in touch to see how we can help your clients achieve even more.

07/04/2026

BSL is a great tool which can support non-verbal communication. If you know someone who is non-verbal or struggles to communicate verbally, it may be worth checking out this course and then teaching some simple signs to see if the person finds it easier to understand you and if the person feels comfortable using them themselves..?

AD April 25th: BSL A Guide for Beginners
(2:00 PM – 3:00 PM)

Book: https://trafficlighttutoring.com/workshops

BSL A Guide for Beginners:
Run by Karina An introduction for complete beginners or those wishing to refresh their knowledge. Including fingerspelling, numbers, greetings, questions and more.

07/04/2026

💙 SPECIALIST EQUIPMENT FUNDING 💙

The right equipment can be life-changing.

Through our Specialist Equipment Fund, The Teesside Family Foundation helps children and adults across Teesside access vital equipment that improves independence, mobility, comfort, and quality of life.

From specialist buggies, car seats and wheelchairs to adaptive trikes and essential support equipment — we’re here to help when it matters most.

👉 Find out more or apply here:
🔗 https://www.theteessidefamily.com/specialist-equipment/

Together, we’re funding specialist equipment that truly changes lives across Teesside.

💙

07/04/2026

More recall training - whistle response.

I’m using the whistle as he is already moving towards me to associate the two and throwing several treats so he has to use his nose to find them.

07/04/2026

It doesn’t have to take ages to be fun or effective!

A bit of challenge and little bit of brain used - much more so than eating from a bowl. Same food, less excitement, some mental exercise, and a little calmer and happier. Good work Hafnar 🥰

Accessibility: video shows a large egg box surrounded by tape being systematically shredded by Haf, the black lab mix. He gets through to the biscuits inside within two minutes but it takes a further five or six minutes to get every one out.

06/04/2026

We know you've all been patiently waiting....and the time has nearly come!

Tickets for this year's festival will go on sale next week! Will we be seeing you?

We know times are tough for everyone right now, which is why we’ve worked hard to keep our ticket prices the same as last year (and the year before, and before that - and before that).

When you purchase your tickets you will notice a change - and that's that we’ve had to include VAT this year (something that’s completely out of our control) BUT we’ve made a conscious decision not to increase our base prices – because keeping the festival accessible to our amazing community really matters to us.

This event has always been about more than just a day out… it’s about bringing together dog lovers from across the North East, supporting small businesses, and creating something really special for the whole family (two-legged and four 🐶).

Our team work year round to put on a fantastic weekend and we think the North East really does have the best community of dog owners. Despite our sky rocketing event costs we are heavily invested in keeping this event for many years to come as it supports so many different industries and is a one of a kind event for the region....so we'd love your support - and we can't wait to see you in August.

Love the NEDF Team

05/04/2026

Blossom hopes you all had a wonderful and peaceful Easter 🥰

05/04/2026

This!!!!

05/04/2026

Not hiding … Go Grace!! ❤️💖❤️