Meet therapy dog Otis who makes children smile at Warrington Hospital

One such job involves Otis the therapy dog putting a big smile on the faces of poorly children being treated at the Lovely Lane site.

The six-year-old cockerpoo visited the children’s ward as a one-off session for a patient with sensory needs, along with owner and trained counsellor Jude Leng.

Such was the success however that Otis and Jude, aged 45 and from Runcorn, but who now lives in Lymm, were invited back for regular visits every two weeks.

“I qualified as a counsellor about five or six years ago, have always loved animals and happened to see a book on animal-assisted therapy,” Jude told the Warrington Guardian.

“I did a bit more research, and we were at a position in our family life where we could get a dog, so we thought if it works, great, and if not, we will have a lovely pet.

“We got Otis in 2018 from a lady who breeds dogs as therapy dogs, or dogs to work with people with special educational needs or physical disabilities, so we deliberately sought her out.

Otis outside Warrington Hospital with his owner, Jude Leng

“She was amazing and not-for-profit, which gave him a really good start with everything. He stood out with his features and eyebrows.

“It took two years to train him up, to make sure he was familiar with everything and wasn't going to get freaked out or spooked by anything.

“He is registered as a volunteer therapy dog with Therapy Dogs Nationwide, having passed his assessment when he was about two, and he has been pretty much working with me off and on ever since.”

As well as Warrington Hospital, Jude and Otis also volunteer to visit two care homes in Warrington, as well as a primary and secondary school in the town.

Moreover, Jude and partner Ewan Naylor are also training another therapy dog, a three-year-old golden doodle named Honey, with both dogs adored by son Will Cochrame, aged 14.

“I work with children and young people, most of whom and neurodivergent or have quite complex home lives, and those that would not normally engage therapeutically come and see Otis, and then over time will build up a trust with me,” Jude explained.

“Patients and children absolutely love him. He is really friendly, will go up to anybody and gets lots of smiles and hugs.

Otis visiting 16-year-old Alfie Ashcroft at Warrington Hospital

“This morning, a little girl that we just met wanted to give him a big hug and shake his paw – they just love him and spending time with him.

“We work in a lot of in and out of schools around Warrington, and they are swarmed with children when we walk around the playground.

“He absolutely loves it. Some dogs will tolerate it, but he loves new experiences and new people. His tail is always wagging. He is so happy and he really, really loves his job.”

Jude said that you have to be careful that the dog you are training to become a therapy dog actually likes it, because not all dogs do.

“They are little sentient beings with their own personality and choices, and he chooses to come to work with me,” she said.

“He does have days every now and again, when he normally just comes running over, when he just decided he wasn't coming and went and sat on the sofa.

“He obviously did not want to go, so I left him at home. He has choices if wants to work with me or not, and 99 per cent of the time he does so, but if he doesn’t, he stays at home.

Otis on the children's ward and with his favourite toy, a tennis ball

“He is such an amazing dog. You can train them, but it is all down to his personality. He is really fantastic from an emotional point of view.

“If I'm working with somebody and they start to get upset or cry, he will go over to them and put his head on their knee. He can just tell when someone is not ok.

“I've had some amazing experiences with that, and it and it really gets to me because that is him – that is nothing to do with me.

“That is just his natural way of tuning into someone, connecting and trying to comfort them, which is just amazing.”

The benefits of therapy dogs are clear to see when they light up the faces of people who see them – people who are in hospital and having a hard time.

“There was a little girl who we went to see, and her mum said that the machine that measures her stats was the best it had been since she arrived when she met Otis,” Jude explained.

“Obviously, that could be a complete coincidence, but she loved dogs and she said meeting him was amazing.

Otis lives with Honey, who is also being trained to become a therapy dog

“I get told that they feel better, and we know that being around dogs tends to reduce people's blood pressure and reduce their stress levels.

“There was also a little girl who was terrified of dogs, and when we walked into the ward, she jumped on a bed.

“But because Otis laid down in the middle, and lots of other children came over, she then got a bit brave, came over to him, sat down, stroked him for ages and was cuddling him.

“So I think, even with kids who are a little bit nervous, it can really make a big difference to their life.”

Despite being the best boy during his day job, Otis can be like any dog at home.

“He is energetic. He is still a nutcase when he wants to be tearing around the garden doodle dashing,” Jude laughed.

“A tennis ball is his favourite thing in the world. Give him a tennis ball and he just goes crazy. He is really cheeky. He has got such a lovely personality.”