Frequently Asked Questions
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About Us
1Where did the idea come from?
Moment to Paws was born out of our founder, Kate’s, passion for four legged friends and a recognition of the positive impact that dogs can have on our lives and we can have on theirs. Having worked in senior leadership positions, Kate’s first hand experience of the extreme pressure and stress we are all under, along with the increasing number of people suffering with mental health conditions, inspired her to take action.
From working in a dog friendly office, the benefits of being around dogs became abundantly clear; benefits that Kate recognised as akin to many wellbeing strategies being discussed within the workplace.
As the idea started to form, Kate set about research and was overwhelmed by the vast amount of scientific evidence proving the case for dog therapy. What started as a crazy idea actually started to make a lot of sense – for individuals, workplaces and for helping owners to socialise their dogs in a positive environment.
And from there, Moment to Paws was born!
2Where are you based?
Moment to Paws is based in Wetherby, West Yorkshire.
Our events take place across the Greater Leeds area, York, Harrogate, Bradford, Sheffield, Doncaster and Manchester.
Therapy Dog Events
1How do you ensure the welfare of the dogs is looked after?
The welfare of the dogs we work with is our number one priority and they will always come first. Our vast experience of working with dogs, along with qualifications in canine care and behaviour means we can quickly spot any signs of stress or anxiety. We also carry out visual checks on all dogs to ensure they are physically fit and well and all dog owners will have to provide vaccination certificates and evidence that their dogs are regularly treated for worms and fleas.
Prior to running a Moment to Paws session in your workplace or offsite location, we will work with you to plan a programme which ensures our dogs have rest and comfort breaks.
However, with all the attention, cuddles and play, you’ll soon see that our dogs reap the benefits just as much you will!
2Do you own the dogs?
We work with both our own dogs, as well as a number of approved dog owners. The wellbeing and happiness of the dogs we work with is our number one priority and we only work with dog owners who share the same values as us. If you’re a dog owner looking to socialise your dog in a safe and loving environment, please visit this page which explains the benefits, requirements and process.
Our events take place across the Greater Leeds area, York, Harrogate, Bradford, Sheffield, Doncaster and Manchester.
3Are the dogs trained?
Yes! We love to work with different characters and personalities, but it’s important that all the dogs we work with are trained to understand basic commands. Before becoming a fully fledged member of Moment to Paws, every dog is assessed using the Canine Behavioral Assessment & Research Questionnaire (C-BARQ) which assesses how they respond to common events, situations and stimuli in their environment. We also spend a lot of time with each dog prior to them coming on board to ensure that they are comfortable being around us and during this phase, behaviour is further assessed.
4How can you be sure that the dogs won't inflict injury?
The early experiences of a dog are so important to help puppies develop into well rounded and sociable adults. If a stimulus has prompted a dog to react with aggression in the past and this resulted in a positive outcome (for example the stimulus went away), a dog is more likely to use this type of behaviour again when experiencing a stressful situation.
At Moment to Paws, we invest a great deal of time in getting to know every detail about the dogs we work with and if we get the slightest indication that working with us could create any stress or anxiety for a dog, we unfortunately will have to decline the application.
5How old are the dogs?
Our dogs range in age from 18 months upwards. As long as they continue to enjoy being socialised, they are always welcome to join us at Moment to Paws.
6How many dogs come to an event?
This depends on many factors such as the type of session you are looking to run with us, along with how many employees you have. Simply fill in a booking request and we’ll work with you to plan a session which will meet your objectives.
7We have an employee with an allergy to pet hair, can we still hold a Moment to Paws?
We have an allergy approved air purifier which comes with us to our sessions and captures 99.97% of allergens including pet dander. We will work with your office space to make sure that we contain the session to a specific area in order to avoid transmitting pet dander to wider areas.
8Is it hygienic to have dogs in the workplace?
All of our dogs are well trained and we are meticulous in planning comfort breaks to help to avoid any ‘little accidents’. We only work with dog owners who share the same values as us and that means dogs are always well groomed and clean. We bring along clean towels to every event, along with lint rollers to ensure your employees leave looking as fresh as they came in!
9What breeds of dogs do you work with?
We work with a diverse bunch and don’t discriminate against any breed of dog!
10What if people don't like or are scared of dogs?
We understand that not all people are as crazy about dogs as we are and that’s okay! We will happily work with you to ensure that those who would prefer to stay away don’t come into contact with our dogs. Equally, we’d love to talk to anyone who has a fear to see if there’s any way we can help – dog therapy is so powerful and we want to share this as widely as possible.
11Can we hold an event outside?
Outdoor events are possible but are weather dependent and we will need to work with you to ensure there is an enclosed, safe place for our dogs.
12Can we work with you on a more regular basis?
Yes of course. We have clients who hold monthly therapy dog sessions and those who run bi-annual or annual events.
13Do the dogs get a break?
Absolutely! We plan everything to be in the best interest of our dogs so we schedule in regular breaks during the day. Although a lot of our dogs would love to come to a Moment to Paws event everyday, we will always ensure that they have time off during the week.
Therapy Dogs
1I think my dog would make a great workplace therapist. How do I sign them up?
Great news, we can’t wait to meet them! As you’ll appreciate, we need to put the welfare of your dog at the forefront of Moment to Paws and as such, we still need to go through a number of checks to ensure Moment to Paws is right for them. To get started, please complete our short application form.
2My dog is already PAT registered. Can they become a workplace therapist too? Do I still need to apply?
Yes absolutely, we’d love to have their skills on board! Please complete our short application form to register your interest and we will be in touch to discuss the next steps.
3How many events per week will my dog be at?
We limit the number of therapy sessions per dog to two per week.
4Can I come to the workplace events with my dog?
If you would like to join your dog at a workplace event, we would be happy to have you on board. We pride ourselves on our expertise and professionalism so there will be some training requirements prior to joining.
5How long are the sessions?
We limit the amount of time that the dogs engage in therapy work to 2 x 45 minute sessions (with a half an hour break in between). It's tiring work receiving all those cuddles!
Training and Behaviour Services
1Who is the trainer?
Your trainer is Kate Soames. Kate is an assessed and qualified full member of the Institute of Modern Dog Trainers and holds a G.Dip (L6) Applied Animal Behaviour, as well numerous other qualifications and certificates. You can read more about Kate's approach ad qualifications in the Dog Training section of the website.
2Where are you based?
Kate is based in Bramham, Wetherby. Travel to your home is included for locations within 10 miles of Bramham (LS23); this includes Clifford, Tadcaster, Boston Spa, Wetherby, Thorner, Collingham, Aberford, Linton, Kirk Deighton and other surrounding areas. Other locations will incur a travel charge.
3Can you train my dog on my behalf?
Dog training and behaviour is the result of complex interactions between your dog, you, other people in your household, other animals in your household and factors within the environment. To train a dog in a different environment, with a different handler, means that problems are more likely to return when they re-enter their own household, reducing the likelihood of your investment paying off. For this reason, we work with owners and their dogs together, rather than taking your dog away and training them on your behalf.
4Where do 121 consultations take place?
121 consultations tend to begin in your home to allow Kate to see your dog's behaviour in their 'normal' environment. Depending on the training that is required, we may go for a training walk or meet at a different location in future sessions.
5Where do classes take place?
Currently puppy classes are held indoors at Bramham Pavilion near Wetherby. Junior classes are held outdoors at Boston Gates Dog Boarding in Thorp Arch.