WELCOME

I’m a Lhasa Apso puppy with a zest for life, passion for cuddles, ferocious appetite and, above all, a big heart. I was born on 2 September 2018 and found my forever home in London at 8 weeks old.

Since living in London I’ve had all sorts of adventures: tubes, buses, taxis, offices, restaurants, pubs, parties, pigeons, dogs, squirrels, parks, playgrounds. The list goes on.

I’ve done lots of training with Mummy and my namesake Miss Ella from Kirby Dog Services and I attended Puppy School. I’ve mastered the sit, stand, lie down, stay, paw, other paw and leave it and demonstrated sufficient skill to graduate from Puppy School in January (as evidenced by the picture above).

One of the highlights of school (besides all the treats) was meeting some great new pals. Social media has also introduced me to some furry friends. Together we have enjoyed lots of experiences including park walks, brunches, afternoon teas and cinema evenings.

I have lots of loyal Instagram followers (thank you for the love and support everyone) and people often marvel at the exciting life I lead.

Indeed, I do have a good life. But I am no ordinary pup. I have a story to tell and a greater purpose in life. I am a psychiatric assistance dog (“PAD”) and my therapeutic capabilities have in recent months saved and transformed my Mummy’s life.

So Mummy and I would like to share our story with you. We’d like to add colour to the pictures you see online and provide an insight into the realities of having a support dog in a society which has yet to properly appreciate the serious role a PAD can play in the life of a person suffering from depression. We hope that increased awareness might address some of the challenges faced by people who live their everyday lives with a PAD by their side. The irony of these challenges is that they are being presented to people who are already in a vulnerable enough state to require a PAD. This irony is an injustice and it needs to be tackled.

My Lhasa Apso ancestors were bred to be guard dogs. I accept that I am too cute, cuddly and affectionate to be a guard dog in the traditional sense but guarding the rights of those who are vulnerable and suffering from the crippling, life-threatening and invisible illness of depression is for me a challenge accepted.

Please continue to explore my website to find out more.

Ella x