Rescue dog Phil alerts his 22 year old handler, Felicity Brown, to impending collapse or sudden loss of consciousness. His alerts give her time to sit, lie down or seek support. He is also trained to perform autism related tasks such as deep pressure therapy, locating named people or safe exits, and helping her avoid emotional dysregulation.
Phil and Felicity are the first dual trained partnership collaboration between the assistance dog charities, Dogs for Autism and Medical Detection Dogs.
Felicity and her family trained and graduated Phil through the owner-trainer programme at Pawsable Assistance Dogs CI, and then applied for the owner trainer programme at Medical Detection Dogs, giving another dimension to Phil's skillset. So a lot of firsts!
A big thank you to Felicity and her mum for talking to Dogs with Jobs. And congratulations to the team on winning the Rescue Dog Medal of Honour at the the Dogs Making a Difference Awards in September 2025, organised by the excellent charity, Service Dogs UK.
Connected episodes on assistance dogs
- Duke, the PTSD assistance dog
- By your side: navigating life with a guide dog over time
- Ralph, the owner-trained, multi-tasking assistance dog - perfect for a Rogate teenager
- Darcey, the Canine Partner: an assistance dog relationship in full bloom
- Benjy, the trainee guide dog's first five weeks on the job
- Daisy, the autism assistance dog - practical, psychological and emotional support
- Medical Alert dogs in training: life before they start work
- Plum the e-coli detection dog at work at the charity's training centre
- Dr. Claire Guest and her three bio detection dogs as she describes how labrador Daisy detected her breast cancer, and inspired the charity, Medical Detection Dogs
Do you work your dog?
Or perhaps you know someone else who might like to come on the show? I love all and any working dogs and am always looking for dogs to interview.
Get in touch with me, Kate, via team@shineradio.uk.
Find more dogs with interesting jobs.
© & ℗ Kate Fairweather, 2025
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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