Pat is both gentle and playful with dogs! My lab puppy greets him unlike she greets anyone else - wagging tail, jumps, barks, and endless licks. Pat doesn't lose his cool with her and tries his best to enforce training techniques that we've discussed to remain consistent. Also, Pat has a good read on when my pup wants to play and release energy or be a couch potato. I swear he and my pup share some sort of secret language. Overall, I recommend Pat. He makes both me and my dog feel comfortable and like we can trust him.