Puppy sitters needed for guide dogs for first year of their lives

They are guide dogs in training, and more puppy sitters are needed to help them for the first year of their lives.

During that time, the dogs go out to "puppy walkers" who raise them as normal puppies and take them to classes to give them basic training before handing them over for the next stage of their training.

There are currently 40 approved puppy walkers in Shropshire.

Andrew Farrell, community engagement officer for guide dogs in Shropshire, Staffordshire and the Black Country, said it can be tough for people to give up the dogs after the first year.

He said: "The puppy lives as a normal puppy for the first 12 months.

"People do the basics of puppy training with them, similar to any puppy classes, they work on sit and stay and dog distraction.

"Once they finish after 12 months they get sent to our training centred for early training with a trainer and from there they're sent out to local mobility teams where they do 10 weeks with a guide dog mobility instructor.

"They do the advanced training with them which involves going out on walks moving around obstructions.

"From there they will be matched with a blind or partially sighted person.

"They're called puppy walkers but they take on a puppy for the first year. It's generally tough for someone to give up a puppy after that first year but they understand that when they take it on."

Mr Farrell said more guide dogs are needed and so more puppy walkers are needed to look after them.

He added: "People are living longer now so there's going to be more blind and partially sighted people.

"We need to train more dogs which we can't do without the puppy walkers.

"It opens doors for people who haven't been able to go out for years.

"Things we take for granted like going to the shops and getting a pint of milk.

"It's also about companionship and people forget about that."

For more information visit guidedogs.org.uk