Guide dog puppies train at Chatsworth House

Guide dog puppies were granted special permission to explore Chatsworth House and its fragile artwork as part of a training day

Guide dog puppies in training have been walking around the artwork at a Derbyshire stately home.

Pets are banned from Chatsworth House, but assistance dogs are allowed, which meant the puppy trainees were able to explore the building and its fragile artwork.

Guide dog puppies spend the first year of their lives with volunteer 'puppy raisers', who introduce them to busy spaces including high streets, railway stations and shops.

Guide Dogs puppy raiser, Bron Rawlings, said training at places like Chatsworth House gives the puppies "experience for their work life and helps them to socialise with people."

Stephanie Cupitt said it was important the trainee puppies were exposed to different environments with a variety of sights and sounds

Managers at Chatsworth granted the puppies and their handlers access to the Painted Hall, State Rooms and the galleries which contain some pieces of artwork which date back more than 4,000 years and can be very fragile.

Stephanie Cupitt, Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs said it is important the puppies are exposed to different environments to "help them grow up to become confident guide dogs".

"To support this, we try to organise days out for them, similar to school trips, where they can experience new places and learn how to behave well in these settings," Ms Cupitt added.

Shenagh Firth, Visitor Experience Leader at Chatsworth, said: "It's been a privilege supporting the Guide Dogs team, and we've loved having the puppies come and visit.

"We very much hope that once they're fully qualified, they'll come back and visit us again with their new owners.

Bron Rawlings said bringing Uska the puppy to Chatsworth was "fantastic"

Guide Dogs is looking for new puppy raisers and has said it will cover all essential costs and provide full training.

Ms Rawlings, who is training her eighth puppy, said she has learned not to become too attached to her four-legged pupils.

"You have them with the idea you let them go, so you've got to have that mindset", she added.

"As much as I love him, he's not my dog and I know he's going to move onto something better.

"It's really good fun but it is hard work as you have to be consistent with your training and teach them everything."