Pups in pubs key to guide dog training scheme

Sophie and her mother, Caroline, have been raising puppies for four years including Bethany and Magic

Guide dog puppies are being taught how to safely socialise with other dogs and people in a loud environment as part of a new scheme.

The Puppy Hour scheme is being held by charity Guide Dogs at a number of pubs including The Smiths Arms in Beckwithshaw, near Harrogate, and The Red Lion in Todwick, near Rotherham.

Volunteer puppy raisers and their animals can use the hostelries to interact with each other and become used to a typical pub environment.

"Visually impaired people have a similar life to everybody, they want to go and socialise with their friends and their family and what they want is for the dog to be calm," said volunteer Rosemary Heslop.

Rosemary Heslop from Leeds has been helping for 13 years and is currently raising a seven-month-old golden retriever named Waldo

The sessions allow more experienced puppy raisers to meet potential future volunteers and people just starting out in the role.

"I had four children and they've all left home and thought I'd like to try getting a dog," said Ilkley's Maria Elgood who has raised puppy Duffy since the animal was just a few weeks old.

"We love having a dog and wouldn't be without one and I think I probably will have another guide dog when Duffy goes at 18 months," she added.

Duffy is Maria Elgood's first puppy-raising experience - but may not be her last

"The dogs need to be able to greet people and then settle and most of the guide dogs do that, the puppies have a little sniff at each other and then they settle down and sit nice whilst we puppy raisers sit down and compare notes and have a coffee," explained Gay Sykes from Dinnington.

Volunteer puppy raisers provide a home for each dog for around a year as they gain experience in everyday situations before they move onto formal guide dog training.

"It doesn't get easier, it is really hard giving them up but they're usually ready.

"These dogs are bred by Guide Dogs to do this and so by the time you see them get to 13 or 14 months you can see them wanting more to do, they need more stimulation," said Mrs Heslop.

The Smiths Arms is one of a number of pubs who are part of the puppy hour scheme

The charity hopes the sessions will lead to more people wanting to become puppy raisers.

"When we started four years ago, they were only two or three of us in Harrogate but now there are at least 10 to 12 puppies in the area" said Sophie Brook, whose dog Bethany is going through training.

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