Three guide dog puppies have visited the historic Lacock Abbey in Wiltshire as part of their early training to become life-changing companions for people with sight loss. The young dogs explored the grounds and medieval cloisters to experience new sights, sounds, and smells.
Socialisation and Confidence Building
Trips like this help to socialise the animals and build their confidence in a wide range of unfamiliar settings. The puppies were rewarded with treats and praise for behaving calmly and ignoring distractions such as other visitors. They also practised walking on different surfaces, including metal access ramps, moving into darker indoor spaces, and settling under seating.
All three animals are currently living with volunteers who will look after them until they are between 12 and 18 months old. After that, they will start formal training before hopefully qualifying as working guide dogs at around two years of age.
Volunteer Experience
One of the volunteers, Ian Farmer, is currently caring for a five-month-old golden retriever cross Labrador puppy named Weaver. Mr Farmer, a puppy raiser, said: “Weaver did really well. He kept calm and loved the new sniffs and meeting the other puppies.”
He continued: “I started volunteering when I retired, and Weaver is my third puppy. It’s incredibly rewarding, especially when you hear first-hand the impact a guide dog has on someone's independence and confidence. One guide dog owner I met said they wouldn't go out alone without their dog.”
Call for New Volunteers
The special training session was overseen by a specialist advisor from the charity Guide Dogs who supports volunteers across the county. The organisation is now looking for more people to raise puppies in areas including Chippenham, Swindon, and Calne.
Barbara Clark, puppy development advisor, said: “A big part of early training is getting puppies used to different environments, so visiting Lacock Abbey was an excellent experience for them.” She added: “Thank you so much to the National Trust for hosting us and being so helpful and accommodating.”
How to Get Involved
Volunteers need to be aged 18 or older and have suitable housing to provide a loving home for the animals. They also need plenty of time to invest in raising the puppy, but the charity covers all essential costs, including food and vet bills.
If you would like to find out more about becoming a volunteer puppy raiser, you can find details online. More information is available on the charity website at www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraising.
