A picturesque farm in rural Staffordshire doubles up as a puppy training base for a charity which provides helper dogs for disabled people.
Reporter CHRISTINA MASSEY joined the volunteers from the Staffordshire branch of Canine Partners at the farm in Wychnor for a training day with a festive twist.
THE volunteers, known as puppy parents, walk their dogs around the farm outbuilding to the tune of the Britney Spears Christmas tune ‘Santa Can You Hear Me?’.
Trainer Julia Hurley stops the music and the dogs stop and sit.
A brown labrador called ‘Yaris’ takes the opportunity to paw off the Santa hat his puppy parent has put on him and start chewing it.
The game is ‘musical sits’, a doggy version of the children’s party classic musical chairs — and, while it is a bit of fun for the animals, it is also a valuable training exercise for them.
Julia explains: “They have got to walk past each other and they have got to be controlled.”
The youngest recruit, four-month-old black labrador Gunner, finds it particularly difficult and strains to be near every dog that walks past him — much to his puppy parent’s dismay.
“At the end of the day they’re puppies,” Julia states.
By the time she has finished with him, little Gunner will be a pillar of serenity — at least while he is working.
These animals may look cute and cuddly, but they’ve got an important job.
They can be a real lifeline for someone who, because of a physical disability, might not be able to perform simple tasks for themselves such as opening doors or paying at a shop check out.
Anna Allen has suffered from multiple sclerosis for 20 years, and was previously being cared for by her family.
When she got her black labrador Katy two years ago it changed her life.
“It was very emotional,” the 53-year-old says.
“She gave me a reason to go on. She gave me my family back — they were not my carers any more.” The three-and-a-half-year-old dog helps in all areas of her life.
“She does a lot for me — we go out more,” she says. “She can pick things off the floor for me, operate a pedestrian crossing and get my purse out when I go shopping.
“If I fall at home she’ll go and press an emergency alarm system for me.”
Anna’s 31-year-old daughter, Cathy Ackroyd, was so inspired by the effect the dog had on her mother, she decided to volunteer with Canine Partners herself.
“She had multiple sclerosis as long as I could remember,” she says.
“Having the dog affected her both mentally and physically.
“Now she gets out and about more.
She’s more independent.” Cathy looks after one-year-old Benson, a golden retriever.
Ladradors and golden retrievers tend to be used as canine partners because of their natural instinct to carry things.
Julia explains: “For us it’s the retrieving instinct — so they can pick things up and bring things back to us.
“They are easy to train because they are food motivated and they’re pretty reliable.”
The party continues with an ‘egg and spoon’ race in which parents have to make it across the width of the outbuilding carrying a tennis ball on a spoon while racing each other.
This exercise demonstrates how steadily the dogs can walk without jerking forwards.
The victorious puppies are rewarded with a doggy treat.
Lesley Prosser, of Marchington, is taking part with eight-month-old golden retriever Cherry.
The 62-year-old decided to become a puppy parent at Christmas last year, after she retired from her job with Staffordshire County Council.
“It’s the first time I’ve done this,” she tells me. “I had a friend who had multiple sclerosis and sadly she died about 18 months ago.
“We found out about Canine Partners quite late on.
“She had an ordinary mutt who helped her around the house and when I retired from working at the county council I decided to do something worthwhile.
“I think because of my experience with my friend with multiple sclerosis I could see what the little mutt she had was able to do for her without being trained.
“It’s hugely rewarding, especially when you read people’s stories of how these dogs have changed their lives.” She said training a feisty young dog was no small feat.
“It certainly keeps you fit,” Lesley says.
“It’s a big commitment — I live in a rural area so really I have to take her into Burton and Uttoxeter a lot to get her used to traffic, people and shops.
“She quite likes being made a fuss of.” Canine Partners pays for all the expense of looking after the animals, such as food, leads and vet bills, until they are ready to go to a home where they will be needed.
Parents sometimes find it difficult when they have to say goodbye to their trainees, but they understand the difference they are going to make to people’s lives.
Swadlincote resident Bob Hadaway and his wife, Pauline, decided to volunteer for Canine Partners after several years working with Guide Dogs for the Blind.
The 58-year-old was previously in the Army and suffers from osteoarthritis.
“I’m disabled myself and that’s why we do this,” he tells me.
The couple are currently looking after nine month old Cookie.
“He’s a male golden retriever and he’s the most typical of the breed — he’s arrogant,” Bob says affectionately.
The puppies will finish their basic training at about 14 months, after which they will go onto the next level.
They go into retirement when they are 12 years old.
Julia says: “Every dog is individual. If they don’t want to do a task you can’t make them.” Canine Partners is currently looking for more volunteers to become puppy parents.
Anyone interested is asked to contact Julia Hurley on 0121 241 8351 or 07954 404586.
Further information on the charity is available by visiting www.caninepartners.org.uk
