Puppy love

Each photo is of a dog – Monica, Honey and Pip – but they were more than just pets. These are dogs that Gillian trained to become guide dogs.

She shared her Bradford home with them when they were puppies. Now they’re adult working dogs, thanks largely to Gillian’s dedication and devotion.

She is currently fostering a nine-month-old German shepherd, Jenna. If she gets through the guide dog training process, Jenna will eventually go to live with a blind or partially-sighted person.

For now, Jenna is part of Gillian’s family. She plays with her grandchildren and ventures out with her for daily walks. Gillian knows she only has Jenna for a few more months but, as an experienced puppy walker, she’s prepared for the day when her canine companion has to leave.

The role of puppy walkers is to introduce dogs to the everyday sights, sounds and smells of a world in which they will play an important part. Puppy walkers get the dogs used to a domestic environment, house-training them and teaching them to walk on a lead and obey commands. They take dogs to urban and rural environments, to shops and cafes, on buses and trains, and along busy streets, getting them used to traffic noise and crowds.

Volunteer puppy walkers work with puppies aged six weeks to about 12 months, bred by the Guide Dogs For The Blind Association. The charity funds dog food and vets’ bills, and volunteers are expected to bring the puppy up according to guide dog policy.

Jenna also comes into contact with a variety of people, including children, the elderly and people in uniform.

“She’s very good with my grandchildren,” says Gillian. “She’s a friendly dog. I love having her around. It’s sad when the dogs have to leave, but I find it rewarding helping them go on to do such an important job. It’s lovely watching them develop from an excited little puppy to an obedient, confident dog.

“I was invited to see the others ‘qualify’ after advanced training, it’s wonderful seeing them as working dogs.”

Gillian became a puppy walker after spotting a newspaper article. “I grew up with dogs and always had a pet dog. I love walking and can’t see the point of walking without a dog,” she says. “But our son David lives in Australia and we visit him for three-month periods. It wouldn’t be practical, or fair, to leave a dog behind. Having one on a temporary basis fits around our trips.”

Guide dogs are usually labradors, golden retrievers, a cross between the two, or German shepherds. Other breeds, including labradoodles, are also being introduced. Marianne Bolton, puppy walking supervisor for West Yorkshire, says guide dogs must be willing, loyal, sound, sociable and adaptable.

“The fact that Jenna’s quite feisty will stand her in good stead – guide dogs need strength of character,” she says. “While we don’t want them too boisterous, we don’t want them too quiet and sensitive either. If a blind person can’t hear traffic coming and thinks it’s okay to cross a busy road, the dog needs to be confident enough not to do so.”

After living with puppy walkers for up to 14 months, the dogs go for 16 weeks’ training – involving walking with obstacles – followed by 12 weeks’ advanced training. They’re handled by guide dog instructors who match them to owners.

Dogs are assessed throughout the training process, and not all of them make it. “If a dog isn’t suitable, because of health or temperament, it may go to Dogs For The Disabled or become a hearing dog, or be rehomed. There’s a long waiting list,” says Marianne.

Potential puppy walkers are interviewed and their homes are assessed. “They must have time to commit to a dog. Ideally they’d be at home during the day, or work part-time, as pups mustn’t be left alone for long,” says Marianne. “They don’t need experience of having a dog and it doesn’t matter if they already have a dog, as long as it’s not aggressive.

“We provide 24-hour support. Some people become puppy walkers because they don’t want the 15-year commitment of a pet dog, or to go through the grief of a dog dying. As well as puppy walkers, we have puppy boarders who look after dogs if the walker or owner is away.”

As Jenna lies contentedly at Gillian’s feet, after her morning walk, it’s clear she has a happy home here. I wonder how much of a wrench it will be when the time comes to say goodbye. Just as there must be an emotional attachment when fostering a child, it can’t be much different opening your home to a dog you know will eventually have to leave.

“The way I look at it is, she starts in reception class at school, then she goes to big school, then she’ll be off to university if she’s good enough,” says Gillian. “The work these guide dogs do is wonderful, I love being part of their lives. I find it very rewarding helping them towards giving a blind or partially-sighted person their independence. I’m here to do a job with them, I know they’re not here forever.”

It costs between £35,000 and £40,000 to train a guide dog and the process is thorough. “What we ask of these dogs is above the call of duty,” says Marianne. “Other dogs, such as hearing dogs and sniffer dogs, are rewarded with treats. A guide dog’s motivation is a willingness to please. They have to be steady but not too placid, able to make decisions, and not over-sniff or over-react to other dogs. They are truly amazing.”