The group were all looking forward to enjoying an organised social get together, which was organised for them and their doggy pals.

They were all volunteers for the Guide Dogs for the Blind group which means they are responsible for a very young puppy, spending a year socialising it and preparing it before it goes off to be formally trained elsewhere.

Local co-ordinator, Margaret Woodward who organised the doggy get together for local puppy walkers and their animals at her home last week, said it was a great event, if not a bit mad with lots of young dogs jumping about the place.

Mrs Woodward is a familiar sight around Forres with Charlie her current golden lab pup, who is extremely inquisitive, sociable and completely adorable and was on his best behaviour when all his pals came to visit last week.

Mrs Woodward explained that puppy walking is an essential element in the development of a future guide dog. Volunteers take a puppy, aged around six weeks old, into their home and nurture it for the first year of its life, teaching it basic commands and socialising it to as many different environments as possible under the guidance of a supervisor.

"The aim is to give the puppy a firm foundation for its future training and its life with a blind or partially sighted person," she explained.

The group of puppy walkers has expanded since it was first formed at the start of spring 2007 with just three puppies being walked around the area.

There are now a 'pod' of Moray Firth puppy walkers, and more people and animals in the pipeline.

At the moment, the dogs are all lab-retriever crosses which make the best breed for the purpose as they provide excellent guide dogs and are among the easiest to train.

From the first three, one goldie was based in Forres and the others, a black brother and sister were at separate homes in Nairn.

"All three have now "graduated" and have begun work," said Mrs Woodward. "That is an achievement which amazes all their walkers."

The good news is that three more are already in training and a further ten are being walked, which all got together at Mrs Woodwards home last week to meet each other and discuss progress among walkers.

"We try and introduce them to as many new situations as we can," said Mrs Woodward. "The more different things they have experienced the better."

She said that they also have more dogs due to join the pod, with several prospective puppy walkers being interviewed.

She said that the retention of a Moray Firth puppy walking pod has been done, thanks to supervisor, Graham McKinney, who is based in Forfar and must travel to the area to chart the dogs progress.

Forfar is also the base for a splendid new training school - which is the only one of its kind in Scotland and also serves animals from much of Northern England and even Ireland.

Puppy walker volunteers for the Guide Dogs for the Blind enjoyed a special pre-Christmas get together to socialise their animals. From left are Liz Shaw with Cedar (5 months); Anne Simpson whose dog Penny (6 months) is at the far right of the picture; Frances Jamieson with Wilma (5 months ); Graham McKinney, the visiting GSD puppy walker supervisor with Penny and Brian Kelman with Ailsa (7 months); Sitting centre is party organiser: Margaret Woodward from Rafford with Charlie (15 weeks).

"Graham must check the progress of each puppy at least once a month," she said. "If the Moray Firth pod could grow to around thirty puppies, it is possible that a local supervisor would be provided, which would reduce both expense and stress."

Guide Dogs for the Blind estimate that only eighty percent of their specially bred puppies will become working dogs, which represents a loss of one in five.

Rejects may be considered for other caring dog disciplines or offered back to their walker at a nominal cost. As a last resort, there is a long waiting list of people eager to buy such fine, well trained animals. Undiagnosed health problems are the main reason for rejection, or a persistent personality trait.

"So far the Moray Firth pod has had only one rejection," said Mrs Woodward. "He was a super, well-mannered dog but with a mind of his own which he was determined to stick to."

She said one of the original graduates has also acquired a skin allergy which means that he must be carefully matched in his final placement. "While this was deeply disappointing for their walkers," she said, "both have taken on new puppies which are developing well."

Puppy walkers are often asked how they can take an animal and then part with it after a year, but Mrs Woodward advised walkers that they should remember the puppy is never theirs.

"Throughout its training and working life it remains the property of the Guide Dogs movement which provides support, vet fees, medication and food during the puppy walking stage and full supervision and regular health checks while in placement," she said.

Walkers are doing a job akin to taking a child through a year of school, after which it goes on to the next teacher. End of life traumas are never encountered and with luck a walker is kept informed of the pup's future progress and will know that it will be retired after around seven years of work so that it can have an active retirement, very often as the pampered pet of its blind master or mistress.

"Then the next cuddly bundle is on the doorstep just as soon as you want it," said Mrs Woodward.

She said that puppy walking can be challenging, but is also very rewarding and suitable volunteers are currently being sought.

If you are interested and have the time, space and patience phone 0845 371 7771 or log on to www.guidedogs.org.uk.

If you see a local Guide Dog puppy walk at work, do stop and ask questions of the walker who will be glad to give you more information on what is involved.

t.mclaren@forres-gazette.co.uk

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