Yana, the Guide Dog Puppy

Meet Yana a beautiful guide dog puppy.
Training of these special dogs is very tough and so it is the hope of the puppy-walker that she will succeed, where her previous two puppies-in-training sadly haven't quite made it.

As part of her training, she is brought to meet members of the public, to condition her to behave well. She was clearly waggy-happy to meet all the big visitors to the Guide Dogs PR stand and charity cake stall, yesterday...

...just as little visitors were happy to make new friends too!












More details about Guide Dogs and the Local branch can be found on their website

Blaze, the Guide Dog

Here's a shot from yesterday.

Whilst there is the obvious awww factor that comes from a shoot with Guide Dogs, we mustn't forget the loyalty and dedication of these wonderful, working animals.

More details about Guide Dogs and the Local branch can be found on their website

Frizz, the Guide Dog Puppy

"Please could you come and photograph a guide dog puppy who is just about to leave his puppy walker to go onto the next stage of his training?"

"Of course. Oh, and what colour is he?"

"Black"

Black. Probably the most challenging animal colour to any photographer. (I know because our mutt is black!) Coupled with fluorescent lighting and an excited audience of the junior Boy's Brigade in the local Baptist hall, it could have been a recipe for disaster. To top it off, there was an extra request for "A special picture of Frizz" that could be given to his hard working puppy walker. Although a seasoned trainer, Hazel Mander-Callaby was particularly sad to be having to say good-bye to her current charge, and as a dog owner too, I can feel for her. Having lived and breathed the experiences of this young puppy for many months, for Hazel to make the break, although knowing this day would always come, it is going to be hard.

More details about Guide Dogs and the Local branch can be found on their website