Meet Penny and Pyke

Hi, I am a loveable black Labrador called Pyke. I started my path to being a Canine Partner as an 8 week old puppy where I worked very hard and graduated into Advanced Training. My puppy parent already had a Dog Ambassador called Grainger who helped me taught me how to be Canine Partner.

During my time in Advanced Training they noticed I didn’t particularly enjoy busy places. I tried hard with my trainer to find busy environments more enjoyable but they just weren’t for me. I was very lucky and I was able to go back to my Puppy Parent home with Penny, Peter and Grainger. Grainger was going to be retiring soon so we started to work towards me filling his paws within the Dog Ambassador Team. Being at home in a familiar and consistent environment and with me maturing allowed me to slowly build up my confidence in quieter environments and my task work with Grainger’s watchful eyes over me. Over the years I have been able to continue to upskill my taskwork and work in more bustling environments.

One of my favourite tasks is removing Penny’s hat – that one is always gets a round of applause we I love and when I am not out with Penny and Peter at events I love nothing more than a good game of tag with my other dog pals.

Penny and Peter have been volunteering for Canine Partners for 12 years now. This is what Penny had to say about her time with the Charity.

“We have met so many lovely people during our time with Canine Partners and we take a lot of pleasure in showing various groups, including children and adults, what the Charity’s special dogs can do and how much of a difference they make to their partners’ lives. We are full of admiration for the many partnerships we have met over the years. Volunteering with Canine Partners has been hugely fulfilling. We love what we do.”

Pyke