Charity puppy group celebrates 25 years with anniversary dinner party

Volunteers and staff at Canine Partners Gloucester puppy training group celebrated 25 years of the Charity by holding a dinner party for their puppies in training.

Canine Partners, an organisation which trains dogs to assist people with disabilities, held the event at Stonehouse Community Centre in Gloucestershire, to mark the milestone, as well as the fifth anniversary of the puppy group and first birthday of puppy Pepper. This venue is where the Charity holds its puppy training classes for local volunteers who look after their young dogs for a year and begin their training to be assistance dogs.

The dedicated group carried out games with their puppies such as waiting 25 seconds for treats, carrying their wooden spoon or dinner bowl for 25 steps the quickest and a temptation alley of 25 hot dogs. The Gloucestershire puppy group also celebrated with a specially made dog cake and dinner for the pups.

Heather Loan, Gloucestershire puppy group trainer at Canine Partners, said: “We wanted to mark 25 years of Canine Partners with a special celebration – and what better way than honouring our puppies!

“Everyone had a great time while training their puppies in a fun and engaging way. The group put a lot of effort into the event with many quirky games and a small three course meal for each, made up of vegetable soup, chicken casserole or fish pie followed by a tasty treat.

“We are always looking for new puppy parents to teach the assistance-dogs-in-training basic obedience, social skills and core tasks that are essential before they move on to advanced training, where their skills are refined specifically for a disabled person’s needs. It’s a really rewarding role.”

Canine Partners is dedicated to transforming the lives of people with physical disabilities by training amazing dogs to help with everyday tasks they would otherwise find difficult, painful or impossible including opening doors, undressing, pressing buttons, and emergency response. The dogs increase independence, confidence and provide loving companionship.

Becky Andrews, from Gloucestershire, who has cerebral palsy and relies on canine partner Gino, said: “Gino also helps a great deal at home assisting me to undress by taking off socks, shoes, trousers, jacket and jumper. This means I can wear clothes I want such as skinny jeans and boots. Before Gino it wasn’t possible as I was unable take them off without help from someone.

“Gino has changed my life. His love, companionship, loyalty and devotion to me is amazing, I feel so lucky and blessed to have him.”

The Gloucester puppy training group is always looking for more puppy parents to help train the young dogs. Please contact the Charity’s puppy office on 01730 716017, email puppyoffice@caninepartners.org.uk or visit caninepartners.org.uk for more information.