Volunteering for Guide Dogs

Penny's puppy walker diary

Hi, my name is Penny Parker and I will have been a puppy walker for six years in May this year, although I am now walking my seventh puppy. I live in Felixstowe, Suffolk, not far from the beach.

My two daughters Hannah 23 and Lauren 21 still live at home. Hannah works full time but helps out with the puppies and fundraising in the evenings and weekends. Lauren has special needs and suffers from Williams Syndrome, but has placements three days a week. We share our home with Umber a white Labrador (our first guide dog puppy that, unfortunately, was withdrawn from advanced training due to depression) and two cats Bonnie and Beauty.

I first got into puppy walking because I had seen an article in a magazine at the doctor’s surgery and was looking for a new venture. I had recently given up being chairperson of two school PTAs after over 10 years and felt a little lost. Hannah checked online for all the details, like who paid for the food and vets bills, and came bursting into the lounge to announce that she felt we met all the requirements.

We applied and waited. Eventually we had our interview and garden check, nothing much needed doing so I asked how long it would be before we got a puppy. The supervisor said it could be anything between six to eight weeks. I admit I felt a little disappointed, I wanted one now! That was Monday morning, that afternoon she called and said could I take one on Wednesday - well wishes do come true!

As I mentioned, Umber was withdrawn from training, and so home he came making our house a three dog palace! I went on to walk Ulma, a black Labrador and Iris, another black Labrador. I then took a break, not because I wanted to but because we had secured a name a puppy with our local paper who wanted a yellow pup called Star (after the “Evening Star” the name of the paper). Star was beautiful and stole the hearts of the readers of the paper. The paper had guaranteed to raise £10,000 by the time star went for training, she arrived in the September and by Christmas they had raised £15,000. Since then they have named four puppies and are almost at number five. Star was lovely, so calm yet attentive; she was chosen to be a brood bitch.

Next we had Faith a Labrador retriever cross, who Umber adored, and again sponsored by the paper. She qualified last year and works in London. Star gave us her first litter in September 2010 and the paper named one Sterling (“little star” in old English), which we puppy walked. He is lovely, a real gentle giant who has just gone on to advanced training in Surrey, so our fingers are crossed for him.

Star gave us another litter in 2011, we had asked for a yellow boy (purely because the photos come out better!) again sponsored by the paper. However having had a black Labrador mate she gave us only 2 yellow pups, both girls. Not to be put off we gave the photographers a challenge and I’m now puppy walking one of her sons a beautiful boy called Robson, named after Sir Bobby Robson not Robson and Gerome! He is full of character and we certainly know we have him! Umber is still reserving judgement on whether he likes him or not but he [Robson] gets on great with the cats!

Posted by Penny Parker on 4:09pm Mon 30 Jan 2012 | Read comments (7) | Post a comment

Week 17 - Robson joins in the fun at Jo Jingles

Robson has once again this week enjoyed attending children based activities with his little friend Teddi; the highlight being “Jo Jingles” a music group for toddlers. All was good while the children sat on the mats clapping along to the music, then he showed a marked interest when they started...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 11:44am Mon 21 May 2012 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 16 - Robson enjoys his first train journey

This week has been both challenging and tiring for Robson and has certainly tested some of his skills. Robson has had the pleasure of having a three year old playmate again this week as I am filling in for her usual Nanny due to an operation. This arrangement looks to be for some weeks so I will...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 9:50am Wed 16 May 2012 | Read comments | Post a comment

Week 15 - Robson meets the local fire brigade

Robson has had a fairly busy week this week starting with meeting up with our puppy walking supervisor. She was pleased with his progress but is slightly puzzled as I am as to why Robson thinks the words “Good Boy” make him think he needs to run ahead! After asking him to be steady I have to...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 10:36am Tue 8 May 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 14 - Robson braves April showers

Well the weather this week has been terrible and Robson is not a lover of the rain! He dashes outside to spend when he just can’t keep his legs crossed any more. Trying to get him to walk at a steady pace in the rain has proved very difficult as he seems to want to rush everywhere and is now...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 12:38pm Mon 30 Apr 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 13 - Robson navigates a battlefield!

Robson turned 7 months this week and I’m struggling to think of him as still a puppy he’s got so big, but he tries very hard to remind me daily by trying to climb up on my lap for a cuddle when he’s tired! He has found a new hobby to keep himself amused and our hoover very busy, in undressing...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 11:12am Mon 23 Apr 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 12 - Robson comes face to face with a sheep

This week saw our branch fundraising at a local farm attraction, joining the local young farmers at their country fair at Easton Farm Park. They were holding a companion dog show, horse show and vintage tractor displays alongside all the many attractions already on site. I knew from last week that...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 12:07pm Mon 16 Apr 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 11 - Robson falls in love

I have deliberately kept Robson’s week quite quiet as we knew the Easter weekend was going to be a very busy one for him with it being the start of our branches main fundraising season. Before all this though he had to make his six month visit to the vets for his kennel cough, a squirt up the nose...Read the full post

Posted by on 10:13am Tue 10 Apr 2012 | Read comments (2) | Post a comment

Week 10 - Penny and Robson help out a friend

Robson has had another busy week helping out at talks for Guide Dogs this week as our fundraising season begins in earnest. He came along with Umber to the local Salvation Army afternoon group where he caused a lot of laughter when after my talk he jumped on top my lap and put his arms around my...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 10:47am Mon 2 Apr 2012 | Read comments (2) | Post a comment

Week 9 - Robson continues to impress amongst the local community

Robson started this week with a trip to the vets to be weighed so I could give him his wormer in the correct dose. He is quite happy at the vets and sat nicely on the scales weighing in at 24.5kg. Turning six months meant that he was also set to lose one of his meals and go down to two slightly...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 10:24am Mon 26 Mar 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 8 - Robson enjoys his first trip to the woods

Robson took a big step this week and has done away with his indoor kennel. I had tried doing this several times before but he hadn’t been able to settle without it, but at last he has decided he’s old enough to sleep in a big boy’s bed! I always go through a slight panic at this stage, not for the...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 2:25pm Mon 19 Mar 2012 | Read comments (5) | Post a comment

Week 7 - Penny's pride grows as Robson's obedience shines through

After the naughtiness of last week it feels as if we may have turned a corner and Robson has developed a keenness to work and please us with his behaviour. The bouncing at beginning of walks is still there but greatly reduced and quick to deal with. He has learnt that he needs to sit before I will...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 11:29am Mon 12 Mar 2012 | Read comments (4) | Post a comment

Week 6 - Robson shows his mischievous side...

This week Robson has turned in to a big boy, he’s been losing his baby teeth rapidly and we keep finding them all over the place. I always remember panicking when Umber was small when he lost his teeth as I didn’t realise dogs lost their teeth just like babies!! Even now I still find myself...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 12:40pm Mon 5 Mar 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 5 - Robson's a local star!

Robson has been dealing a lot with the media this week, keeping all his public up to date with what he’s been up to. As he is sponsored by our local newspaper “the Evening Star” we told them he was doing this diary for the Guide dog website as well as his popular Facebook blog! They sent a...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 11:26am Mon 27 Feb 2012 | Read comments (1) | Post a comment

Week 4 - Robson takes an interest in the swans

This week saw Robson turn 5 months old, and we’re all wondering where the time has gone. It’s always an awful feeling when we stop telling people the pups are so many weeks old and start saying how old they are in months!! We’ve had quite a quiet week really working on a lot of basic commands,...Read the full post

Posted by on 10:52am Mon 20 Feb 2012 | Read comments (5) | Post a comment

Week 3 - Robson gets the hiccups

This week the temperature really dropped and having very little heating in my kitchen I wondered if Robson was cold and if that could be the reason he keeps waking up for a busy, so feeling sorry for him we moved his indoor kennel in to the hall. I’m not sure he was really bothered but it did have...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 12:11pm Mon 13 Feb 2012 | Read comments (4) | Post a comment

Week 2 - A busy week with Robson's first store collection

Well if I thought this week was going to be a quiet one I was mistaken. Robson had his first store collection this week at Tesco’s Ipswich. Off we went armed with mats for both him and Umber to lay on and a blanket. Naturally neither of them wanted to lay on theirs so we spent a few minutes playing...Read the full post

Posted by on 11:35am Mon 6 Feb 2012 | Read comments (6) | Post a comment

Week 1 - Robson meets Matt Cardle!

Well here goes with our first Diary entry for Puppy Robson. He’s been with us now for several weeks and has settled in really well. He had a puppy friend to stay for the first three weeks so training was a little hard and playing was definitely the name of the game. What it did solve for us as a...Read the full post

Posted by Penny Parker on 11:14am Thu 2 Feb 2012 | Read comments (5) | Post a comment