Guide dog puppies visit Buxton Opera House on a special training trip

The five pups, Abbi, Chenka, Nacho, Reuben and Ulanda, who are all in the early stages of their guide dog training, visited the Opera House recently.

They met staff at the box office, practised using stairs inside the performance venue and sat in the stalls, with their Puppy Raisers, watching the stage being set up.

Each pup was accompanied by their volunteer Puppy Raiser, who looks after them until they are just over a year old, before they move to a Guide Dogs’ centre to start their formal training.

Volunteer Puppy Raisers for sight loss charity Guide Dogs provide puppies with vital foundations for their future role, teaching them basic commands and helping them get used to different environments.

Stephanie Cupitt, Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs covering the local area, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at Buxton Opera House for supporting with this important training visit.

“As our pups grow and develop, it’s vital that they are exposed to different sights and sounds, to help them grow up to become confident guide dogs.

“To support this, we try to organise days out for them, similar to school trips, where they can experience new places and learn how to behave well in these settings.

“Our trip to Buxton Opera House provided a great opportunity for our pups to explore a sensory environment, in a controlled way, preparing them for any visits to the opera, or theatre, they may do when they are qualified guide dogs.”

Josh Henshaw, Marketing & Audience Development Officer for Buxton Opera House, said: “We were delighted to host our four-legged friends, Puppy Raisers, and the fantastic training team in the Opera House as part of this practice.”

Guide Dogs is currently recruiting for more volunteer Puppy Raisers across Derbyshire.

Volunteers must be aged over 18 and have suitable housing. Caring for a puppy is a full-time commitment and you must be able to give a guide dog pup the love and attention they deserve.

To find out more about becoming a Puppy Raiser in Derbyshire, contact [email protected] or call 0800 781 1444.