Support Dogs client hoping for an Abbey ever after

At just six months old, little Abbey - who is being nurtured by volunteers in Newbold, Chesterfield - is one of the youngest recruits at the Support Dogs charity.

In less than two years’ time, upon successfully completing her training, the yellow Labrador will have been partnered with either an autistic child or an adult with epilepsy or a physical disability, to support them to live more safely and independently.

Those overseeing her progress at the Sheffield-based charity, which trains and provides specialist assistance dogs to help people navigate a range of challenging medical conditions, say Abbey is already a fast learner.

Melanie Mills, a puppy co-ordinator with Support Dogs, said: “She is so clever. Dogs need to be able to ‘backchain’, where they associate particular cues with certain behaviours, and she’s already doing that in some of her training.”

Abbey will soon have her six-month assessment, in which the charity’s trainee wonderpups’ progress is examined, with grades in areas such as sociability around adults, children and other dogs, and behaviour on public transport.

Support dog puppies live with volunteer Puppy Socialisers, who live within an hour of the charity’s training centre.

They nurture the pup for the first 14 months, taking it along to puppy classes at the centre when required.

Abbey has lived with Pauline and Kevin McAllister, in Newbold, Chesterfield, since January.

Pauline, 71, and Kevin, 74, were named the charity’s Puppy Socialisers of the Year in 2020, having taken on the role that year and crediting the puppies with helping them to survive the pandemic and getting them though Kevin’s illness after he suffered a heart attack the previous year.

Abbey is the fifth dog the couple have looked after for Support Dogs, following in the pawprints of Woody, who is now a trainee disability assistance dog; Mandy who is now an autism assistance dog for a nine-year-old girl in Derby; Gordon who is a fully-qualified disability assistance dog for a woman in Dewsbury and Bertie who is now in full-time training.

Pauline said: “Abbey is so lovely and really clever. She works things out for herself.

“She’s very bouncy and very energetic. She absolutely loves my son Richard.

“She’s a happy little thing – her tail is always going.

“It’s great having her – she gets us out and about. She has gone to stay for three days with a potential puppy socialiser and the house is empty without her.”

Pauline added that Abbey loves to go on walks, having taken pretty quickly to the lead, and she’s also been to pilates class and crotchet group with her.

Support Dogs is on the lookout for more volunteer puppy socialisers. To find out more about the role, please visit www.supportdogs.org.uk/puppy-socialiser or call 0114 2617800. To learn more about the incredible work of Support Dogs, please visit www.supportdogs.org.uk