Guide dog puppies enjoy special training trip to Exeter Picturehouse as charity appeals for more volunteers

A group of 10 guide dog puppies have enjoyed a special visit to Exeter Picturehouse, as part of their important socialisation training.

The local pups from sight loss charity Guide Dogs visited the cinema on Tuesday 29 April.

They enjoyed watching The Penguin Lessons on the big screen, exploring the seating areas and visiting the cinema café.

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

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

Kerry Brass-Hall, local Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs, said: “We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone at Exeter Picturehouse for supporting this training day.

“It’s really important that our pups are exposed to different sights and sounds, to help them grow up to become confident guide dogs.

“Visiting Exeter Picturehouse was a thoroughly enjoyable experience for everyone involved. Hopefully, this will help prepare them for any cinema trips they may do when they become working guide dogs in the future.”

The team from Exeter Picturehouse said:

“We had the best morning helping with Guide Dogs South West’s training!

“This included role-playing getting tickets, coffees and even watching a bit of a film! We even got to have a bit of playtime at the end.

“The hard work these volunteers put in to raising these incredible dogs is inspiring!”

Guide Dogs is currently recruiting more volunteer Puppy Raisers in the Exeter area.

Volunteers must be aged over 18 and be able to provide a suitable home for a dog. Caring for a puppy is a full-time commitment and you’ll need to be able to give a guide dog pup the love and attention they deserve. If that sounds like you, we’d love to hear from you.

To find out more about becoming a Puppy Raiser in Exeter, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/puppyraiser or call 0800 781 1444.