Wednesday, February 11, 2004

FROM the outside Alexandria’s Community Dog Training Centre doesn’t strike you as anything special. But inside they are blazing a trail that the rest of the Scotland is hoping to follow.

“Pals with Paws Support Dogs’ is just over a year old and, thanks to a £5,000 lottery grant, is really starting to take off,” explained Janette Duncan, group secretary and owner of collie cross Poppy.

“There are hearing dogs for the deaf, guide dogs for the blind and dogs for the severely disabled.

"We were classified as not disabled enough.”

Founded by George Cochrane, Pals with Paws aims to fill a gap in training dogs for people with disabilities.

George told the Reporter: “This centre is the first of its kind dedicated to this purpose and we are dedicated to it being shown around the rest of Scotland as the way forward.

"We say that a dog is only going to be as good as the owner is going to make it, or as difficult as the owner will let it become.

“The Scottish Canine Consultative Council is using our example here and our uniqueness of our partnership with West Dunbartonshire Council as the way forward for local authorities.”

George, a former dog handler with the police, added: “Local authorities come here to look in and evaluate whether or not they can achieve a similar partnership with the people in their areas.”

Poppy, along with friends Tony and Snowball, have become a vital part of their owners’ lives.

Janette explained: “She started off doing ordinary things and when we heard about this course that was starting up we went along and it has been a great help.

“She picks things up when I cannot bend down and brings things up the stairs to me when I cannot get out of bed.

"She picks up the obedience side of things very quickly.”

Group secretary Vivienne Fyfe adopted Snowball two and half years ago. “The most important things were teaching her to walk by my side and to come back to me when she was called,” she said. “George already runs the ‘animate’ group which helps people with learning difficulties who are afraid of dogs. We developed from that.” She explained: “I suffer from chronic arthritis and the first thing Snowball ever picked up on her own was my keys. “Now she can pick up my mobile, my remote control and my slippers.” The dogs learn through basic and clear commands, each one designed to sound entirely different from the rest. “For example the command for the remote control is ‘zapper’,” said Vivienne: “The command for my slippers is ‘baffy’. “We need to make the commands as different as possible and after she picks something up she gets a little treat and reward is playing with her ball. “That is how she started, as soon as a dog can bring you a ball on command they can bring you anything,” added

Vivienne. Snowball, Poppy and Tony were rescued from Milton Animal Home and are the group’s founder members. None of them are pedigrees — all breeds of dogs of any age are welcome. Membership to the group comes from referral only although the group are happy to speak to anyone who could be interested in joining. Call 01389 755133 or e-mail palswithpaws@blueyonder.co.uk for more information.