Kentish Express Ashford & District
Dogs get sniff of the action
Ashford fire station welcomed some unusual visitors when the Guide Dogs charity brought in 10 pups in training to give them some important experiences.
Puppy walkers and guide dog trainers from Ashford and surrounding areas took their pups, including some experienced and some at early stages of training, to the Henwood station last Tuesday to experience the sights and sounds they might come across when they become working guide dogs.
Jay Taylor, the charity’s puppy training supervisor for south Kent and East Sussex said: “We’re so grateful to the crews in Ashford and to Kent Fire and Rescue Service. It was a great opportunity to help prepare our puppies for the real world.
“Good socialisation is crucial for each dog to succeed in training and for when they’re placed with their new visually impaired owners.”
The visit gave the puppies situation and sensory training.
This included hearing sirens, a variety of smells including the personal firefighting protective equipment lockers, the sound and presence of large vehicles and machinery, meeting fire- fighters in their full firefighting kit, using different types of staircases, including fire escapes, and entering the dark fire training facility that smells of smoke.
And the pups took it all in their stride.
“Every puppy has to be comfortable with the noises they can be exposed to and this training gives them the chance to see if they respond well or if they need to have a little more training,” said Jay.
The visits are held every six months as part of the puppies’ training programme.
Green Watch manager Andy Harris, who organises the visits, said: “The crew thoroughly enjoy having the pups here. It’s a great opportunity to help such a crucial service in our community in providing their new recruits with a good grounding.
“We have some loud vehicles and can certainly help the pups get ready for a life of service.”