VOLUNTEERS are needed to offer the best start in life to a puppy training to be an assistance dog for charity Canine Partners.

The national charity is looking for puppy parents in their 13 puppy training satellite areas to provide their puppies with the love, care and skills they need to get ready for the next stage of their training.

Canine Partners trains amazing assistance dogs to transform the lives of people with disabilities, boosting their confidence and independence.

The dogs are taught a range of everyday tasks including picking up and fetching items, opening doors and dressing a person. They can even help to load and unload a washing machine and they can fetch help in an emergency.

Puppies-in-training live in the volunteer’s home from around eight-weeks-old until they are ready to start advanced training when they are between 12 and 14 months, at the Southern Training Centre near Midhurst or the Midlands Training Centre in Leicestershire.

Canine Partners’ expert trainers are on hand to support puppy parents, as training involves home visits, one-to-ones, town visits and puppy classes in order to socialise the puppy and get them used to all situations they may need to be in as a fully trained canine partner.

To become a puppy parent in one of Canine Partners’ 13 puppy satellites across the country, you need to be aged 18 or over, work less than full-time and be willing to make a long term commitment of at least 14 months.

To find out more about becoming a puppy parent for Canine Partners, please visit caninepartners.org.uk/puppy-parents/, call 08456 580 480 or email puppyoffice@caninepartners.org.uk