Guide Dog puppies explore spooky attractions ahead of Halloween

Guide Dogs is taking their puppies to Halloween activities to build the dogs’ confidence ahead of the spooky day.

Guide Dogs is taking their puppies to Halloween activities to build the dogs’ confidence ahead of the spooky day (Doug Peters/PA)

Sight loss charity Guide Dogs has said puppies have been visiting famous haunted attractions across the UK to highlight the importance of preparing young dogs for the spooky day.

The season’s festivities expose young dogs to potentially overwhelming new experiences, so Guide Dogs is taking its puppies to Halloween activities to build the dogs’ confidence.

The London Dungeon, Blackpool Tower Dungeon, Edinburgh Dungeon and Warwick Castle are opening their doors this month to guide dog puppies for a special socialisation event.

The exhibitions were pared back to create a more dog-friendly environment and provided a safe and fun training experience for the next generation of guide dogs to build confidence ahead of their first Halloween.

Volunteer puppy raisers accompanied the dogs as they explored the specially customised exhibits, met actors in costumes, experienced strange sounds and smells and encountered spooky scenes, objects and decorations.

The experiences at the Dungeons were designed to familiarise the puppies with the sometimes unpredictable and strange environments that Halloween brings.

Puppy raising operations lead at Guide Dogs Haley Andrews said: “Puppies are naturally curious but can become fearful when confronted with unfamiliar scenarios.

“Early socialisation is crucial to helping them handle situations calmly and build the confidence they need to guide their future visually impaired owner, no matter what surprises they encounter.

“Halloween is full of potential challenges – flashing lights, unexpected noises, and, of course, people in costumes. By introducing them to these elements in a controlled way, we are setting them up to handle anything that comes their way as fully-fledged guide dogs.”

Guide dog puppies undergo socialisation before entering a six-month training programme and if successful, they go on to become assistance dogs.

Guide Dogs provided some advice for pet owners on ensuring their dogs have a comfortable and safe Halloween.

The charity advises dog owners to slowly introduce costume elements like wigs, masks and hats, and gradually introduce new sounds.

Instead of decorating the house all at once, the charity advises owners to do it a little bit at a time, as well as avoid dressing up your dog, and respect your dog’s comfort levels.

Although Guide Dogs visited Dungeon locations, this was done in a controlled environment and the charity advises against bringing your dog to scary events, parties, or attractions that could be unsettling for them.

Finally, the charity stresses that Halloween treats should be kept out of reach, as many Halloween goodies, including chocolate, raisins, and the sweetener xylitol, are toxic to dogs.

Guide Dogs is training more dogs to help the two million people in the UK living with sight loss and is looking for more volunteers to prepare puppies for their working role. For more information about becoming a volunteer puppy raiser, visit guidedogs.org.uk/volunteer.