Kirsty Simpson is employed by Guide Dogs to train older puppies during the day on a mock street with bollards, bus stops and fake pedestrian crossings.
Although Kirsty is their trainer, Guide Dogs still need fosterers to look after the older pups in evenings and weekends until they fully qualify when they are about two.
She said: “Fosterers are families of all sizes, it doesn’t matter if you live alone or you have children, you can even have other pet dogs, because our dogs need to be okay with other animals in the home. You don’t need a big garden either.
“You don’t need previous experience with dogs, we train everybody and fully support people. Guide Dogs will fund everything such as food, vaccinations and equipment, we just ask for a loving family and a lovely home.”
If people are out at work all day, Kirsty suggests fostering an older puppy.
“They are training all day Monday to Friday so you can drop off from first thing in the morning and collect at teatime, then you get to enjoy the dog throughout the rest of the evening and over the weekend.”