Meet Betty, a Golden Retriever in training to support someone to live more independently

Support Dogs trains dogs to help children with autism, adults with epilepsy and people with a physical disability. Their work is aimed at supporting families and individuals to overcome a range of obstacles.

Betty’s trainer, Lottie Barlow, said: “We’re still looking at which programme Betty is going to be most suited to, but it will be either autism or disability.

“She’s been with me since the end of March, working out and about, and she’s been absolutely fantastic.”

As part of her training, Betty has been learning a range of tasks, including fetching things, picking up dropped items, opening doors and fetching help.

“She can do all of the disability task work, which would make her quite good at the disability programme, but she is equally quite good with children and she could go on the autism programme for that reason,” said Lottie, who has worked for Support Dogs for two years.

Betty, who lives with a female volunteer foster carer in Rotherham when she’s not in training, is described as “quite lively yet affectionate”.

“She likes being given a job to do,” said Lottie. “She enjoys learning and using her brain – that motivates her more than food and treats.”

Support Dogs is recruiting volunteer puppy socialisers to help provide a loving home for dogs in training like Betty. Visit www.supportdogs.org.uk for more details.