A group of trainee guide dogs have taken part in a special training visit to Yorkshire Sculpture Park.

The visit formed part of the puppies’ early development with Guide Dogs, helping them experience a wide range of sights, sounds and surfaces and build their confidence as they prepare to become future guide dogs.

Volunteer Puppy Raisers brought their dogs to the Wakefield attraction for an a morning of exploring and socialisation.

These volunteers provide a loving home for around a year, helping each pup gain confidence and experience in a variety of everyday situations before they move on to formal guide dog training.

Pictured from the left are Judith Pike with dog Michael, Trish Darley with Humphry, Sandra Meehan. with Vance, Carole and Graham Rackstraw with Westle, .Cliff Meehan with Simon and Eve Campbell with Colin. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme 10th September 2026

placeholder image — Pictured from the left are Judith Pike with dog Michael, Trish Darley with Humphry, Sandra Meehan. with Vance, Carole and Graham Rackstraw with Westle, .Cliff Meehan with Simon and Eve Campbell with Colin. Picture taken by Yorkshire Post Photographer Simon Hulme 10th September 2026

A spokesperson for YSP said: “When we were approached by Guide Dogs to host a puppy training visit we were delighted to say yes immediately.

“With 500 acres of parkland, woods and trails to explore, there was so much for the pups to see, smell and enjoy during their day with us.

"Our cafés also have dog friendly areas so we knew they would also be able to go inside and continue their experiences is another interesting environment where their puppy raisers could also enjoy a well-earned break!”

It takes around two years for a puppy to complete its journey to becoming a qualified guide dog, with experiences like this playing a vital role in building the confidence and resilience they’ll need in their future role supporting someone with sight loss.

During their visit, puppies Humphrey, Michael, Simon, Vance and Westley wandered around the park’s expansive grounds, encountering a variety of different terrain, sculptures, wildlife and visitors.

Wendy Huggins, puppy development supervisor at Guide Dogs in Yorkshire, said: "These kinds of visits are an essential part of preparing our pups for their future as life-changing guide dogs.

"Every new environment helps them build confidence and resilience, whether that’s navigating different surfaces, encountering unusual objects or remaining calm around lots of people.

“Yorkshire Sculpture Park offers a fantastic mix of experiences that our puppies wouldn’t encounter every day.

"It’s been brilliant to work together on this first visit and we’re incredibly grateful for the warm welcome we’ve received”.