Heart-melting footage of guide dogs – tick.
Devoted pups and people working together to help people with sight loss – tick.
A rollercoaster of emotions as the puppies come of age and go to training school – tick.
ITV’s Me and My Guide Dog – first broadcast on ITV on 3 July 2013 and watched by over 4 million people – explored how life-changing partnerships are formed between people with sight loss and the guide dogs they are paired with. The initial programme followed the birth of a litter of puppies and told the stories of some incredible people who haven’t let sight loss stop them from living their dreams.
And now the popular series is back tomorrow night (Tuesday at 8pm) and will, among others, feature well-known Solhull Guide Dog user Kenneth Fear and his journey with new Guide Dog Klodo.
The two hour-long instalments – on June 9 and 16 – delve into the inspirational work that Guide Dogs does – helping 63 people with guide dogs in Warwickshire each year – to ensure that when someone loses their sight, they don’t have to lose their freedom as well.
Each episode showcases the lives of the extraordinary people who help train the puppies, follows the development of the adorable litter featured in the first episode and introduces some of the inspiring individuals who achieve lifetime goals with these pups by their side – showing the unique relationship between man and his best friend.
One of these unique relationships that features in episode 2 is Kenneth Fear, treasurer of Solihull Guide Dog Branch.
Kenneth’s guide dog Rascal retired at the beginning of December after nearly 9 years’ service – being replaced by a young guide dog called Klodo (known as Kludo throughout the programme).
Speaking to The Observer Mr fear said: “For a dog, qualifying as a guide dog is a bit like passing the driving test.
“The first time you go out after the test you find that your instructor is no longer there and you have to work out how to drive and make decisions for yourself.
“Klodo is ‘learning on the job’ and doing very well. Rascal, in the meantime is enjoying a happy retirement with us – watching Klodo do the work for a change.”
