Hundreds to gather at Raby Castle for Great British Dog Walk

Hundreds of walkers, and dogs of all shapes and sizes, are expected to turn out for the Great British Dog Walk at Raby Castle on Sunday.

The walk, run by Hearing Dogs for Deaf People, will involve routes of either 8km or 3km, both starting at 10.30am.

The charity says it costs about £40,000 to fully train and support a hearing dog for the duration of its life.

Christine Maddern, from Richmond, who was partnered with her second hearing dog, Freddie, in 2019, said: “Before I had Freddie, and Reggie, my first hearing dog, I would often miss the everyday sounds we take for granted. I didn’t hear visitors coming to the door and before I had Freddie to alert me to the oven timer, I ended up with several burnt cakes.

“Reggie once woke me up at 3am when I was staying in a hotel because the fire alarm had gone off and I hadn’t heard it. Thankfully I’ve yet to put Freddie’s soundwork skills to the test on that front!"

Tickets to each event are £12 in advance or £15 on the day. There is a free limited-edition Great British Dog Walk dog bandana for each adult ticket purchased for the walk and working hearing dogs and puppies-in-training will be available to meet on the day.

To sign-up, see www.raby.co.uk/events/the-great-british-dog-walk.