Doggy Dad Dennis inspires Northampton teenager to run London Marathon for charity Guide Dogs

A teenager from Northampton, whose family have given a home to a guide dog dad, is running the London Marathon in aid of sight loss charity Guide Dogs.

Josh Funnell, who is 19, from West Haddon, Northampton, has lived with dad to future guide dogs, yellow Labrador Dennis, for the last three years.

Josh’s family originally volunteered as Puppy Raisers for the charity, with Dennis arriving to live with them at eight weeks of age, back in December 2021.

Volunteer Puppy Raisers usually care for a guide dog puppy for just over year, before they leave to start their formal guide dog training.

But Dennis was selected to join the charity’s breeding programme, and Josh’s parents, Richard and Louise, decided to give him a permanent home, and become Breeding Dog Volunteers for Guide Dogs instead.

Josh will run the London Marathon in aid of the sight loss organisation on Sunday 27 April, having been inspired by the work of Guide Dogs.

Josh said: “My family puppy raised Dennis and it was between him, and his brother, for who would be selected as a guide dog dad from his litter.

“When we found out the news that he’d been accepted onto the breeding programme and was going to become a stud dog, it was brilliant and a big relief that we could keep him.

“Everyone asks ‘How’s Dennis?’ – he goes everywhere with us. It’s amazing to have him as part of the family.

“He’s fathered three litters now, and 21 puppies so far.

“It’s lovely because we’ve had contact with all the guide dog mums involved.

“We’ve got to meet some of Dennis’ puppies too, which has been lovely.

“Having Dennis has been a big eye-opener. I wouldn’t have been aware of how much work and effort goes into creating guide dogs, if it wasn’t for him.”

Breeding Dog Volunteers for Guide Dogs give permanent homes to guide dog mums and dads, supporting them whilst they are on the charity’s breeding programme, and caring for them once they’ve retired.

Josh added: “I’m surprisingly not nervous about the marathon - I’m just really excited for it.

“I’ve done a lot of training and I’m also part of the Loughborough University triathlon team, so that has helped too.

“We did think about taking Dennis to London so he could watch but decided it would be best if he supported me from home this time around!”

Claire Robotham, local Community Fundraising Manager for Guide Dogs, said: “As a charity, we rely almost entirely on donations to keep our life-changing services for people with sight loss running.

“I’m a guide dog owner myself, so I know first-hand the amazing difference that our dogs make to people’s lives.

“We wish Josh the best of luck with the London Marathon, and Guide Dogs will be cheering him on from the sidelines.”

Guide Dogs has trained over 37,500 guide dogs. That’s more than one new guide dog every day since the charity’s first guide dog partnerships were created in 1931.

It costs the charity£38,110to train a guide dog, transforming them from a pup into a partnership.

To sponsor Josh in aid of Guide Dogs, visit: Guide Dogs: Josh Funnell London Marathon 2024

To find out more about volunteering for Guide Dogs, visit: guidedogs.org.uk/volunteering