Guide dog trainer Carol has raised 250 puppies

Guide dog supermum Carol Evans has raised around 250 puppies to help blind and partially sighted people over the past three decades.

And the grandmother-of-six has her hands full at the moment with the latest litter of puppies born to her dog Clare in the last few days.

Mrs Evans had always had a passion for dogs but 30 years ago decided to get involved helping to train up puppies for the charity Guide Dogs.

Her first dog, a pure-breed labrador called Ruby, become a much-loved family pet and lived at their Stourbridge home for 16 years.

Mrs Evans has also cared for descendants of Ruby including her daughter Joni, grandaughter Callie and great grandaughter Imogen.

"I love dog breeding and doing it for Guide Dogs, I know that the dogs will be well looked after and loved," the 57-year-old said.

"They are all individuals and my grandchildren love to see them all when they come around to visit."

The latest brood of eight puppies were born to her three-year-old labrador-retriever cross Clare in the past few days.

They are being fed four times a day at the moment on a dry food diet to give them the nutrients needed to help them grow up healthy.

Most guide dog puppies are born in volunteers' homes with support given from the Guide Dog's National Breeding Centre in Royal Leamington Spa.

The housewife, whose role is known as a brood bitch holder, said they are expected to stay at the family home until they are six or seven weeks old.

They are then handed to puppy walkers across the country who train them for the next 12 months.

Pups need to get used to as many different sounds, smells and textures as possible, to prepare them for their future role.

Trips out on buses and trains and into town centres are also invaluable to introduce the young dogs to people, she says. All the puppies then learn their final guide dog skills and the volunteers see if they can be paired with new companions.

Mrs Evans added:?"I would say that a child is definitely more of a handful than 10 puppies.

"The puppies grow so quickly, they're helpless newborns to start with but once they open their eyes at 10 to 14 days old, they are up and about and independent within six weeks. Then they're off."

Mrs Evans, who lives with her husband, Michael, has looked after eight guide dog mums over the years.

She also cared for two German Shepherds called Tessa and Wheat and their litters had also become guide dogs. But she says she does not get upset as each puppy leaves the nest.

She said: "It is such a rewarding experience as you have the joy of the young dogs and then the joy of them going off to greater things in the future."

For information on becoming a Guide Dog breeder call 0845 371 7771.