Spaniel Fudge makes the perfect dogsbody

While most people are happy if their dog can sit on command, Alan Checkley's talented pooch helps him around the house and office.

The father-of-two's springer spaniel can not only do household jobs from closing and opening doors to picking up the phone and the post, but he also accompanies Alan to work where he can take faxes off the machine and pick up items, such as paperclips, from the floor.

Alan says the dog, who came from the charity Support Dogs, is also invaluable at breaking the ice with new people.

"I don't know how I would get through the day without her," says Alan who uses a wheelchair.

"Since having a Support Dog my confidence has gone up a lot and I feel like I can cope with anything at home or at work."

Alan was medically discharged from the army 29 years ago after a fall broke his spine and he says meeting his wife Shelly helped him start a new life.

"I decided to retrain and so I did HND and HNC courses in computers and I now work as project assistant for South Staffordshire and Shropshire NHS Foundation Trust," he says.

"After completing my courses I went to the job centre in Lichfield who pointed me in the direction of the Landmark Project, which is part of the trust I now work for.

"The project helps people that have been out of work and want to retrain.

"I found the accident had made me withdrawn and I had lost my confidence so I decided to get a dog to help get me outside."

Alan found his first dog, a springer spaniel called Megan, who he bonded with straight away so he took her along to puppy training.

"I wanted Megan to be able to walk next to my chair without being afraid, so I could go into town," says Alan, aged 46, who lives in Bells Lane, Burntwood.

"Around 12 years ago I spotted the Support Dogs charity on the internet and decided to take Megan along for assessment at their base in Sheffield.

"Megan was a typical lively springer spaniel and so I thought she wouldn't be accepted on to the scheme.

"But thankfully she was and she completed the course within six months and became my support dog." Alan, who works at St George's Hospital in Stafford, says Megan was trained to do a number of jobs from getting Shelly's attention when there was something wrong to picking up the post.

"Megan was my world, she did everything for me but last year I noticed she was becoming grey and I thought it was time to retire her," says Alan who has twin sons – Kyle and Louis, aged nine.

"I tried to find a dog to replace her but it was a struggle so in the end I went back to Support Dogs and they found another springer spaniel for me – and that was Fudge. Fudge has taken over Megan's jobs as well as being trained to come into work with me, which is something Megan couldn't do.

"Because Fudge is a fully-fledged assistant dog she can come into places like pubs and supermarkets with me where other pets aren't allowed."

Support Dogs is a UK charity that trains dogs to act as efficient and safe assistants for people with epilepsy and disabilities.

Each dog is taught tasks tailored to his owner's needs, enabling the disabled person to lead a fuller and more independent life.

Each dog costs in the region of £10,000 to train and support for life but Alan says the charity pays for everything.

Support Dogs have trained more than 150 dogs and aim to train a 24 dogs a year.

"Without Support Dogs I would not have the confidence I have now or the friendship of Megan and Fudge," says Alan.

"In my eyes they are not dogs or pets, they are my companions and I wouldn't want to be without them. The only task left for Fudge to do is to put the washing on and we are still working on that one."