The wonderdog can pick up dropped items, open doors, unload the washing machine and help Fiona when she feels unstable

Just like the highly intelligent, resourceful beagle in the Aardman Animation series, Labrador Gromit is using his super skills to go above and beyond for his best friend.

Gromit and owner, Dr Fiona Marshall, recently graduated as a successful Support Dogs partnership.

Gromit can be seen often accompanying Fiona to her job as a research fellow in health and wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Nottingham, with regular train travel from her home near Buxton. | Support Dogs

placeholder image — Gromit can be seen often accompanying Fiona to her job as a research fellow in health and wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Nottingham, with regular train travel from her home near Buxton. | Support Dogs

Fiona, 61, has Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Sjögren's syndrome, making everyday tasks painful for her.

But five-year-old Gromit has been trained by the Sheffield-based national Support Dogs charity as a disability assistance dog to help Fiona to live more safely and independently.

Gromit can be seen often accompanying Fiona to her job as a research fellow in health and wellbeing at Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Nottingham, with regular train travel from her home near Buxton.

The wonderdog can pick up dropped items, open doors, unload the washing machine and help Fiona when she feels unstable and Fiona says she would have had to give up her 20-year career, which helps translate evidence into practice and policy, had it not been for having Gromit trained.

Fiona first noticed the signs of chronic neurological disorder, MS, more than 20 years ago manifesting with pain in her hands, and she would face days of being “absolutely exhausted”.

Sjögren's syndrome also means Fiona suffers from dry eyes and mouth, as the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its moisture-producing glands.

She wasn’t diagnosed with MS until 2021, which she says was a “huge relief”. The diagnosis came after she lost 100 percent of her vision, during the Coronavirus pandemic, and she had to spend five weeks in hospital during lockdown.

“Just having him there gives me confidence, otherwise I was struggling to get out and about. When I first got him, I couldn’t see out of my let eye for 18 months, so he always walks on my right.” | Support Dogs

“I came out of hospital and my best friend said ‘you need a dog to get you up and going again and out and about,” said Fiona. “I’d never had a dog before.”

“She picked me up the next day, and I thought we were going for a coffee, but she took me to a dog breeder’s. We got Gromit – he was just this little puppy with these enormous paws. I never realised he was going to grow so big!”

As Gromit approached his first birthday, Fiona looked into having him trained as an assistance dog. She found Support Dogs after researching on an MS website and applied three years ago.

“Jancis at Support Dogs went through everything he could do, starting with pick-ups and opening doors, generally just helping me around public places because I’m quite unstable on my feet,” said Fiona.

“If somebody knocks me, he’s more like a visual aid so people know to be a bit more careful.

“He helps with my balance, as sometimes my right leg goes what I call ‘jellified’ and a bit numb.

“Just having him there gives me confidence, otherwise I was struggling to get out and about. When I first got him, I couldn’t see out of my let eye for 18 months, so he always walks on my right.”

Praising the work of Support Dogs, which also trains and provides specialist assistance dogs for autistic children, as well as those living with epilepsy, Fiona said: “It’s great. I feel reassured – instructors Jancis and Tracey are always at the end of the phone.

“I think my life would be very different if I hadn’t had Gromit trained, especially as he now comes into work with me. I can’t thank Support Dogs enough.”

To find out more about Support Dogs, please visit www.supportdogs.org.uk or call 0114 2617800.