How many guide dogs has David Blunkett had, and how does he work with them?

David Blunkett has had seven guide dogs. He said it takes some months before a dog is in tune with him and can anticipate what is expected, and that he must know where he is going because a dog may assume he wants a shop he does not. His current dog, a 10-year-old cross between a German Shepherd and a golden retriever, is the one he calls the best all-rounder.

• Blunkett's first dog, a Labrador called Ruby, was the daftest, once found upside down in the outside bin.
• Blunkett described Sadie as a magisterial dog and Cosby, who died of liver cancer, as a 46-kilo dog who could take food off the kitchen counter without raising his paws.

Source: our own transcription of the episode. The full conversation is on The Rest Is Politics (2026-10-31). Read the whole episode summary →

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