DOG trainer Ian Young will be following in his canine companion's paw prints when he embarks on a 900-mile sponsored walk from Germany to County Durham.

Sally, a two-year-old black labrador, will lead the way when Ian from Chester-le-Street makes the charity trek to his home town in the summer.

A full-time instructor for Guide Dogs for the Blind before becoming a self-employed trainer, Ian went to Germany in May 2000 to launch the 'dogs in service' charity Vita.

His training scheme for dogs to help the elderly, infirm and blind was such a success in a country without any specialist dog trainers that he now hopes to raise cash to open his own international training centre in the North-East.

Ian's International Service Dog Fund will enable him to establish the charity-run centre which will rescue animals from dog pounds to give them a new, and useful, lease of life.

Ian said: "Sally and I are already in training for the walk which will take 12 weeks and involve us walking between 14 and 16 miles a day.

"I've got her pet passport plan ready so she won't have to go through quarantine at Calais and I've got the route through Germany, Belgium and France all mapped out."

The trip is pencilled in for June 3 to the end of August.

Ian added: "We have dogs in rescue kennels that are described as 'problem dogs,' but I say they are dogs that don't have enough to think about - they simply require work.

"I aim to train suitable dogs - whether they are potential guide dogs, dogs for the deaf or for the emergency services - and supply them to countries round Europe."

Anyone who wants to sponsor Ian and Sally's walk or equipment should contact his mother, Ruth Young, on (0191) 388 6156. He also wants to hear from anyone willing to join him for a leg of the journey.