A HEREFORD guide dog has become something of a star in recent weeks, awarded the title of "life-changing guide dog of the year 2006".

Not that Ike's owner, Catriona Wilson, needed any confirmation of what a great dog he is, because Ike has not only restored her independence and confidence, he has helped her pursue a sporting passion.

Without Ike, says Catriona, her life would be very different and it's unlikely she would have achieved her aim of studying at Hereford's RNCB or been able to continue with her hobby of indoor rifle-shooting.

But she had to wait a long time for her life-changing companion.

"I lost my sight eight years ago as a result of diabetes and, two weeks later, I rang the Guide Dogs Association to ask about having a dog, but I was then very ill with kidney failure and had to wait until I'd had my kidney transplant," explains Catriona. "I've had Ike for about 18 months now."

It is Ike who Catriona credits with getting her through yet another health setback, when skin cancer was diagnosed.

"He has kept me going all this time," she says. "When I got skin cancer, I felt like giving up and he seemed to know how I was feeling and gave me a big cuddle."

As well as ensuring that Catriona, who is from Newquay in Cornwall, could take up her place at RNCB to study reflexology, Ike has accompanied her to Wolverhampton for indoor rifle-shooting training and competitions.

"I love acoustic shooting," says Catriona, whose success is determined by how accurately she identifies the highest pitch she hears. "I always hope for a 10."

Catriona, who was a hairdresser before losing her sight, now hopes to become self-employed as a complementary therapist once she qualifies at RNCB. "I've always been very determined and I was desperate to get back to work and have a life back," she says. Teaming up with Ike proves to have been an essential part of Catriona's journey. She has also discovered that he is an asset to her patients, too, providing an alternative talking point for anyone who is tense or in pain.

"I wouldn't be at college without Ike," she says. "I am so lucky. He is exactly the dog I always wanted."