Angus darts star Alan Soutar is preparing for the PDC big-time as gets set for the £2.5 million World Championships in December.
However, nothing Soutar achieves in the sport will ever come close to the feeling he gets when one of the guide dogs he rears passes.
For four years Soutar and his partner Amanda have been training guide dogs from their Arbroath home, determined to make a difference to those in need.
From their life-changing former puppy Quando – who resides with an 89-year-old Belfast granny – to stud dog Pete, Soutar and Amanda have become guide dog champions.
And Soutar would choose success with dogs over darts any day.
“At the age of 43, I’ve had loads of good feelings in my lifetime,” said Soutar. “But this is a different level.
“We will spend a year bringing a dog to become a proper guide dog. It’s amazing when it goes onto help someone.
“Our first dog, Quando, passed. He now lives with an 89-year-old, Mary, in Belfast.
“It has changed her life. She has much more independence and calls Amanda all of the time.
“Koko, our second one, passed and lives in Glasgow.
“Tasha failed and we kept her. Pete has just gone on to become a stud guide dog.
“As an able-bodied and sighted person, you can’t understand what a blind person goes through.
“We have heard all the stories over the last four years. To make a difference feels great.”
Alan Soutar sold on guide dogs after meeting ‘Andrex puppies’
Soutar’s link with the Guide Dogs began at an open day in 2017.
Now four puppies on, he and Amanda are hooked and are likely to go for guide dog number five.
The Dundee firefighter is balancing his work at Kingsway with life on the road with the PDC after turning pro earlier this year.
He qualified for Ally Pally just four months after getting his card.
And he has picked up several big wins at The Players Championship this week – including victory over two-times World Championship finalist Mervyn King.
Wright beats Soutar!
Peter Wright finally gets his first victory over Alan Soutar to book his place in the Last 16 of Players Championship 22.
He survived match darts in the process! pic.twitter.com/uUqQKLXB5T
— PDC Darts (@OfficialPDC) August 3, 2021
Life as a guide dog trainer actually helps him plan his next big darts scalp.
“When you arrive at the open day they bring out the Andrex puppies,” added Soutar.
“Out come the golden retrievers and labradors.
“It makes you want to know more. It snowballed from there and we were accepted.
“Everyone who has had a dog will know about the puppy stage. Almost every year we get a new puppy to train up. It’s hard work but rewarding.
“I will often stick headphones in and go for a five mile walk with the dog.
“I’ll think about my home life a lot but also about darts. I’ll think about where I’ve come from and where I want to be.
“It’s a form of escapism and I get to see some beautiful parts of Arbroath.”
How life in a warzone prepared Dundee firefighter Alan Soutar for top-level darts
