AN aspiring rescue pup is embarking on an inspirational journey that could lead him to one day helping to save lives.

Five-month-old Labrador puppy Gaspode is currently being put through his paces to one day becoming a mountain search dog for Duddon and Furness Mountain Rescue Team.

Gaspode and his owner, 29-year-old Tom Ferrero, are embarking upon a long training process made up of four key stages.

The pair are currently right at the start of the process, working hard to pass the entry criteria required to join Lake District Mountain Rescue Search Dogs Association (LDMRSDA).

The first stage is known as Pre-stage One, which aims to help aspirant puppies pass the entry criteria required to join LDMRSDA.

Once passed, Gaspode will then be classed as a ‘Trainee Searchdog.’

The next phase is Stage One that teaches the dog the basics of the searching sequence from finding a body, indication and returning over a short distance.

Then Stage Two adds difficulty, duration, distraction and distance to the search process.

Finally there is Stage Three, which is the assessment phase. Assessments replicate real search conditions, and can last for hours over challenging terrain.

If the dog passes enough assessments they can become a Graded Search Dog. Each dog is different, but it can typically take up to three years.

Mr Ferrero, a BAE employee, said: “Gaspode’s a wonderful little pup. He’s adventurous and intelligent, so you can see him pausing to work stuff out before he jumps on things. In terms of training he’s right at the start of the process.

“He’s wonderful to train, like all Labradors it’s much easier when you have some tantalising food like chicken or ham.

“Outside of that he’ll still give it a go, but he can get distracted by other dogs or people to play with.

“He’s a generally lovely dog. He goes through barmy moments, and then thoughtful ones as he follows you round to figure out what you’re up to, but he’s very loving through it all.”