Logan is britain's top dog

Sep 8 2006 By Ben Hurst

WITHOUT guide dog Logan, Carl Griggs would constantly crash to the ground.

Carl, 40, from Harborne suffered a serious injury playing rugby aged 19 which initially left him blind, deaf and paralysed.

Now he can hear and walk - but is still blind and so unstable on his feet that the slightest collision

knocks him over. One blow to the back of the head in a rugby game caused serious problems with his central nervous system.

Logan the golden retriever is Carl's eyes - and the dog's adaption to his disabilites has amazed everyone.

Now Logan has been crowned Exceptional Work Guide Dog of the Year and presented with his award by David Blunkett at the Guide Dog of the Year ceremony at The Kennel Club in London.

Carl said: "When I start to stagger he'll go and stand by a chair so I can sit down if I need to.

"If we're walking along the road and there's a group of people ahead who haven't seen us, he'll stop, sit down. and make a loud high pitched noise to warn them we're coming."

Logan has worked out that by putting his nose on an object, Carl will feel down his head to reach the object. Logan has never been trained to do this but his partnership with Carl is so strong that he now does it automatically.

Carl, who is doing a counselling diploma at Birmingham University, also works as a photographic model and added: "Logan works exceptionally, above and beyond the call of duty and thoroughly deserves his award."