Blue Peter pets first "Blue Peter" dog whose death was not mentioned on the programme. Barney is believed to be an Irish Setter/Dachshund cross and officially joined the "Blue Peter" team on 22 September 2009. He is the show's ninth dog. Barney is a former stray and was given to presenter Helen Skelton by the Dogs Trust. Barney left the show along with his owner Helen on 26 September 2013. The programme has had a long association with guide dogs, which stretches back to 1964 – captivating millions of viewers and helping to transform the lives of thousands of visually impaired people. The
Shep (British dog) celebrating the show's 50th anniversary. Shep died in 1987, and Noakes often became emotional when asked about him; he openly wept on an edition of "The Weakest Link" when hostess Anne Robinson asked him about the dog. Shep (British dog) Shep (1 May 1971 – 17 January 1987) was a famous "Blue Peter" dog, a border collie. Shep was bought by the BBC to replace Patch, one of Petra's puppies, born in 1965. He became the main Blue Peter dog when Petra died in 1977. Shep is remembered by British TV viewers as inseparable from "Blue Peter" presenter John Noakes.