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
Ski pole in which double-poling is the main means of propulsion. Longer poles are used for cross country because of different techniques. Pole length for classic (aka diagonal-stride) technique is typically measured from the ground to the skier's armpit. For skating (aka freestyle) technique the length of the pole is typically from the ground to the skier's upper lip. These length selections balance between maximum thrust and technique considerations. Most Nordic ski pole manufacturers have sizing charts available. Nordic walking poles are largely similar to composite cross-country ski poles, just shorter in length and with a basket smaller than that of the