From the very newest recruits to the young dogs in training who are soon to be partnered with their guide dog owner and change someone's life forever, all our puppies and dogs have one thing in common - they are all amazing, and are looked after by equally amazing volunteers. Get to know three of our very own life-changing pups, all at different stages of their guide dog journeys, and find out how you can support them.
Meet Star
Name: Star
Age: 7 weeks old
Three words to describe this dog: Bouncy, cuddly, playful
Favourite thing to do: Loves to play tug with his litter mates, followed by a good snooze
Little Star is one of the newest members of the Guide Dogs family, aged just seven weeks old. He was the smallest pup in the litter at birth, but this hasn’t held him back. He’s a confident boy who loves his food, and he has now caught up to the same size as his litter mates.
Star has seven siblings, six yellow and two black, and they aren’t alone in the world – Star’s dad has fathered 11 other litters!
We would like to thank all the volunteers who have been part of Star’s life so far. Without you, Star wouldn’t be the confident boy he is as he starts his journey to become a life-changer.
Meet Emily
Name: Emily
Age: 16 months
Three words to describe this dog: Bubbly, bright, enthusiastic
Favourite thing to do: Emily likes to get involved in anything that looks like fun. She enjoys running in water and playing with other dogs
Emily is currently living with her puppy raiser in the South West – who also raised Emily’s mum, Sheila!
Emily is currently learning how to be still for nail clipping, grooming and handling – important life skills for all puppies, so that they are comfortable with routine grooming and handling as they grow.
Emily’s Puppy Development Advisor, Kerry, says: “Emily is a bright girl with heaps of potential, she always gives it 100% (sometimes 1000%) and tries her best in all situations. She is bold and confident and is a very quick learner. She recently overcame a big challenge by going to Exeter Airport for a puppy class and experienced being handled through security and also sat on the runway listening to all the planes take off, which is a very loud noise to deal with for most dogs!”
Kerry would also like to thank Emily’s puppy raiser: “I’d like to take this moment to thank you and all our puppy raisers for your incredible dedication. Your hard work, patience and commitment truly makes the world of difference in shaping them into confident and capable dogs that we hope will become life changers one day. We couldn’t do this work without amazing volunteers like you. Thank you for all your hard work and for giving each puppy the best possible start to their journey.”
Meet Orlando
Name: Orlando
Age: 1 year 6 months
Three words to describe this dog: Bouncy, spirited, adorable
Favourite thing to do: Loves to play tug and bounce up and down
Orlando recently began training in London with Guide Dog Trainer Rachael. He is currently learning how to settle in the office and in social situations such as cafes and restaurants, particularly with other dogs present. At home with his fosterer, Orlando has a plush dog bed but still chooses to sleep in the cat’s bed!
Orlando overcame an illness when he was a puppy but has grown up to become a happy, positive, amiable dog who appears very engaged in the training so far and is a quick learner.
Thank you to all of Orlando’s supporters and volunteers, especially his puppy raiser whose care and dedication helped Orlando through his illness. Rachael says: “He is a delight to spend every day with and I am enjoying him very much. I look forward to the next few months in training with him and hope he goes on to change the life of a person with sight loss.”
Well done Orlando, and welcome to training!
If you would like to help Star, Emily, Orlando, and our other pups celebrate National Puppy Day, we have an Amazon wishlist with toys and treats – any donations will be delivered to the National Centre and shared out amongst our puppies and dogs around the country.
We are always looking for volunteers to help look after our puppies and dogs: breeding dog holders to look after guide dog mums and their newborn pups, puppy raisers to take care of a puppy like Emily for the first year of their life, and training fosterers to provide a loving home while a dog like Orlando is in training. More information about the roles including how to apply online is available via our Volunteer with our dogs webpage.
