This Mother’s Day, Guide Dogs is celebrating one of our top mums – who has just become a great-grandmother.
Yellow Labrador retriever Connie, now aged an impressive 13 and half, or approximately 85 in ‘dog years’, retired from Guide Dogs’ breeding programme back in 2017 following her fourth and final litter. She is a mother to 24 and grandmother to 17, many of whom are now working guide dogs around the UK or have retired from service themselves.
Last month, Connie’s granddaughter Coco gave birth to her first litter of guide dog puppies, elevating Connie to the status of great-grandmother.
The matriarch of her expansive family, Connie shares her home in Stratford-upon-Avon with daughter Sophie, seven, granddaughter Coco, two, and for the coming weeks, her eight new great-grandchildren.
All of Guide Dogs’ breeding dogs live in family homes much like regular pets, but with the costs covered by the charity. Guide dog puppies stay with their mum for the first eight weeks of their lives. Most will go into training, but some are handpicked to join the breeding programme themselves. Once retired, like Connie and Sophie, they are officially adopted by their volunteer.
Guide Dogs Breeding Dog Volunteer Linda Atkins, who has looked after Connie and her many descendants since 2012, said: “Connie is truly the queen of the household. She may be a little whiter in the face nowadays, but she can still spring around the garden with the puppies.
“Volunteering for Guide Dogs and looking after my lovely girls and all their pups is a fantastic experience. It’s hard work at times but so rewarding, knowing each one has a great chance at becoming a guide dog one day. With four generations under one roof, this Mother’s Day is going to be a very special one indeed.”
Janine Dixon, Breeding and Welfare Operations Lead at Guide Dogs said: “Connie’s impressive age is testament to the love and care she’s received throughout her life, as well as her excellent genetics – critically important to produce healthy pups that go on to have long working lives in partnership with blind or partially sighted people.
“We have such reverence for this esteemed older lady. Every guide dog is given the best start in life when they have a mum – or indeed, great-grandmother - like Connie.”
