Guide dog mum Puds shares Christmas joy with her litter of tiny ‘puddings’

Date:
Author: Guide Dogs' Communications Team
    Topics:
  • Dogs
  • Latest News
Golden retriever mum Puds sits proudly behind her litter of black puppies, who are resting together on a cream blanket covered in a Christmas pudding pattern. They are in a lounge with a Christmas tree and Christmas cactus in the background.

A guide dog mum named Puds has fulfilled her Christmas destiny by giving birth to a litter at the most festive time of year. The proud four-year-old golden retriever, a breeding dog for the charity Guide Dogs, welcomed nine healthy puppies on 7 December.

A pile of two-week-old black puppies rest on a cream blanket in front of a Christmas tree

Puds’ puppies have a distinctive Christmas pudding-colouring, with one even sporting a white tail tip. This is thanks to their father, a handsome black German shepherd named Shadow. This combination of breeds makes for wonderful guide dogs that are intelligent, loyal and eager to learn.

Two black puppies curl together on a cream blanket decorated with Christmas puddings

The litter of five girls and four boys are all destined to be life-changing guide dogs for people with sight loss. The puppies are at the very start of an exciting journey that won’t see them qualify until 2025.

They will stay with mum Puds at home and be cared for by a Guide Dogs volunteer Breeding Dog Holder for their first eight weeks of life.

At close-up of golden retriever Puds with two of her black puppies resting in front of her. A Christmas tree is visible in the background.

Janine Dixon, Head of Breeding Operations at Guide Dogs said: “It’s fitting that Puds has had her babies in time for Christmas. We’ve affectionately named her puppies ‘the puddings’ for now.

“There are now nine more future guide dogs in the world, which is a lovely thing to celebrate at this time of year. At Guide Dogs we wouldn’t be able to do our work without help from volunteer Breeding Dog Holders, who look after fantastic mums like Puds, and help give these very important puppies the very best start in life.”

Popular posts

Guide Dogs Paw Logo in labrador yellow

Author: Guide Dogs' Communications Team

Guide Dogs’ Communications Team are available 24/7 to answer journalists' questions about the charity and its services, events and campaigns. We have key spokespeople across all areas of our work and many of the people we support are happy to share their inspirational stories.

Author: Guide Dogs' Communications Team

Guide Dogs’ Communications Team are available 24/7 to answer journalists' questions about the charity and its services, events and campaigns. We have key spokespeople across all areas of our work and many of the people we support are happy to share their inspirational stories.

You might also like...

Ann Ruddick MBE, from Malton in North Yorkshire, is marking 50 years of guide dog ownership this festive season, celebrating the amazing six guide dogs she has been partnered with since 1973.