MenoSundays; Life Lived Lovingly

Last week I showed you how my sponsor pup, Sprout, had graduated and was happily embedded with his new furmily, where he helps young Isabella to be more social and lifts the spirits of her siblings and parents.

Now I have to focus on Albus, the latest to be added to my sponsorship list. I do hope that he succeeds in the seeing-eye training. It is lovely to know, though, that even if he doesn't, like Fletcher and Sprout before him, there is always the chance to become a buddy and companion.

Albus is a cheerful golden retriever/Labrador cross who loves exploring his surroundings.

The National Centre plays a critical role in our ability to create extraordinary guide dog partnerships. Our breeding pairs are specially chosen for their outstanding physical and temperamental qualities, as it is vital that pups born to become guide dogs are intelligent and good-natured. Albus’ mum, Ribbon, is a golden retriever, and his dad, Carlo, is a yellow Labrador.

Now that Albus has been vaccinated and assessed at the National Centre, he has been placed with his Puppy Raiser, Pat, who will look after him for around a year and help him to explore the sights, sounds and smells of the world around him. It’s important that Albus has lots of different experiences, so he isn’t nervous or fearful of new situations. He will learn how to be calm in both the home environment and public places, problem solve and obey everyday cues such as ‘sit, ‘down’ and ‘come’. He’ll also learn how to perform a ‘hand touch’ to help with body positioning and to help build confidence and focus.

Next, Albus will be off to guide dog training school, where he will learn everything he needs to know to guide a person with sight loss.

We are excited to see how this lovable puppy develops. His training to become a life-changing guide dog is only possible thanks to your generous support! With nearly 100,000 people being told they are losing their sight each year, the skills Albus and his siblings learn are vital. We can’t wait to update you on his progress as he prepares to change the life of a person who is visually impaired.