General Chat

Brian well done for your work with these special Dogs they are worth their weight in gold to a lot of people I support the dogs have two we sponsor Good luck Barbara

We have said we will have one but, as above, there may be a wait.
We've offered to foster in the meantime.

You must miss them so much when they move on from you, even though you always know that is going to happen.
Well done for all your hard work.

Will you have another pup some time?

Well, Lemar went happily off to Training school last Tuesday (18th) so we had him for exactly 17 months, the longest of any of the assistance pups.

New GD pups are in short supply, due to breeding being curtailed due to Covid and furloughed trainers, so we wil be without canine company for the first time, bar a few days, since we got our own first dog about 23 years ago.

Annx: I believe that Britain breeds more Guide Dogs than any other Country per population but although humans have one baby but occasionally two or three, dogs can range unpredictably from a handful up to a dozen so you sometimes get an excess.

If there is an excess they may pass on to other GB assistance dog training organisations or public service such as sniffer dogs but on this occasion Belgium had a shortage so ten were requested but only nine met the requirements.

It is not a regular occurance.

Puppy raising for guide dog training

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EOaAVWg2vuM

Well done Brian on doing such a good and rewarding job with Windsor. It must be satisfying to hear he is doing so well. I confess to being a bit surprised that we raise dogs to then give to Belgium as I thought there was a shortage in this country?

Congratulations Brian & family not forgetting Windsor well done xx Barbara

Well done Brian and family for giving Windsor a good start.
How lovely that you are given news on his progress.
It sounds as if he will be a wonderful help and companion.

Well done Windsor and well done you too, that must be very satisfying for you to know Brian and a happy time for the person he is going to.

Great news yesterday, Windsor, our first Guide Dog puppy that we had from October 2018 until the beginning of this year when he went to Belgium to continue his training, passed his final assessment and goes to his new home with a vision impaired lady today.

We are very proud of him and of having played a part in his life.

Somebody sounds like he's full of health - and needs to work!
(That's Lemar, not you, Brian) :-D

Rather belated update:
Lemar eventually got over the infection and is now 10 months old and a fairly big, handsome boy.

Problem is, with the lockdown restrictions he has got bored and his latest major trick was to destroy the notebook I use to keep computer site information, passwords etc. in.

Quite a lot is recoverable but I'll have to get a new password for some sites.

Poor Lemar <3. I do hope this course of meds work, Brian...they are just like human babies at this age....rather vulnerable but hopefully will eventually be stronger for it <3 <3

Good Luck, Windsor <3

Btw I too like reading this Thread :-)

Love this thread Brian and I hope that Lemar gets well soon. <3

Poor Lemar - I hope the medication works <3

Well, I took Windsor down to the GD centre in Redbridge on the 6th, on my own as Lemar was still not well, and sent him off with our good wishes.
Had a phone call from Belgium on the Wednesday to say he had arrived safely, was partnered for training with another dog from our training group and was behaving himself very well. Described as "a credit to us" which is gratifying.

Landed up taking Lemar back to the vets last night as a sample we sent off showed the giardia still present, so more medication for ten days, wait a week and send off another sample. Fingers crossed that the bug gets knocked out of him this time.

He is so thin that we were advised by our local trainer not to expose him to public gaze too much as it might make people think that GD don't look after their puppies properly. I was a bit miffed but suggested we sat him outside the local supermarket with a collecting box so people who thought that could donate money to feed him up.

Poor Lemar has been very unwell for the last week or so, with an upset tummy due to a Giardia parasitic infection.
OH has been sleeping downstairs with him (and Windsor) but after three visits to the vets and medication prescribed he is showing signs of recovery.
At that age (10-11 weeks) they go downhill so quickly and we have been very worried.
I'll be taking Windsor off to his next adventure on my own on Monday so Lemar can stay at home and rest.

Just trying to train one puppy is enough work, let alone doing all that and then saying goodbye...but a very good cause none the less... :-)

I don't know how you do it Brian..... it must be so hard to give them back <3

But well done you and OH for doing their puppy training which is no mean feat :-)

:-D :-D :-D @ the person in the churchyard

Keep up the good work :-)