News

Meet your May 2019 Guide Dog graduates

May 23, 2019

Meet Blossom, Holly, Rhani, Saber, Rose, Sami, Shea, Skylar, Sully and Thor. Ten amazing dogs who, through the help of supporters and volunteers, have graduated as Guide Dogs.

These new graduates were presented with their Guide Dogs harness at a graduation ceremony held at the Guide Dogs Centre in Glossodia. The ceremony was attended by donors, sponsors, puppy raisers, and trainers who witnessed the graduates walk down a red carpet and receive their Guide Dog harness.

It takes over two years and at a cost of $50,000 to breed, raise and train each of the Guide Dog graduates – a journey made possible by the wonderful support of people like you. These new Guide Dogs are now ready to be matched with clients to assist with their mobility and independence.

Meet the new Guide Dog graduates

	Blossom Blossom is our quiet achiever. Bloss Bloss always knows how to put a smile on her handlers face. Her moderate speed in harness makes for a comfortable ride when she guides her handler from A to B. Blossom’s love for her toys sets her apart from the rest. In the free-runs after training she is doing laps with her favourite stuffed elephant, living her best life. Blossom always tries her hardest in training and doesn’t sweat the small stuff!
	Holly She may be small in stature but she is a real power house! Holly goes by a few names such as; Holly-bobs and lollipop. Holly is what we call a ‘pocket rocket’, a dynamic girl who works at a nice moderate speed and always has her eye on the job. Holly will do anything for a piece of kibble which has made her a great candidate for Guide Dog Training. Holly is always pushing her way to the front of the van wanting to be the first training walk of the day.
	Rhani Rhani or otherwise known as ‘Rhan-stifer’ or ‘Doo-Rhan’ is a medium yellow female who is always looking for ways to please her handler. Rhani is a strong minded girl who is determined to get her handler to the correct destination with ease. Don’t let her cute looks fool you though, she has a cheeky nature and always loves a good tummy rub at the end of her walks. You’ll find her playing with a toy in her mouth with her sister Rose at the end of the training day. Rhani is on her way to making a wonderful Guide Dog.
	Saber Saber or ‘Saber-tooth’ is a true gentleman. Those big brown puppy eyes are super hard to resist. If you ask Saber ‘do you wanna go for a walk’ he will give you an oh so cute head tilt as if to say ‘is that even a question?! Of course!’ Saber loves working around busy environments where he can guide his handler in and around pedestrians in style. Saber is a dynamic dog who is excelling at Guide Dog school.
	Rose Rose or Rose Bud as she is affectionately known loves nothing more than being around people. This assisted her beautifully in her work as she would do anything to please her trainer. Rose has shown great determination throughout her training and has matured in to a willing guide and companion. She likes to work in suburban or rural environments (particularly when it involves having a break at a café), and would always choose cuddles over toys at the end of her training walks, which her trainer did not mind at all.
	Sami Sami is the true pup of the group! Sami or ‘Sam-Wise’ is a tall black male who just loves to be around people. When Sami is free-running with his team mates you will always find him by your side ready for a gentle pat on the head. Sami always tries his best in everything he does, a real pleaser. Sami shows his best work in residential areas and his a pro at guiding his handler on and off escalators!
	Shea Shea has a real zest for life, taking fun and cheekiness where ever goes; despite this she has taken to working life like a duck to water. Shea loves to work and is always the first at the front of the van volunteering to go out first. She has the ability to retain her skill of guiding in all environments but may at times get a little distracted by those fascinating animals with wings – birds! At the end of a training walk or at the end of the day when running with her friends, you will find her with a toy in her mouth showing it off to everyone she comes across. She will certainly make her new owner smile on a daily basis.
	Skylar Skylar is a sweet natured dog who has a serious working side but also a playful social side. In the morning when she sees her trainer, she bounces around in excitement like a kangaroo, and struggles to stop wiggling long enough so that she can sit before being taken out for a days training. She has shown real skill in her training and guides her trainer safely in any environment that they find themselves in. Skylar has acquired many fans during her time at the training centre, her trainer puts this down to her beautiful puppy looks and character and/or her skills and adaptability when working.
	Sully Sully or otherwise known as ‘Sully-pup’ is a real crowd pleaser. His pure white fur and big brown eyes sets him apart from all the rest. Sully is a really adaptable boy who works immaculately in any environment he is thrown in. Sully is so willing to learn new skills in training and always has his thinking cap on. Hanging in the sunshine under the café seat is one of his favourite things to do. When the harness is on its all business but when it comes off he has a toy in his mouth straight away ready to bombard you with hugs.
	Thor Thor is a gentle giant with a flash of white on his chest which his trainer likes to think of as his lightning bolt. Despite his size and potential strength you would struggle to find such a softie. Thor has done lots of training wearing boots to protect his feet when he is off on his adventures with his new owner. As soon as they go on, he thinks he has super powers, and when off lead with them on loves to run around creating thunder noises on the ground. He has grown so much as a guide dog, and will take great pride in keeping his owner safe where ever they go.