Fall 2024 Pupdate

A young black Labrador guide dog in training, wearing his yellow future CNIB Guide Dog vest, sits and smiles on a small pathway in a garden.

Read the latest on our pups’ journeys!

Hello Friend,

As a monthly supporter of our program, you’re receiving this inside look at the journeys of our prospective future guide dogs! Past Pupdates can be found at this link.

This past summer was absolutely action-packed for CNIB Guide Dogs with plenty to celebrate! Read on to learn what you’ve helped make possible.

Buddy Dog Camp @ CNIB Lake Joe

In August, children and youth who are blind or have low vision and are partnered with a buddy dog, or waiting to be matched with one, gathered at CNIB Lake Joe for Buddy Dog Camp. During this unforgettable week of summer fun, 16 kids hailing from seven provinces participated in educational and recreational activities and forged new friendships at Canada’s only fully accessible summer camp for people who are blind. Parents of children who are blind also had the chance to connect and share resources with one another. We can’t wait for next year’s camp!

A black Labrador CNIB buddy dog, wearing a life jacket and leash, smiles while standing on a dock. Around the dog are CNIB Lake Joe Buddy Dog Camp attendees, also wearing life jackets as they prepare to board a large floaty.

A child participant at CNIB Lake Joe throws a ball across the accessible pitch to a fellow participant.

A youth participant at CNIB Lake Joe holds a white cane and the leash to his buddy dog, a fluffy golden retriever.

What’s new at CNIB’s Canine Campus?

We’re making major headway on the Indoor City at our Canine Campus – and we’re excited to share this exclusive first look at the latest developments!

Complete with curbs, sidewalks, a bus stop, stairs, and faux storefronts, the Indoor City gives our dogs, staff, and handlers a distraction-free and temperature-controlled setting to train. While not a replacement for training in the real world, it’s perfect for extreme weather days or when a dog needs a calm space to build their confidence.

Construction continues on this state-of-the-art training facility, with the installation of an elevator expected to come next.

An English and French sign attached to the stone wall of a building at CNIB Canine Campus that reads, “Welcome CNIB Guide Dogs Canine Campus.”

A trainer gives a piece of kibble to a guide dog in training, who is wearing his harness, as the dog waits patiently at a curb. The two are training at the Indoor City at CNIB Canine Campus.

A trainer and a guide dog in training, who is wearing his harness, walk up a curb towards a bus shelter at the Indoor City at CNIB Canine Campus.

A black Labrador golden retriever cross guide-dog-in-training wearing her harness, sits patiently beside her trainer, in front of tactile floor indicators.

Our pups are making steady progress with their training. Learn how your support is nurturing the next generation of guide dogs.

Training Update

Sinclair, left, and Winnifred, right, two adolescent golden retriever sisters, smile while sitting in the grass and wearing their yellow future CNIB Guide Dog vests.

Names: Winnifred and Sinclair
Entered program: February 2024
Sex: Female
Breed: Golden retriever

Six-month-old Winnifred and her sister Sinclair (affectionately nicknamed “Winnie and Sinnie” by our team) have both made great strides in the Puppy Development program!

Winnie has slowly been exposed to a variety of new experiences and is handling them well. She can be a bit sensitive during her routine grooming, such as nail clipping or ear cleaning, but her Volunteer Puppy Raiser has been working to help her feel more comfortable with handling. If Winnie gets frustrated while learning a new cue, she tends to bark, so she’s also learning to be patient with herself – and I think we can all relate to that!

Meanwhile, in April, Sinclair moved to the home of a new Volunteer Puppy Raiser, where she’ll stay for the remainder of her puppy raising. She handled the adjustment very well, due in no small part to her new canine companion: her Puppy Raiser’s pet dog. Like her sister, Sinclair also needs to be a bit more patient with herself, especially in a new environment.

Of course, Winnifred and Sinclair, along with some other pups in training, still get together for playdates! The pair are working on their confidence and gaining new skills, and the team is happy with their progress overall.

Ella, a black Labrador golden retriever cross, sits in the grass while wearing her harness.

Name: Ella
Entered program: April 2023
Sex: Female
Breed: Labrador golden retriever cross

Ella, a bright girl who always has a smile on her face, has a great understanding of a guide dog’s work. Over the past few months, her confidence has increased significantly, and she shows great potential. Ella occasionally gets distracted by other dogs, but she always tries to refocus herself and make the right decisions to keep herself and her trainer safe.

Her trainer has been taking her on blindfold walks, which you can learn about in this past edition linked here. To make this exercise more advanced, Ella also performs the blindfold walks with other trainers with her main trainer following behind. This shows just how comfortable Ella is with her guiding skills!

In harness, Ella is very mature and takes her job seriously, but once her harness comes off, she is the silliest goofball. She is very affectionate and her entire body wiggles whenever anyone pets her. This sweet, affectionate girl is just about ready to move forward and be matched with a person who is blind!

Angus, a yellow Labrador golden retriever cross wearing his harness, stands patiently beside his trainer.

Name: Angus
Entered program: April 2023
Sex: Male
Breed: Labrador golden retriever cross

Over the summer, Angus adapted well to his new life at CNIB Canine Campus. He enjoys his training routine, and, despite his sleepy face, he loves getting out and training in Ottawa, which is a short trip from Campus. He was recently introduced to the guiding harness and handle and is taking on the guiding role very nicely, making good decisions and showing care for the handler. We are currently working through some dog distraction and keeping his motivation up, and he is making excellent progress. Between training sessions, Angus loves playing with his toys, cuddling with his trainer, or having fun with his Campus mates.

Delores, a black Labrador retriever, sits by her trainer’s feet during a training session at CNIB Canine Campus. Delores wears her harness and handle.

Delores, a black Labrador retriever, sits patiently in front of a bed of tulips while wearing her CNIB Guide Dogs harness and handle.

Name: Delores
Entered program: February 2023
Sex: Female
Breed: Labrador retriever

Delores has matured leaps and bounds over the past few months of formal training! Always a keen learner, Delores takes to her guide work with ease, and she is nearing the end stages of training with her Guide Dog Trainer. She understands directional cues, reliably stops at curbs, avoids obstacles blocking her path, and can find doors, stairs, and benches – all crucial skills for keeping her handler safe. Delores was recently introduced to escalators and is very enthusiastic about taking them every chance she gets.

A set of four stationary escalator steps, with yellow handrails on both sides, at the Indoor City in CNIB Canine Campus. The steps are used to introduce guide-dogs-in-training to escalators. Behind the escalator steps is a long wall with large windows and mock signage designed to resemble a storefront.

Did you know? Puppies are not permitted to ride escalators with their Volunteer Puppy Raisers. It’s only when future guide dogs enter formal training that they are first introduced to stationary escalators – shown here at Canine Campus – and then operational ones.

Those who demonstrate confidence with hopping on, riding, and disembarking from escalators while under careful supervision of their trainers will then learn how to safely guide a person on and off an escalator. The dogs who still hesitate around escalators despite positive reinforcement techniques will no longer be trained around them and may be matched with handlers who do not use escalators in their daily lives. Guide dog matching is all about creating a strong, compatible partnership between dog and handler!

Delores has mostly overcome her aversion to walking through puddles, although it does take her a few seconds to consider all the options before deciding to get her paws wet. Delores’ biggest challenge now is dog distraction. As a social butterfly, she loves to greet her fellow furry friends, especially if they’re keen on meeting her too. But Delores and her trainer are working hard on this, and she’s already improved greatly!

Overall, Delores is impressing us all with her continuous development and strong desire to work, and we expect her to move to the final stage of training with a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor in the next month!

During a training session, Roselle, a black Labrador retriever wearing her harness, waits patiently at a curb with her trainer.

Roselle, a black Labrador retriever, sits patiently in a field of grass while wearing her harness. Her trainer stands behind her.

Name: Roselle
Entered program: February 2023
Sex: Female
Breed: Labrador retriever

Roselle, a clever and determined girl, has progressed to the final stages of her training and is now working with a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor (GDMI)! Her walking pace is moderate with light handle tension, which is exactly what the team is looking for. She has very minimal dog distraction and can easily make her own decisions with little support. Her behaviour in public environments is fantastic, but her right shoulder work is still a work in progress.

A guide dog handler walks around a tall fence with his guide dog on his left side. The guide dog is wearing a harness and handle.

What is right shoulder work?

A guide dog walks on the left side of their handler and needs to leave enough room when moving around obstacles to ensure that the person doesn’t bump into anything. The person’s right shoulder is typically the furthest point on the person away from the dog, requiring the most clearance – hence the term right shoulder work!

Roselle shows some hesitation around escalators, so her GDMI is supporting her through this new challenge by progressing at her pace. She has been exposed to residential and busy areas, malls and restaurants, buses and trains – and through it all her adaptability to different environments has been great. Roselle also behaves well when riding in a car! Overall, Roselle will need to polish her skills to become a successful guide dog, but she has a great foundation and is steadily making progress.

As a dedicated monthly donor, you’re giving the gifts of mobility, freedom, and independence every month by empowering people who are blind through life-changing programs like CNIB Guide Dogs. Thank you for your support and for helping to raise, train, and match guide dogs with people living with blindness!

Warmly,

Andrea Critch Program Lead, Puppy Raising Supervisor holding CNIB future Guide Dog Graham and smiling

Andrea Critch
Program Lead, Puppy Development

P.S. ’Tis nearly the season! Spread joy to your loved ones while supporting CNIB’s vital programs and services by grabbing a box of beautifully designed holiday cards! Explore gifts that make an impact at brightergifts.ca

P.P.S. No experience required. If you’ve read this far, well done - that’s dedication! Looking for more ways to get involved? Our volunteers across the country play a pivotal role in raising a puppy to become a guide dog and help change the life of someone who is blind, Deafblind, or has low vision. Each of the dogs in this Pupdate started their journey with a loving volunteer. Did you know? We offer short-term and long-term volunteer opportunities; previous experience with dogs is not required, and all costs are covered by CNIB Guide Dogs! Visit cnib.ca/PuppyRaising to learn more about the rewarding opportunities near you.

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