After one year of obedience and socialization training in Regina, future guide dogs — sibling pups Indy and Percy, both black Labradors — will be moving to the next phase in their training at the CNIB Guide Dogs’ Canine Campus in Carleton Place, Ontario.
Indy and Percy are among four pup siblings training to become CNIB guide dogs. Their brother and sister, Wallace and lulu, will be joining them at Carleton Place in Ontario for advanced training in the fall.
The Australia-bred dogs arrived Regina in August last year to begin their training.
CNIB puppy-raising supervisor, Kezia Gray, said the Regina training program builds the foundation for them to be well-socialized and get used to lots of different environments.
“They are taking them out at least a couple of times a week to different locations like grocery stores, to the mall and appointments. A lot of it is intensive socialization from a young age.” Kezia said.
“But basically the main thing is for them to be happy and confident at the end of it.”
Kazier said the next challenge for the puppies when they arrive at CNIB Guide Dogs’ Canine Campus is transitioning into training with a guide dog mobility instructor or trainer.
They’ll be introduced to the harness and the basics of the guiding role, including working safely with a handler.”
Indy’s volunteer puppy raiser, Kerry MacDonald, who has been helping him learn basic obedience and socialization skills since he was two months old, says working with Indy has been a great experience for him just like raising his own child.
“I will miss Indy but I understand the importance of the service he will provide for a person who is blind or partially sighted,” he said.
Upon completion of their training the dogs will be matched with a handler somewhere in Canada.