After spending close to a year studying at Abbotsleigh, our third Guide Dog puppy, Alana, graduated as a qualified Guide Dog on Friday 3 September.

Alana left Abbotsleigh five months ago to undergo assessment and specialised training with Guide Dogs NSW/ACT.

 

As only half of puppies raised in the program are selected to become Guide Dogs, the school’s boarding community is naturally very proud of Alana for this wonderful achievement.

Alana’s predecessors at Abbotsleigh, Abbie and Quilla, were also successful Guide Dog graduates.

The puppies have lived in Vindin House with Boarding Coordinator Miss Allysia Pugh and the School’s young boarders.

‘The boarding school enjoys providing this worthwhile community service’ Ms Rochelle Jenkins, Head of Boarding, said.

‘Under the tutelage of Miss Pugh, girls learn to feed and exercise the puppies, and teach them basic commands.

‘It is very important that during the Puppy Raising stage the pups have a loving and caring environment where they have lots of social interaction, and we find the boarding house is perfect for fulfilling these criteria.

‘Boarders living away from home also miss their pets terribly, and having the fun and companionship of a puppy in the house helps enormously with homesickness.’

Our first male boarder and fourth puppy, Nelson, joined the Year 7 boarders in Vindin House in July. ‘He is a Labrador with a touch of Golden Retriever and is absolutely adorable. He is more placid than the enthusiastic females we’ve had so far, so we will see how he goes living with 25 girls for the next year or so,’ Ms Jenkins said.

In addition to Nelson, Barney the rabbit lives at Vindin. He has so far survived, quite happily it seems, the puppies sharing the backyard with him.