Guide Dogs: Quip's Next Chapter... and some exciting news

I bet you're thinking that the Easter bunny looks a bit different this year? In fact, it's Quip enjoying the spring on a walk with my uncle! Doesn't he look handsome.

So much has happened over this past year and although there's been a few downs, there's been plenty of ups too. I've seen Richard and Julie take on a huge, daunting challenge as they had trained a Guide Dog puppy before and I've also seen Quip grow into the amazing dog that he is today.

Quip has drastically continued to improve over the past month and the change in him is staggering! He continues to mature, bear in mind he's still pretty young, but he has done so well with his training and is so much better in the group sessions as he doesn't get distracted as much by the other puppies.

It's funny as Richard said when they have visitors, Quip will sometimes wander up the stairs and give himself a short time out. I know dogs are smart, but Quip takes it to a whole new level. I think Quip is much better in social situations too as his friend Carter has come over a few more times since their last meeting. This gives Quip the opportunity to badger him for attention as much as he likes!

Quip is still doing well on the train and as you can see he enjoyed a trip to Southend this month. It looks a bit cold for me, but Quip doesn't seem to mind. Once he has his coat on, he has a job to do and he'll see whatever task he has been given through to the end.

When Richard told me last month that Quip was going on to his next stage of training, I have to admit I did cry. I've seen Quip change both in appearance and during his training and do feel sad that I probably won't see him again. I can't imagine what it was like for Richard and Julie when they took him up to the Guide Dogs HQ.

But, at the end of the day, my feelings don't come into it. Quip has a job to do and I'll be so proud of him whatever the outcome. It'll be interesting to see how he does during these next 20 weeks of training - of course, if I hear an update, I'll let you know - and after then, if all is well, Quip will be paired to his blind user.

Richard let me and my sister Jodie take Quip put for one last time. It was lovely to take him out on his own and Quip was very good on the lead - as always!

Before Quip went on Tuesday, the Guide Dog co-ordinator spoke to Richard and Julie on the phone so they could give them an update on his daily routines. Quip will be leaving in kennels at the Guide Dogs HQ, but he'll be sharing with another dog so they won't be lonely, With the information that Richard provided, the supervisor can determine which dog will share his kennel. Quip's brother Quinn will be going to the HQ within the next week, so who knows they could end up together!

The working life that Quip will spend as a Guide Dog is between eight to 10 years, and after this he will be offered to the blind person that he guided. If for any reason, the blind person cannot have their old Guide Dog, then there is a long list of people willing to adopt. Quip will cost the Guide Dog Association £50,000 over his lifetime and bear in mind a young blind person could have four Guide Dogs during their life! Any Guide Dogs that are sold - either because they have reached retirement or sadly didn't get through all of the training - are monitored by the organisation on a regular basis.

With a tender heart, I left Quip knowing that he had so much to offer a blind user. I hope the rest of his training goes well and he makes his new partner in crime very happy. He is one of the loveliest dogs I have ever been lucky enough to meet.

Before I leave you, I have some more exciting news. Richard has already been given a second Guide Dog puppy to train! She's exactly the same as Quip - a black labrador/retriever - but she's female (obviously) and is called Rosie. She's seven weeks old and I can't wait to meet her in May. Everyone, meet Rosie...

An exciting time for Quip!

So much has happened since my last post in February - including Quip turning one! His birthday was on February 16 (just after my February update) so I thought I'd share this picture with you. Quip did enjoy his birthday sausage, but had to look in the other direction so he wouldn't snaffle it while everyone sang 'Happy Birthday'! I gave him a little present as well, so he had plenty to keep him occupied.

Late last month, Richard and another puppy walker Bob took Quip and a Guide Dog puppy Nicholas to London to see how they both got on with the journey and tubes. Both behaved beautifully and Richard was really pleased with how Quip coped.

Sadly, I later found out Nicholas was taken out of training. This was because on another occasion Nicholas got chewing gum caught up in his fur around his back end and became defensive over this area once the gum was removed. He growled at his walker once, and this had to be reported to the supervisors because of the job the Guide Dogs are required to do. Unfortunately, he then growled a second time and so was unsuited to carrying on his training.

This shows just how perfect these Guide Dogs have to be. As well as learning all the different skills they need to know in order to progress, they also have to be willing to be examined when necessary and be calm and happy to walk with other people when required. Thankfully, Quip is happy to do all these things, which is why I think he would make such a wonderful Guide Dog.

In my last update, I mentioned that Quip was getting quite distracted by other dogs and was having an assessment to see if he could go on to his next stage of training, I'm so pleased to announce that he passed with flying colours! Two supervisors brought a fully trained Guide Dog with him and told Richard that they would meet them at some point along the walk.

All three walked up the road towards Richard and Quip to see how he would react to a dog walking right up to them and Quip completely ignored them! They then walked back the other way a bit further down and both dogs had to pass each other side by side. They both just looked at each other and then carried on. Next they walked round the block and the fully trained Guide Dog was very close behind them. This dog then passed Quip and walked in front of him and when he got round the corner, waited for Quip to catch them up. The supervisors were both really positive about Quip and thought that he was doing really well.

As you can see Quip loves a fuss judging by his face! Quip also had another Guide Dog puppy come to stay this month - this time a 10 month old labrador called Bertie. Richard looked after him for a week and both puppies had a great time together. I think this was another reason for why Quip passed his assessment - socialising with the other puppies for longer than the group training sessions has helped him to calm down and mature. 

Bear in mind he is now 13 months old so he's entitled to still be quite puppyish in his antics. However, he loves learning with Richard and you can tell that he takes his job seriously when the Guide Dog coat comes on. 

There's also been a great improvement with Quip walking on the lead and Richard has stopped using the canny collar. Quip is really pleased about this because he wasn't keen on the lead, but it was essential in his training because a Guide Dog cannot pull his/her blind user along. In a bid to help him get better at recall, Richard has bought a 50ft rope and attached it to his collar so Quip can run far in advance and practise the recall. He's perfectly fine doing this off lead, but gets a bit distracted by children and other dogs as he just wants to say hello. 

Recently I found out that the Guide Dogs want to take Quip onto his next stage of training. I was devastated when I heard the news that he would be leaving Richard on April 28 because I've seen him develop, mature and grow into the wonderful dog that he is today. I have to admit a few tears were shed and I can't imagine how Richard feels. 

However, I know that ultimately Quip never belonged to Richard - he belonged to the Guide Dogs and Richard was simply helping bring him on until he could progress onto different training. I feel so proud of Quip and hope that he gets through his 20 weeks of training after April so he can then be paired with a blind user and support and guide them through this chapter of his life.

My next blog post will be my last update on Quip. Prepare for more tears!

Into The New Year – Quip meets Carter

2015 is flying by so fast (I can't believe it's already February) and it seems like ages ago since I last gave you an update on Quip. I thought I'd combine my January and February posts and as you can see Quip has become firm friends with Carter - another puppy who is learning to be a Guide Dog.

My uncle, Richard, has been looking after Carter, who is four and a half months old, for a couple of weeks while his puppy walkers are on holiday, which means that Quip has had a friend to play and cause mischief with. Richard also had another dog come to stay for a few days when a family friend went away, but Quip wasn't as impressed as this dog was older and didn't want to play!

In January, I was able to get a glimpse at the different commands that Quip has learnt first hand when Richard showed me how to do this. It is quite hard to master first time and I think Quip was waiting patiently for me to give him the correct commands! These included: sit, lay down, up stand, up sit, leave and stay. It's a lot for a young dog to take in, and I don't know many dogs that would leave food on the floor which is right in front of them and not touch it. Richard told me it's important that I picked up the piece of food that was on the floor and then asked Quip to come to me, as the Guide Dogs do not want the puppies to learn to pick things up off of the floor.

Here's some of these commands in action:

I was also lucky enough to actually go on a walk with Quip, Richard and Carter for the first time. It was fantastic to see them both in action and Richard even went into his local Waitrose so I could see how the two boys needed to behave when going round a shop. Before you ask, no sausages were stolen! Both were very well behaved on their walk and they looked happy to wear their Guide Dogs coats. 

They both wear canny collars, which helps them to learn not to pull. This clips onto the lead behind their head, rather than under their chin, so that it doesn't ride up into their eyes or pull their head to one side. They can still breathe freely and open their mouths, so it doesn't stop Quip or Carter from enjoying their walks. However, if you want these for your own dog make sure these are fitted properly and ask for help if necessary. 

Recently, Quip has been distracted by other dogs during training and when he is out for walks. I think it's because he's so happy and just wants to be everyone's friend. Unfortunately, as a Guide Dog he can't be rushing over to greet other dogs when leading his chosen handler or not come back when he's free running. It's a shame as he's perfect in every other way, but guide dogs have to meet certain requirements so they can go on to their next stage of training in the required time frame. Even those dogs who do everything perfectly sometimes don't make it because they won't go with another person when asked. It's a fine line between being over friendly or too passive. 

As a result, Quip will be having an assessment in a few week's time to see if he needs to have further training with a professional or won't make it as a Guide Dog. It's a tough call to make, but Richard is hoping that Quip will make progress in the meantime. 

Whatever the outcome of Quip's assessment, I think he's learnt so much over the past year and I'm so proud of him. He'd make such a fantastic guide dog or companion and someone would be lucky to have him in their life.