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Six years and five puppies into their time as puppy carers for Seeing Eye Dogs, Kylie and Murray Saunder have no intention of stopping.
After the death of their pet dog of 16 years, they were at a loss for what to do, they weren’t ready for another pet, but they missed having a dog in the house.
An ad in the local paper looking for temporary carers was how they found out that permanent puppy caring was also an avenue that they could consider.
“During the initial meeting with the Puppy Development Trainer they mentioned permanent puppy caring is also an option. My husband and I looked at each other, nodded and decided straight away to get involved.”
Their enthusiasm for involvement never waned, even when they found themselves uncertain about how to proceed with various aspects of raising a puppy to meet the stringent standards of Seeing Eye Dogs.
“With our first puppy we initially felt overwhelmed and unsure. It’s a big responsibility and we didn’t want to do the wrong thing! But with the constant support and guidance from the Puppy Development Trainer we got comfortable with what we had to teach the puppy really quickly.”
As to why they keep going back and looking after more pups, Kylie says that it’s all about the feeling of pride you get knowing about the difference you’re about to make for someone who truly needs it.
“All our puppies have entered full time training at Kensington, which is something we’re really proud about. When they do graduate and get matched with a client, it’s an amazing feeling to think that the puppy we cared for is making such a huge difference to someone’s life”.
While you do have to eventually say goodbye to the puppy you are caring for as it goes on to finish it’s training at the world-class facility in Kensington, Kylie, and any other carer, can rest assured that they will be kept up to date as the puppies progress through their lives.
“When the puppy goes into training there are regular updates from SEDA about how the puppy is progressing that include photos, phone calls and emails. This helps maintain a connection to the puppy and makes you feel proud when they pass milestones in their training”.
Ultimately Kylie and Murray have found that it comes down to the joy you feel seeing the way that you’ve contributed to someone that is blind or low-vision.
“I’m scared that if I become involved, I’ll get too attached to the puppy and feel terrible when they have to leave!” – Yes, you will shed a tear when you farewell your puppy as they embark on their full time training. But your involvement in their life from 8-weeks of age has the potential to make a HUGE difference to low vision and blind people who rely on their Seeing Eye Dog. One thing that can help is to either get another 8-week old puppy or become a temporary carer.”
If you’re interested in becoming a puppy carer for Seeing Eye Dogs, you can find more information, including times and locations of our information evenings, at www.facebook.com/seeingeyedogs/