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A paw-fect team
Maggie and Guide Dog pup Eadie are quickly becoming the best of friends.
Puppy Raiser Maggie and Eadie
“Having a dog at home is cute and you enjoy their quirks, but when you get to take them everywhere with you it’s so cool and you learn so much about them,” Guide Dogs Queensland Puppy Raiser Maggie said.
Maggie has been raising nine-month-old Guide puppy in training Eadie since the pup was just 10 weeks old and the pair have been putting their best paws forward together ever since.
“Raising Eadie has been so much fun and more rewarding than I could have imagined,” Maggie said.
“It’s amazing to watch her learn. I have to figure out the best way to teach her things so she’ll enjoy it and also comprehend them. Watching the penny drop is awesome.”
Training to be a Guide Dog is tiring work so Eadie likes to put her paws up and relax while Maggie is working at home.
“She curls up at my feet while I’m writing. It’s very good stress relief having a puppy lying at your feet. It’s when I get most of my work done,” Maggie said.
Eadie is also evidence that pups have unique and varied personalities.
“She’s such a princess! She loves jewellery and sniffing face creams and perfumes and she gets so excited whenever we see a little girl in a tutu. Almost every kid we run into under the age of five, she starts wiggling with excitement,” Maggie said.
While Maggie acknowledges that puppy raising has its challenges, she says getting to know your puppy and helping them learn is definitely worth it.
“They’re this being that you’re raising so of course they have ups and downs. You have to deal with distractions and changes that pop up which can be challenging, but helping her to overcome her fears and learn is so rewarding.”
And what would Maggie say to people considering Puppy Raising?
“It is one of the most rewarding things you’ll ever do. It’s already taught me so much along the way – both about myself, and dogs. I would recommend it to anyone,” Maggie said.
Puppy Raisers like Maggie play an integral role in helping excitable pups grow into life-changing Guide Dogs.
To find out more about how you can become a Puppy Raiser click here.
