CNIB Guide Dogs celebrates Class of 2021
As part of CNIB Guide Dogs' class of 2021, 20 Canadians who are blind or partially sighted graduated with their guide dogs on April 28, 2021 – International Guide Dog Day – after completing intensive training.
Whether it’s avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs and steps or negotiating traffic, these guide dogs foster independence for people living with sight loss. In this partnership, the handler provides directional commands, and the dog ensures the team’s safety.
"Our graduating dogs are changing the lives of Canadians with sight loss from Whitehorse to Regina to Halifax and many communities in between,” says Diane Bergeron, president of CNIB Guide Dogs, a guide dog handler for 37 years. "The role our guide dogs play is truly life-changing, leading their handlers to increased independence, confidence and sense of connection with the world."
CNIB Guide Dogs trains Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and crosses of the two breeds primarily because of their temperament, personality and drive to please. These two breeds also have a double-layer coat, which means they can be placed anywhere in Canada and will shed according to climate.
Guide dogs are among the most highly trained dogs in the world, performing tasks that require intensive standardized training, and are specifically trained to assist someone who is blind or partially sighted with mobility. In fact, guide dogs are the only service dogs trained in intelligent disobedience, which is disobeying their handler's command if it will put the handler's safety at risk. The safety of their handler is the guide dog's number-one priority.
"Although CNIB’s pups in training are raised to become guide dogs, not all dogs are destined to become guide dogs," says Ms. Bergeron. "There are many reasons why a dog may not be suitable to become a CNIB Guide Dog, including medical issues, anxiety or discomfort with the harness, but that doesn't mean they can't make a difference in the lives of Canadians living with sight loss."
To help transform our communities into beacons of accessibility and inclusion, our dogs have two other career options:
- A CNIB Buddy Dog is partnered with a child or youth who is blind or partially sighted. Whether it’s feeding, grooming or walking this well-trained family pet, a buddy dog provides a child with an opportunity to care for a dog and in some cases, help make it easier for them to transition into a guide dog partnership in the future.
- A CNIB Ambassador Dog is partnered with a staff member or volunteer to promote CNIB Guide Dogs at community events and raise awareness about the role of guide dogs.
At the graduation ceremony, seven buddy dog partnerships and two ambassador dog partnerships also graduated, alongside the guide dog partnerships. Since launching in 2017, CNIB Guide Dogs has raised, trained and matched 57 dogs in communities across Canada, including 37 guide dogs, 14 buddy dogs, and six ambassador dogs.
CNIB Guide Dog partnerships
- Shelley and Rookie – Nova Scotia
- Christine and Edie– Ontario
- Sarah and Jennie – Ontario
- Alison and Weasley – Ontario
- Ethan and Pepper – Ontario
- Kathleen and Lily – Ontario
- Karen and Healey – Ontario
- Ryan and Joe – Ontario
- Jean and Percy – British Columbia
- Ginette Louise and Jess – Yukon
- Megan and Dunbar – Ontario
- Jaclyn and Luna – Ontario
- Amanda and Ivan – Ontario
- Dean and Myra – Ontario
- Denise and Tara – Ontario
- Richard and Sherman – Ontario
- Christine and Cody – Ontario
- Arhondis and Don – Ontario
- Ashley and Pilot – Nova Scotia
- Becki and Lulu – Saskatchewan
CNIB Buddy Dog partnerships
- Ollie and Hope – Ontario
- Kaiden and Flinn – Newfoundland and Labrador
- Deepa and Chelsey – Ontario
- Surya and Isaiah – Ontario
- Julie and Potter – British Columbia
- Connor and June – Ontario
- Gabriel and Maggie – Alberta
CNIB Ambassador Dog partnerships
- Rachel and Dunstan – P.E.I.
- Arjun and Grace – Ontario