“When I met Maggie for the first time in August 2020, I was overjoyed and excited, but I was also very nervous. I wanted the companionship of a buddy dog. Maggie knows when I need comforting, companionship, and love. As a 59-pound golden retriever, Maggie is the biggest and sweetest lap dog you will ever meet! She is very smart and sensitive to my feelings. One thing that really surprised me is that she knows when I am getting a migraine and will put her head up to mine to sooth me. She is so kind and gentle in everything she does. My family and friends love seeing Maggie, and they are super jealous that I have such a well-trained and loving dog. I love training her and teaching her old and new things. She does this with such excitement that it makes me smile every time. If I could tell Maggie one thing it would be that I love her and she is amazing.”
-Gabriel, age 14
A buddy dog is partnered with a child who is living with sight loss. Whether it’s feeding, grooming or walking this well-trained family pet, this will give the child an opportunity to care for a dog and in some cases, help make it easier to transition into a guide dog partnership in the future. If you think your child could benefit from being partnered with a CNIB buddy dog, please email Miriam Mas, Program Lead, Buddy Dogs & Ambassador Dogs.