By: Eileen Zimmerman, puppy raiser with Seeing Eye Dogs Australia.
I
t all started with a phone call from Laura with Seeing Eye Dogs Australia in Melbourne, asking if I would be interested in raising a pup for a guide dog program in Canada. Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions, Australian-born pups that were destined for CNIB Guide Dogs had to be raised by local puppy raisers. That’s when Seeing Eye Dogs Australia jumped in to help. Being Canadian, I was more than excited to say yes! A few days later, we picked up a beautiful 8-week-old yellow lab/retriever cross named Bridget.
In January 2021, we welcomed Bridget into our home and started to get to know each other with lots of cuddles and kisses. She was a sweet, cheeky, smart, feisty, and sensitive little pup loved by all who met her. It was hot summer in Australia, so we spent the first few days outside in the backyard by a small paddling pool. Bridget splashed and played in the pool with our 10-year-old daughter and our pet dog Zeke. We started toilet and crate training her, and a few days later, we took Bridget out to explore new places and see new things. Bridget was always super happy to be out and about – she would get so excited when she saw a leaf blow past or a butterfly fly by. Always wagging her tail and ready to pounce on anything that moved!
As time progressed, we taught Bridget how to wear socks/booties as we were told that pups needed to undergo a desensitization process to wear booties during the extreme weather conditions in Canada. This was a new challenge for me, and it took a few tries and some rather funny walks, but Bridget took it all in stride and passed her bootie walks with flying colours! 
In Australia, traffic conditions are based on right-hand driving, and we drive on the left-hand side of the road. So, to prepare Bridget for the sounds and feeling of traffic in Canada, we had to walk Bridget on the curbside of sidewalks and streets to get people and traffic passing her on her left.
Bridget continued practicing all obedience commands like sit, down, on your bed, wait, listening for the whistle before her meals, and busy-busy. We eventually introduced Bridget to busier environments like shopping centres, food markets, meat markets, walks at the beach, restaurants, and downtown neighbourhoods, and riding on all modes of public transport, buses, trams, and trains. She proudly wore her bright yellow future guide dog vest on these experiences and always enjoyed going out to learn new things. When we got home, she would run zoomies around the backyard.
Bridget was a delightful, fun girl who filled our home with laughter, love and happiness. After nine months, the call came that Bridget was going to Canada. While we were sad to see her go on her Canadian adventure, we are so proud that we were part of her puppy raising family in Melbourne, Australia. Thank you for the experience in raising a pup for CNIB Guide Dogs.
Editors note: Bridget graduated with Laurie Ponsford as part of the CNIB Guide Dogs Class 2023 and now resides in beautiful British Columbia. For information on puppy raising, visit www.cnib.ca/puppyraising.