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A yellow Labrador-retriever CNIB Guide Dog attending his graduation, wearing a harness and mortarboard graduation cap. His handler’s hand is in the frame holding his leash.

Class of 2021

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 Adams and Rookie, a male black Labrador Retriever – Halifax, NS
  • Christine Benoit and Edie, a female black Labrador Retriever – Nepean, ON
  • Sarah Besseau and Jennie, a female black Lab Retriever-Golden cross – Ottawa, ON
  • Alison Chilvers and Weasley, a male yellow Labrador Retriever-Golden Retriever cross – Oshawa, ON
  • Ethan Cook and Pepper, a male black Lab-Golden Retriever cross with brindle – Embrun, ON
  • Kathleen Forestell and Lily, a female black Labrador Retriever-Golden Retriever cross – Ottawa, ON
  • Karen Hamill and Healey, a male black Labrador Retriever – Burlington, ON
  • Earl Ryan Hooey and Joe, a male yellow Labrador Retriever – Tecumseh, ON
  • Jean Menzies and Percy, a male black Labrador-Golden Retriever cross with brindle – Nanaimo, BC
  • Ginette Louise Michaud and Jess, a female black Labrador Retriever – Whitehorse, YT
  • Megan Miller and Dunbar, a male yellow Labrador Retriever – Brantford, ON
  • Jaclyn Pope and Luna, a female yellow Labrador-Golden Retriever cross – Oshawa, ON
  • Amanda Provan and Ivan, a male black Labrador Retriever – Sudbury, ON
  • Dean Pucsek and Myra, a female black Labrador Retriever – Ottawa, ON
  • Denise Springett and Tara, a female black Labrador Retriever – Waterloo, ON
  • Richard St. Martin and Sherman, a male yellow Labrador Retriever – Pembroke, ON
  • Christine Trudell-Conklin and Cody, a male Golden Retriever – Windsor, ON
  • Arhondis Tsotras and Don, a male black Labrador Retriever – London, ON
  • Ashley Wournell and Pilot, a male black Labrador Retriever – Lake Echo, NS
  • Becki Zerr and Lulu, a female black Labrador-Golden Retriever cross – Regina, SK

CNIB Buddy Dog partnerships

  • Ollie Acosta-Pickering and Hope, a female black Labrador Retriever – Ottawa, ON
  • Kaiden Benoit and Flinn, a male black Lab-Golden Retriever cross – Bay Bulls, NL
  • Deepa Carroll and Chelsey, a female black Labrador Retriever – Hamilton, ON
  • Surya Kohli and Isaiah, a male black Lab Retriever – Campbellville, ON
  • Julie Li and Potter, a male yellow Labrador Retriever-Golden Retriever cross – Coquitlam, BC
  • Connor Norris and June, a female black Labrador Retriever – Ottawa, ON
  • Gabriel Pigeon and Maggie, a female Golden Retriever – Calgary, AB

CNIB Ambassador Dog partnerships

  • Rachel Kitson and Dunstan, a male yellow Labrador Retriever – Charlottetown, PE
  • Arjun Rijhwani and Grace, a female Golden Retriever – Brampton, ON