Nova Scotia

For Austin and his family, adjusting to have a dog in the house and caring for Dickson, a Buddy Dog, has been an educational experience.

"Dickson is helping Austin get over his apprehension about dogs and helping him build a bond," says Julianna, Austin's mother. "It's a learning curve, but it's definitely worth it."

When Sandy Benoit's guide dog passed away, she found herself in limbo.

"I went four months without a guide dog and was chomping at the bit," says Sandy. "When I lost my dog, it was a jolting reality that I had to adjust to. There was no pitter-patter in the house. But, when Keller arrived, everything changed."

Ashley Nemeth's sense of confidence and independence was stripped away from her when her guide dog, Rick, was hit by a cyclist on a sidewalk in downtown Regina in 2018.

She was eager to regain the freedom that a guide dog partnership promises, so she applied to CNIB Guide Dogs.

Zach, a 12-year-old boy with sight loss, has been practicing his orientation and mobility skills for many years with the goal of partnering with a guide dog someday. So, when CNIB Guide Dogs approached his family with an opportunity to partner with Elsie, a Golden Retriever who has been trained as a Buddy Dog, it seemed like the perfect opportunity.

When CNIB Guide Dogs officially matched her with Barney, a black Labrador/Golden Retriever cross, she was immediately overcome with feelings of gratitude and joy.

Kelly Picco used to dream about having her own guide dog. When she first met Maple, a two-year-old Golden Retriever, she was overjoyed that her dream had come true.

As an Ambassador Dog, Willow's role is to help raise awareness about guide dogs, introduce people to the benefits of guide dogs, and ensure societal acceptance and appreciation for guide dogs.

Mason, a 9-year-old boy with sight loss, couldn't wait to meet his Buddy Dog, a Golden Retriever named Queenie. The night before she arrived, he was so restless with anticipation that he could hardly sleep.

The bond was immediate. After spending five minutes together at his home in London, he exclaimed: “I love Queenie!"

"I'm a fast walker and I was finding that I had to slow down to avoid obstacles," says Larissa. "Places I wasn't familiar with would cause me a lot of anxiety and I thought that a guide dog would help ease some of that."

When Danika Blackstock met her guide dog, Ulysses, she knew CNIB Guide Dogs made the perfect match.

The University of Waterloo student needed a guide dog that would excel at navigating a busy campus and be ready to sleep during lectures.