Guidelines
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Welcome
We've had a wonderful five months of generous giving at Guide Dog Services.
From the Red Puppy Appeal's million dollar result, to Bayleys unstinting support and recent auction, to a very special gift from the Lion Foundation of $200,000. Thanks to them all!
In early May, we held a matching meeting resulting in six new teams being matched, and in the recent August matching meeting, 12 new teams were matched. The six May teams have already met and gone through their training programmes with great success.
In anticipation of the increasing number of guide dogs coming up for replacement, we are streamlining our guide dog breeding plan so that we can produce more dogs for members who are due for replacement dogs.
We are also pleased to announce the design process for the new breeding centre is virtually complete. Construction should begin in early 2008, with a construction period of six to eight months. Funds for this redevelopment came from private and charitable trusts, including the Lillian Valder Charitable Trust, the ASB Community Trust, and over half has come from an anonymous family gift.
Puppies are BIG at Guide Dog Services with five litters totalling 24 puppies, just in the last four months. This included seven "Z" litter German Shepherd puppies – three boys and four girls. The mum is brood bitch Kelly and the father is Guide Dogs for the Blind Association (GDBA) stud dog Barrett, from semen frozen since 1995!
We have been lucky enough to benefit from the generosity of GDBA who (after Wendy Isaacs visited them on our behalf) have agreed to donate some of their best dogs' semen to broaden our genetic lines and allow us to breed even better quality guide dogs.
The most unusual place a guide dog supporter has been seen since Easter was on a Shell oil rig, 8kms out from the Taranaki coast, where a former puppy walker was shaking her bucket for the Red Puppy Appeal!
And finally to keep you up-to-date with staff changes;
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- Mandi Smalley, Guide Dog Mobility Instructor, Southland left in June to spend more time with her young family.
- Lauren Stanford is a new Guide Dog Trainer who started in May.
- Former Guide Dog Mobility Instructor, Peter Kaufman, now has a role as Kennel Services Manager.
All the best,
Helen McKenzie, Divisional Manager, Adaptive Living and Guide Dog Services.
Simon Higgs
Simon Higgs, the new Department Manager Regional GDMIs (Guide Dog Mobility Instructors) says he was attracted to his new role "out of a sense of adventure and a desire to get back into the guide dogs field after a spell out of the business."
Born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, he moved to Cork in 1984 to take on a guide dog cadetship.
"Cork is also where I met my wife Jackie and where my two sons were born," says Simon.
After working with Irish guide dogs for 21 years in a variety of positions, Simon took a break at the end of 2004 to try something new.
"I had worked as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor, then as a Training Manager and finally as Client Services Manager – and thought I needed a change," he says.
"So I found a position marketing a range of super-premium feed to dog and cat breeders around the country for a large French multi-national."
"Then I spotted the New Zealand role and found myself drawn back into the world of guide dogs again!"
Simon took up his position at Guide Dog Services on 16 April 2007.
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It's still early days yet, but Simon says he is enjoying the challenge of his new role. He's spent time with both the North and South Island GDMIs and met with other staff and members in the regions as well.
"There's no doubt I have a fantastic team to work with - they are highly committed and provide a caring and professional service," he says.
"There is also a great depth of experience and a real 'can do' spirit here not only with the GDMIs but across the whole Guide Dog Services team."
Simon says that he's also looking forward to trying new activities and exploring New Zealand with his family – although bungy jumping is definitely not on the list!
And as for the weather?
"I thought I had left all the rain behind in Ireland - I hear they have beaten their all time record with 49 consecutive days of rain from 11th June through to the end of July and that's their summertime!"
Swiss techniques boosts puppies' self confidence
Liz Roe, the Education and Training Coordinator at Guide Dog Services, recently returned from the Swiss School for Guide Dogs for the Blind in Allschwill, Switzerland with new developmental training information for guide dog puppies.
Developed in consultation with Kynologos – canine behaviouralists – the Swiss school is looking at ways to enhance the skills needed when puppies become working guide dogs.
The pups are kept at the guide dog school remaining with their mother and litter mates for a longer period of time. Liz says that the extra time at the centre is used to give the puppies group and individual exercises using different equipment and stimuli that matches their developmental stage.
"The aim is to optimise the puppies' sensory and psychomotor skills and 'prime' them for performing specific guiding tasks.
"The importance of their family bonds and experiencing things
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as a group helps with their self-confidence and problem-solving skills."
Liz says that there is no hard data yet, but the feedback from the Swiss trainers is all good. Guide Dog Services are now looking at the Swiss model and its potential for guide dog puppies here.
Liz has also been involved in a pilot study to investigate the use of Tellington Touch techniques with guide dogs in training. This involves specific touches and groundwork equipment exercises, which potentially develop confidence and make guide dogs in training more relaxed, focussed and ready to learn. We'll learn more in a future article!
Outstanding support from Bayleys!
Stella, the guide dog puppy that featured in the Red Puppy Appeal in April, was a hot favourite at the recent Bayleys owners and managers conference held in Rotorua. Never one to miss an opportunity, the annual event raised a whopping $93,000 for Guide Dog Services through auctions on the night!
At the end of the three-day conference the Foundation presented Bayleys with their 2007 "thank you" DVD featuring Stella, Guide Dog Instructor Angie Coupar and a guide dog team. As always it was a fun event and a great opportunity to thank Bayleys for their on-going support.
More recently Bayleys hosted their B-Adrenalised conference in Auckland and offered the Foundation an exhibition space. It was a mammoth undertaking of keynote speakers, training, networking, awards evening and of course FUN.
To date Bayleys Realty Group and their franchises have raised just under $1.8 million. Bayleys offices have named 44 guide dogs and some are now in their second generations. Liz Nidd Realty in Dunedin, sponsored Chimera (who became breeding stock) and now sponsors two of Chimera's pups, Roly and Ritzi.