Born to lead

from Bendigo Magazine - Issue 68 - Spring 2022

Keen for dijon

Meet a young canine in training to be the guiding light for a vision-impaired Victorian, as the charity supporting him seeks more puppy raisers in Bendigo and beyond.

By Raelee Tuckerman - Photography by Leon Schoots

Like most six-month-old labradors, Banjo loves a tummy tickle, a squeaky toy and a game of tug-of-war. But this pup is no average pet – he is being cared for in Spring Gully by foster mum Lynda Davis and her family, who are helping groom him to become a guide dog. Every day, they teach Banjo the basic obedience and more specific skills he will need if he is to meet the requirements of a Guide Dogs Victoria assistance animal. It can be a steep learning curve, especially when the household’s resident groodle Ernie loves to curl up on the couch but a guide-dog-in-training is forbidden from climbing on furniture. Nor should he be patted while out wearing his training coat, despite those adorable eyes making him nearimpossible to resist. Banjo doesn’t seem to mind, though, with Lynda saying she has been surprised how quickly he adapts to each situation. “He gets up early and my husband Richard takes him for a walk around Spring Gully,” explains Lynda. “Some mornings I take him to the gym with me and he sits quietly on the floor. Then I think about where I can take him to expose him to all the different things he will have to become accustomed to. “We’ve been to Lake Weeroona, which has many challenges for a young man – there’s ducks and dogs, kids and bikes, trains and kayaks. We went to Epsom station recently, as the train sits there in the mornings, so we jumped on and off and up and down a ramp with the engine idling. “He’s been through Strath Village and Kennington Woolies, a quick transaction at the self-serve. Next, we’ll aim to walk with a trolley and work up to a full shop and go through the checkout. “He is really independent, confident and I’m amazed how mature he is.” Lynda says she is extremely well supported by Guide Dogs Victoria and has a dedicated puppy development adviser who comes to Bendigo regularly to monitor their progress. “It’s a very structured process – we have a manual to follow and lots of videos, too.” Lynda was moved to become a puppy raiser after noticing a visionimpaired gentleman with a working dog in her local area. “I’d see him getting on the bus at the end of our street, and in town and around Kennington, and I realised that dog had changed that man’s life and given him independence. That was my inspiration. “It was a relatively quick process – I got in touch with GDV and asked what was involved. They have an office in Wills Street and I went to an information session there and met one of their ambassador dogs. They came and inspected our house to ensure it’s safe, we did police checks, working with children checks and before we knew it, here was Banjo. He was born on February 19 and I got him on May 9.” It costs $50,000 and takes two years to breed, raise and train each guide dog, which is provided free to a person who is blind or living with low vision. Guide Dogs Victoria puppy development team leader Naomi Wallace says volunteers like Lynda play a crucial role – and the organisation is looking for more across the Bendigo region, as well as around Ballarat and Geelong.

“The work we do wouldn’t be sustainable without the assistance of our puppy raisers,” she says. “We are looking for people that are home most of the time, who are interested in putting effort into training and socialising the dog. What you will get in return is a fantastic experience.” Puppy raisers need to have a fully fenced yard, access to a car, be away from home no more than four hours at a time and be prepared to attend training days to learn basic skills. Food, a crate, lead, medication and veterinary care are provided, and support and advice are readily available. Lynda currently travels to Ballarat for occasional puppy enrichment classes with other trainees, including Banjo’s sister, but hopes sessions could be held in Bendigo if more local raisers are found. She expects the hardest part of the program for her, Richard and 18-year-old son Sam will be saying goodbye. “We give him back to Guide Dogs Victoria when he is 12 months old and they assess him to decide whether to take him through the process of harness training to become a guide dog. If they think that’s not the best line for him, there’s also the option of a role as a therapy or assistance dog. “In my head, I know he is not my dog. I am raising him for someone else and I want him to succeed. I will be heartbroken, but you’ve got to think about the end goal and that is helping him succeed.” Lynda says she will probably get another pup-in-training to fill the void when the time comes. “Apparently there are people who hand one dog back and take another home straight away – it’s a bit addictive,” she says. “It’s been a really positive experience so far, so there’s no reason we wouldn’t want to do it again. “It’s nice having a ‘baby’ in the house. It’s fantastic when you go out for a walk with him and you can see that he’s clicked on and he’s focused and he knows. And you can see that he will hopefully be successful and be doing this one day as a job to help someone else. “For a six-month-old puppy, he is doing amazingly well.” For more information on becoming a puppy raiser, visit www.guidedogs.com.au

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Geoff Major and family Eaglehawk Y Service Club

THE BEST OF THE BOROUGH

There’s a lot to celebrate in Eaglehawk: just ask any proud resident.

Empowering Eaglehawk got the community together in August for the annual This is Eaglehawk event, where locals were awarded for their achievements. Founding members Brian Davey, Mary Preston and Michael McKern were also inducted as life members.