Like the Olympics (only much cuter), the Pup Games demonstrates the hard work and training that these amazing dogs undergo to become Assistance Dogs for the South African Guide-Dogs Association.
South Africa (22 July 2021) – Join South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind as they celebrate International Assistance Dog Week with their first-ever South African Guide-Dogs Virtual Pup Games.
Assistance Dogs are trained to aid and assist individuals with disabilities. The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind focuses on breeding and training three types of Assistance Dogs. Guide Dogs for people who are Visually Impaired, Service Dogs for people who are Physically Disabled and Autism Support Dogs for children who are on the Low Autism Spectrum.
International Assistance Dog Week (1 – 8 August 2021) honours the hard work that goes into raising and training these incredible dogs and the big difference they make in the lives of their owners.
Puppies that are destined to be Assistance Dogs leave the South African Guide-Dogs Association Puppy Block at the age of 8 weeks to live with Puppy Raisers. These special individuals volunteer their time, patience and love to help raise and socialise the puppies until they return to South African Guide-Dogs for their formal training at around 16 months old.
The South African Guide-Dogs Association’s upcoming Pup Games highlights the type of training that the dogs need in order to become successful Assistance Dogs. At a time where we all need some joy in our lives, the Association wants to focus on the fun that the dogs have while training as well as the happiness that they bring to their raisers, trainers and owners.
“It is often asked if Assistance Dogs are allowed to have fun, and the answer is a big YES!” says South African Guide-Dogs Event Manager, Jackie Quail “Assistance Dogs need to be focused while working with their owners, but when the harness or jacket is off, they are adorable goofballs like any other pet. Assistance Dogs have the added bonus of being able to spend all of their time with their owners, a luxury that most pets don’t have.”
Like the Olympics (only much cuter), the Pup Games demonstrates the hard work and training that these amazing dogs undergo to become Assistance Dogs. Log in daily to witness the Champion Dog Athletes compete in nail-biting events such as Obedience, Obstacles and Swimming. You can also see how these entertaining Pup Games activities showcase the amazing skills these dogs learn every day.
The South African Guide-Dogs Pup Games sponsored by Bob Martin and Clive Morris Productions and hosted by Tony Ndoro will be broadcast at 10h00 daily on the Facebook Page from Monday 2 August to Saturday 7 August.
For more information about the Pup Games, click here.
The South African Guide-Dogs Association for the Blind is a registered Non-Profit Organisation that receives no Government funding and relies on the generosity of the public for donations. It costs in excess of R100 000.00 to train one Assistance Dog. Assistance dogs are vital in the Association’s mission to Positively Change the Lives of many South Africans living with a disability. There are many ways to donate to the Association, such as signing up for monthly debit orders or purchasing raffle tickets and merchandise. These ways and many more can be found on the website: www.guidedog.org.za or you are welcome to contact Jackie Quail directly on JackieQ@guidedog.org.za.
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