They call it puppy love

By Tania Martin
THEY may be cute and cuddly but that’s not why Veronica Tambourine has dedicated years of her life to helping raise guide dog puppies.
It is an inherent love of dogs and the passion to help people who are less fortunate than others – the blind.
This Yarra Ranges woman first became a puppy raiser for Guide Dogs Victoria more than six years ago.
Mrs Tambourine got involved with the program after seeing first-hand how blindness can affect a child.
“I was walking some dogs one day when a bus pulled up and when the doors opened a child of five or six who was blind got off the bus and it broke to my heart,” she said.
“I thought I have got to do something for these kids.”
Mrs Tambourine then went to one of Guide Dog Victoria’s open days and has never looked back.
She said raising guide dogs was a fantastic experience and urges anyone with a love of dogs to give it a try.
These comments come as Guide Dogs Victoria searches urgently for new puppy raisers.
A puppy raisers’ role is to ensure that the pups are toilet trained, able to walk on a lead and are introduced to the sights, sounds and smells they are likely to encounter while working as a guide dog.
The pups are then returned to Guide Dogs Victoria when they are 12 months old where their potential as a future guide dog is assessed.
Hills people who open up their homes and hearts to one of these cute and cuddly pups will be provided with free food and veterinary care.
Puppy raisers will also be supported by supervisor visits every six weeks.
For Mrs Tambourine being a puppy raiser not only fulfils her desire to help the blind but enables her to spend hours with her first love, dogs.
She and her husband have always had a love of two things – travel and dogs, which doesn’t always go hand in hand.
But Mrs Tambourine’s passion for travelling has restricted her to having a dog as she would have to leave it behind.
After returning from one of her many adventures abroad earlier this year, Mrs Tambourine took on her latest charge, a 14-week-old guide dog puppy.
She says that training guide dogs was not just about the animals but the positive impact they can have on someone’s life.
But there is one drawback of raising puppies and that is when the day comes to give the pup back to Guide Dogs Victoria.
“It’s awful and you never get used to it,” she said.
But despite the sad goodbyes, Mrs Tambourine said helping the blind was a life changing experience and one that she wouldn’t pass up.
Those interested in registering as a puppy raiser should call Guide Dogs Victoria on 9854 4444.