Spring K pups At your service

Transcription

1 Spring 2016 K pups At your service

2 Kirsty, meet Kirsty. Hang on! Who took the photo? Kobie and Kirsty, getting a little regal in the Grand Ballroom of Government House. Front cover: Kirsty, who would be right at home in an episode of Downton Abbey, at the entrance to Tasmania s beautiful Government House. Let s embark What better way to welcome in Spring than with two new gorgeous pups! A boy and girl from the K litter in South Australia arrived on the coldest day of the year and instantly melted our hearts. The wonderful staff of Government House, where we held our photo shoot, also took a shine to the beautiful pups and each managed at least one cuddle. How lucky we were to be given access to the grandeur of Government House so Kirsty Pilkington could once again volunteer and make magic with her camera. Many thanks go to David Owen and the team for this opportunity. And, what better way to thank Kirsty for her long-time support than this: we named one of the pups Kirsty! That s right, when we knew we were to have two K pups, there was no hesitation in naming the little girl after our wonderful photographer. We didn t tell Kirsty (the human) about this until they met each other at Government House and at first she didn t believe us. We think both Kirstys were a bit overwhelmed at the honour. Of course, there are plenty of female K names at Guide Dogs Tasmania, but really, there was no point in any of us disputing Kirsty as the chosen one. Kirsty s (the pup) brother has been named Kobie and together, these little golden heroes are set to take on the world from their Puppy Raising homes in Launceston. In other big news, you will have received information recently regarding our Board and Members decision to merge with VisAbility, which also owns and operates Guide Dogs WA. Please be assured, this is GOOD news for our Tasmanian clients, we will still be raising and training Guide Dogs here in Tasmania (as Guide Dogs Tasmania), and we still need your support to do it. As always, please contact us if you have any questions about what we do and how we do it. Please enjoy the stories and images in this edition of Puppy Love and thank you for your suppawt. :-) Don t forget to check out our Facebook page (Guide Dogs Tasmania-Puppy Love) and website (guidedogstas. com.au/puppy-love) for even more information and updates on the pups. Sincerely, Kate Grady. Marketing and Fundraising Manager, Guide Dogs Tasmania.

3 Kirsty (the pup) 10 May 2016 Region: North Kirsty is a golden Lab. Ergo, she likes golden things! Hi there! My name is Kirsty and I am a Golden Retriever-Labrador cross. I am very light coloured with gold on the tips of my ears and tail and a faint hint of gold down my back and legs. I have black around my eyes and the end of my nose. I also have very large feet indicating what is to come! I have grown a lot since my arrival, as I love my food and leave nothing on my plate. I have a pleasant, outgoing personality and I m friendly to everyone and everything (when out of coat, of course!). I am confident and have not been fazed by visits to Bunnings, Kmart, or the vets, nor by thunder and lightning, the vacuum cleaner, open fire, stairs, visitors or other animals. My play dates with other dogs have been approached with excitement and interest! The one dog that came to visit me was welcomed to the house with great enthusiasm and play. I am talkative, with whines and barks to let you know what is on my mind. I also like to have the last word for example, when I hear Kirsty, leave it I do as asked and move away, but Flight Lieutenant Catherine Saunders, Aide-de-Camp to Her Excellency Professor the Honourable Kate Warner AM, Governor of Tasmania (breathe!), with the K pups. then look back at my Puppy Raisers and give them the last bark. I am still very young, so chewing things is my way of learning about the world. At the moment I m learning a lot about the world, as I m chewing anything! It s a battle that my Puppy Raisers think they are winning at the moment, so they limit my choices to what is safe and allowable. Selective hearing is my specialty, and I often use this when something is just too good to stop chewing on. I am getting used to the house routines, and starting to anticipate daily events like getting a cup of food from the garage, going to bed at night or preparing to head off in the car. I sit quietly or lie down in the front passenger floor well for car travel. I am a little less patient though when the car is stopped, wanting to get out to explore and help with errands. My Puppy Raisers are very happy to have such a lively and stimulating force in the house. Yes, I admit, I do cause them to have a little less sleep, but as they are retired I think they can just catch up on that during the day. They have modified the house to keep me safe, blocking off These are REALLY good puppy dog eyes, Kirsty! my prying nose and teeth from cords and power points. They say it is like having a toddler in the home. I also love scattering my toys around during play, and leaving them out so that they then have something to do at the end of each day. My Puppy Raisers can t wait until I am fully vaccinated and we can start doing walks around their neighbourhood. They both love to keep fit, and walking is part of their routine, which I am going to fit in to very well. I too can t wait to start doing street walks and all the experiences that they have to offer me. Until next time, Kirsty (the pup). Woof! 03 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

4 Kobie 10 May 2016 Region: North Kobie at the entrance of Government House. What a cutie! Howdy. My name is Kobie and I m 11 weeks old. I flew in from South Australia a few weeks ago with my sister Kirsty and I have joined my new Puppy Raising family in Relbia. They were very excited to see me and made me feel right at home! There are six year old twins here and a Doberman named Alice, and I love playing with them all. I think Alice has a crush on me so I think I ll play hard to get for a while. My Puppy Raiser, Linda, takes me out every day and I have been to lots of exciting places including Bunnings, Coles, primary schools, a swimming pool, music lessons, a medical centre, Tae Kwon Do and two kids birthday parties. I wanted to join in at Tae Kwon Do and show them all my moves, but I fell asleep instead. However, the parties were heaps of fun and I played a lot! I have also been to the vet twice and am not so keen on that as they just poke and prod me all the time. However, they tell me I am a gorgeous boy so I guess I can put up with it. With his sister inside the formal entrance to Government House, Kobie looked a little overwhelmed by the size of everything compared to him! I really look forward to going to drop the twins at school each day. All the kids there know not to pat me when I m wearing my coat, as I m trying to concentrate. After school drop-off we sometimes go to the bread shop, but for some reason I often have to poo as soon as we get there. My Puppy Raiser is really good about it and doesn t embarrass me in front of everyone. I think I m lucky that I ve got cuteness on my side! We had to go to Hobart for the day recently and my Puppy Raiser said I was perfect. I slept all the way down and back, but had a walk around at Anglesea Barracks checking out all the soldiers. I was extra good on this visit as I remembered not to wee inside! I had my first bath recently to clean all the mud off me after playing in our paddock! I had a go at eating cow poo, but my Puppy Raiser wasn t too happy about that! She said I didn t want to get smelly cow breath, but I thought it tasted pretty good. The bath was definitely not my finest hour, although In the French Room, Kobie found the ornate fireplace to be rather special. Thank goodness the fire wasn t going! I did feel squeaky clean afterwards. I feel very important when I have my Learner s coat on and try really, really hard to do the best I can. It s hard sometimes not to get distracted but I am getting better every day. I have settled in well with my new family and they think I am pretty cool and, of course, very handsome if I may say so myself! I m looking forward to telling you more about my Guide Dog journey in the next Puppy Love! Love Kobie xxx For more on Kobie and Kirsty and all the team, be sure to like our facebook page: Guide Dogs Tasmania - Puppy Love and don t forget about the Puppy Love pages on the Guide Dogs Tasmania website: guidedogstas.com.au 04 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

5 Harvey Harper Ida, Harvey and Frankie J at tea time - Frankie J is taking way too long though! Metro Puppy Harper lies quietly at a cafe - not bad for a little pup! 13 Jan 2016 Region: North Harvey has got this travellator all sorted! 13 Jan 2016 When it s time for afternoon tea, Harper likes to bring her own. Hello again! My favourite thing is the whole world. Everything is fun, exciting and ready to be explored. Since my last pupdate, I have come along in leaps and bounds. My Puppy Raisers have been working very hard to help me on my way to becoming a good Guide Dog pup. I have learnt how to sit when asked, how to lie down, how to stay (some of the time) and how to return to my Puppy Raisers when called. The most important thing I am learning is that I must be well behaved at home and I am not allowed to go to the front door when someone comes visiting this is so I don t trip my handler up when I am working as a real Guide Dog. Life is not all learning though; there is plenty of time for games and visiting new places. I had a visit for a few weeks from Guide Dog Ida and she showed me how to walk properly on lead and how a real Guide Dog behaves when out in public. At home she was fun and we played a lot this gave Frankie J a bit of a break from me and my sharp little puppy teeth (I have almost lost all of my puppy teeth now!). I am still enjoying life in Launceston and am looking forward to meeting Kirsty and Kobie and helping them through their journey towards becoming working Guide Dogs. I ve got more to tell in my little Doggy Bloggy, so be sure to visit: guidedogstas.com.au/puppy-love to check it out. See you next time :) Hello! I have grown a lot since my arrival in Tasmania. I m now six months old, my black coat is super shiny, and I get plenty of comments on how nice I look and how well I m behaving in my Learner coat. My coat allows me and my Puppy Raisers, Anna and George, to go anywhere we wish to go. When we go to restaurants and other human places, I have learnt to lay down next to Anna s leg and not leave my tail in the way for people to tred on. My best friends, the poodles, got a new sister recently! She is keen to play with me, and comes up then rolls over to initiate play. I have made many friends on my free run, but unfortunately I m still learning how to come back when called. We re working hard on this at the moment, so I hope in my next report I can tell you that I am truly free running and have mastered recall! I think that I m getting really good at staying calm in my coat, and not getting worried about strange places and noises. For example, I ve been going to a swimming pool where I get to watch my Puppy Raiser swim! At first I was a bit worried when she disappeared under water, but now I know she will always pop up again! My best-of-all experience was going on a dog walk with the Hobart Walking Club. We walked to a dog beach and there I was allowed to run free with eight other dogs. What a great day we had! Thanks to the fresh air and sea water I slept all the way home. See you next time, Harper. 05 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

6 Paris Phoebe Paris and pal, Nelson. Look what Phoebe found on her travels! 3 July 2015 Bonjour! Paris, all ready for another learning adventure. I came to live with Dexter in May, and I love it here! For those of you who don t know, Dexter is the Ambassador Dog at Guide Dogs Tasmania. He often goes out to work during the week for his public relations duties, and I can t wait until he gets home! Dexter lets me share his basket, and he s really a great big toy. Even though I have heaps and heaps of other toys to chew and play with, I think that he s the most fun! My favourite thing of all though, is going to the dog park to run with Dexter, Nelson and Jasper. We all get very muddy then go to the dog wash before heading home! My Puppy Raisers have learnt that it s best to just let us get as dirty as we want at the park, then deal with it afterwards. I am learning to come back when the whistle is blown, but sometimes the attraction of the other dogs at the park is just too much and I am a little slow to recall. I m told I am doing very well at all the Guide Dog things too! I visit the city on a regular basis and I m getting very good on escalators. I enjoy helping with the shopping, and particularly enjoy my coffee outings with the ladies. I feel that I fit in very well with them. Until next time, Paris. 3 July 2015 Hello again! Phoebe can hardly believe her luck after her trip to Victoria Market! I have had many varied experiences over the past few months. One involved going interstate with my Puppy Raisers, where I settled in very quickly! We went to Rutherglen, Albury and Yarrawonga. We went on a tram and a train and I got to explore the famous Victoria Market. It has a meat market that smelt amazing! I went to Vets and Pets in the Park at Kingston during winter, and got to meet lots of other dogs and vets. All the vets were very interested in me and how I was going (for your information, she said I was doing very well). I have been to restaurants, coffee shops and lunch dates, and sit very patiently under the table while my Puppy Raisers chat and talk away to their friends. The other day I went to a school assembly at Taroona Primary School with lots of children and lots of singing. Some of my Puppy Raiser s family attend the school so I went along to watch them. I must say I was very well behaved. I have been enjoying some runs on the beach lately, but my Puppy Raisers tell me that I need to learn to come back every time that they ask me, as I will need to return quickly and safely for my client in the future. It seems that some of my fellow Guide Dog Pups are having similar difficulties with learning this one! You can read even more in my doggy bloggie. See ya! 06 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

7 Jacob Jerry Jacob - an expert at the stick game. Jerry visits the library. It s important to be a well-read (and quiet) pup! 9 Feb 2015 Hi there! Jacob, on his best behaviour at Hastings Cave. Over the last three months I have had many fun outings and adventures! I went away for a long weekend to Dover, where there was a beach that I could run freely on. We also visited a place called Hastings Cave, where there were lots of stairs for me to practice on. My Puppy Raiser kept telling me how good I was as I was very calm and didn t touch any of the cave walls (unlike some of the people!). Even though it has been winter and very cold, I have been going to dog beaches and dog parks nearly every day. I love running around with other dogs and sniffing everything. While I am there, I have been practising recall and manners with my Puppy Raiser. She thinks I must be growing up as I am learning to be not so boisterous when I meet new dogs. However, if they are up for a big play I am very happy to oblige! I have also been practising being polite at doorways so that I don t trip my Puppy Raiser up. I am getting very good at this, but occasionally I forget when I m about to get my dinner! Recently, I unexpectedly caught up with another Guide Dog Pup called Paris at the park. We had so much fun playing that we accidentally forgot to play with the other dogs! I taught Paris to play the stick game this involves me picking up a stick (or ball) and running around until another dog chases me. It is the best! I was so tired after playing that I fell asleep as soon as I got into the car. See you next time, and don t forget about my doggy bloggy. 9 Feb 2015 Hello! Jerry s new Kong, with Peanut Butter, is pretty much the best thing ever. I m now 18 months old and, with lots of practice, have become pretty good at the many skills needed to be a Guide Dog. I love going for walks, especially long ones. We often meet other dogs so I get lots of practice ignoring them and concentrating on where I m going. Sometimes it s hard, but I m getting better at this all the time. I even met my brother Jacob at training and was very well behaved. My Puppy Raisers praise me lots when I get it right and say I m a good walker ; it makes me feel good. I ve been to so many places lately; to work with one of my Puppy Raisers, the doctors, physio, hairdresser, the library, the polling booth, supermarkets, butcher, on buses and to the cinema for Flicks with the Chicks nights (even though I m a boy!). There are lots of different smells and distractions. When waiting, I just lie down; everyone says I am such a good boy and so calm. My new black Kong is my favourite toy. I chewed up the red Kong so my Puppy Raiser bought me an extra tough one; its lots of fun to chew and I especially love to lick the peanut butter that my Puppy Raiser puts in it. I still love free running at the beach. It s great to stretch my long legs, play with my best friend Pedro and any other dogs, splash through the water, find a stick and run and run. It s also good to practise my recall, which I am pretty good at now. Well, that s it for now, I might just go back to lying in the sun and getting some more beauty sleep, bye! 07 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

8 Abby Archie Abby LOVES having Danni home! Archie and his new, snuggly best friend. 29 Oct 2014 Abby: best training partner ever! 29 Oct 2014 Archie still loves playing in the water! Hi everyone! My favourite thing at the moment is having Danni home from America to play with, when I am not busy doing my Guide Dog training of course! Danni says she is very impressed with how well I am progressing. I have been going to the gym with Danni while she has been doing her weights training; wow, they are really heavy! I m glad I don t have to lift them! I have also been watching her, from a safe distance, while she has been doing her hammer throwing training. Now I know why she needs to be so strong! She is going back to America soon, and gets to escape from the cold weather and snow we have been having because it is summer over there. I am really going to miss her. Hopefully by the time she comes back next year, I will be a Guide Dog! My Puppy Raisers recently went overseas for a holiday, so I went to stay with some really lovely Boarders. For the first few days of my boarding, Guide Dog Eddie was also staying with them while he was recovering from surgery. It was good to meet him, and he gave me a few hints on being a good Guide Dog! I had some new experiences with my Boarders; among other things, they took me to Port Arthur, and because they live near the beach, we went there a few times too! They told my Puppy Raisers that I had been a really good girl. I had a lovely stay with my Boarders, but I was also pretty happy to see my Puppy Raisers and Nina (the other black Lab in the household) again. Bye! Hello! I have some exciting news to tell you - we have a new baby kitten! I just cannot get enough of the lovely furry baby, and he is even keen to play with me! When he is awake (and that is not often, I might say), we play tag around the yard, or he will lie on the floor and try to hit my nose while I lick him. My Puppy Raiser taught me to be very gentle, and because of this, I now I have a really good friend. You can read more about us in my doggy bloggy. I still love putting on my blue Learner coat. In the recent school holidays, I got to stay at home some days and not go out to work. I know it is hard to believe, but those days I found really boring and felt a little bit couped up! Going to work or shopping is what I like especially shopping. The supermarkets are my favourites. People always comment on how well I walk next to the trolley and how good I am when asked to sit and wait while my Puppy Raiser goes off to look for something nearby. I love looking at people and, it seems, people love looking at me. I always hear the children (and even adults) saying: Oh, a puppy! It makes my tail wag. I still love playing in the water when going on free runs. I usually take a toy with me and jump and pounce around. It is most exciting when there are other dogs around and we can play chasings. I am pretty proud to say that my recall is now 100 per cent. And after the play a good rinse and a dry by the fire. What more could a dog want? 08 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

9 Paws for Reflection Training dogs Nelson and Taylor continue to progress through training, wearing their harness with pride. They have learnt to stop for steps, stop at the kerb, turn left and right on commands, and are starting to locate doorways and counters in a variety of environments. Over the next few months the trainer will decrease the support provided to the dog, handing over responsibility and more decision making as the dog s confidence and skill level increases. Guide Dogs are trained in such a way that they can be used across a range of environments and cities. A Guide Dog and handler can then travel together in Hobart, Launceston, Devonport or Melbourne, for example, and are not confined to set routes or areas. This enables our clients a high level of independence and access in their mobility, enabling them to travel freely through any environment, with the handler giving the dog direction and the dog keeping the client safe in the immediate area they are traveling in. Unfortunately, Olly has been withdrawn from training due to an ongoing skin condition. Skin conditions can be difficult for vision impaired clients to monitor and treat, and often require a high level of veterinary care and expense, sometimes taking them out of service for a few days, thus they do not work effectively as a Guide Dog for our clients. Olly is quickly adapting to his new role as family pet and we all wish him the very best. Thank you Sadly, three retired Guide Dogs have passed away recently. We have fond memories of Erin, Grady and Roselle, and reminisce about their time with Guide Dogs Tasmania. We appreciate the way they have changed their clients lives and touched so many hearts. Guide Dog Erin, who provided her client many years of guiding and companionship in both Victoria and Tasmania. Erin s client has nursed her with love over the past year as she battled with a health condition. Guide Dog Grady, who was retired at the end of last year, sadly passed away following a sudden health issue. We thank his adoption home for giving him such a lovely retirement and think of both them and his client at this sad time. Guide Dog Roselle, who was a faithful companion and gave her North West client many years of independence and access to the community. Thank you for everything, Roselle, Grady and Erin. We all miss you. Left: Do you remember Olly s beautiful Cover in 2013? It was one of our favourites. Good luck, Olly! Below: Snuggles for Nelson and Taylor - just part of the down-time of training. Right: Guide Dog Roselle, doing what everyone ought to do on their first day of retirement, in Middle: Guide Dog Grady as a happy participant of the Hobart Christmas Parade in Bottom: Pup Olly had the pleasure of meeting Guide Dog Erin, in Puppy Love - Spring 2016

10 Paws for Reflection Training Tips Here is the 5th instalment for our Training Tips section. Once again, we are pleased to provide some important health advice from our very own Vet at Montrose Veterinary Care Centre. Canine and Feline Dental Disease Does your cat or dog have bad breath? Have they gone off harder food like kibble or bones? There is a good chance your pet is suffering from periodontal disease. Periodontal disease is one of the most common conditions we see in adult dogs and cats, and it is entirely preventable. As the clinical signs are often subtle, periodontal disease is often undertreated or treatment comes too late to prevent extensive disease or save the teeth. Periodontal disease begins when bacteria in the mouth forms a substance called plaque that sticks to the surface of the teeth. The minerals in saliva cause the plaque to harden and form calculus. If your cat or dog has calculus, commonly it is seen on the back molars as a pale yellow coating that is firmly adhered to the teeth. The problem is that plaque and calculus spreads under the gum line - this spread results in damage to the supporting structures around the tooth. Bacteria get under the gum line and secrete toxins, which exacerbates the damage and stimulates the animal s immune system. You would think that like any infection, the immune system would help the problem - but not in this situation! The immune system is focused on destroying the invading bacteria, but the chemicals released here cause damage to supporting tooth structures. This in turn worsens the disease! Periodontal disease also includes gingivitis (inflammation or reddening or the gums) and periodontitis (loss of bone or soft tissue around the teeth). damage cannot be assessed without general anaesthetic. We all wish our pets would lie back and say aaahhhh while we cleaned their teeth, but unfortunately, that might be a big ask! Why do we have to clean their teeth? you ask. The ongoing effects of periodontal disease is tooth loss, inappetence (loss of appetitie), infection, but more significantly bone infections, abscesses, fractures of the jaw due to weakening of the bones, and damage to the nasal passage. There is also evidence of microscopic changes in the heart, liver and kidneys in association with periodontal disease. Treatment of periodontal disease is multifaceted. Under general anaesthetic the calculus and plaque is cleaned off and the teeth are polished. Dental radiographs can be taken to diagnose and assist in treatment. Dental extractions are often done in teeth that are too badly damaged. Often due to dislodging of bacteria, your pet is commenced on antibiotics before treatment and continues on these at home. At the Montrose and New Norfolk Vet Centre, we are strong advocates of preventative management. This hopefully reduces the frequency, or prevents the requirement of, professional dental care. Dr Elizabeth Cooper B.V.Bio/B.V.Sc Montrose and New Norfolk Veterinary Centre There is a wide range or appearances of periodontal disease and often due to the discomfort of the patient, the true expanse of the Guide Dogs Pet Insurance... Just like humans, it is important to brush the teeth of your pooch to avoid big heath problems down the track. Our pups and Guide Dogs get their teeth cleaned regularly... and they love it! At Guide Dogs Tasmania, the health of our dogs is our top priority, and we know our supporters feel the same way about their pets. Guide Dogs has its very own pet insurance to help you eliminate those unexpected vet bills and keep your pet in the picture of health. A percentage of your pet s insurance policy will fund our Guide Dog training program and ultimately change the life of a Tasmanian who is blind or vision impaired. Cover is available for dogs and cats with plans that suit any budget. For more information visit or call Puppy Love - Spring 2016

11 PUPlic Relations... Members Afternoon On Tuesday July 12, our second small group of Puppy Love members came along to: Taking Care of Your Best Friend. The group was given a tour, got to ask questions about our program with our Guide Dog Instructor, learnt some training and health care tips and observed Puppy Raisers going through a health check of the pups under blindfold! To top it off, Ambassador Dexter made an appearance and availed himself of cuddles and compliments. It was loads of fun. We d love to see you at the next one: How do you do it? A Puppy Love Member Activity, and you re welcome to bring a buddy. Monday 12 September 10:30am 12:30pm 164 Elizabeth Street Hobart RSVP essential by Thursday September 8. Reference: Puppy Love Activity courtney@guidedogstas.com.au Observe a training session Morning tea at the Garden of Memories Q&A session with a Puppy Raiser who has handed it back... more than once! After meeting at our office, we ll be heading up a hill to watch a training session, and there is limited seating there. Then we ll be heading back down a different hill to the Garden. Please wear appropriate gear. In the event of rain, we ll conduct the activities at our office. Just some of the action, and cuddles with Dexter, from the July Members afternoon. Please note: We do not have the space for our dogs and your dogs, so please don t bring your dogs. This is not a suitable activity for childcare groups or family daycare groups. We can arrange these separately, so just give us a call to discuss details. MEMBERSHIP Together, anything is possible. For as little as $15.00 per month, your Puppy Love Membership will help Guide Dogs Tasmania train Guide Dog heroes. Receive regular pupdates and invitations to special events, and know you are making a real difference for Tasmanians who are blind or vision impaired. Fill in the details below and post to: PO Box 82, North Hobart, Tasmania, 7002 OR Phone to request a DDR form OR Download the DDR form at guidedogstas.com.au/puppy-love/puppy-loveoverview/ Title: Mr / Mrs / Miss / Other... Name:... Address:... State:... Postcode:... Telephone: (...) NOTE: We woud like to send you the quarterly newsletter via , as a PDF file. Please tick here ( ) if you would like to receive hard copies, via post, instead. Please accept my monthly membership payment of ( ) $15 ( ) $20 Other ($...) I would like to pay my monthly membership by ( ) VISA ( ) MasterCard Card No:... /... /... /... Expiry Date:... /... Signature:... Please tick this box if you would like to receive information on leaving a gift to Guide Dogs Tasmania in your Will. 11 Puppy Love - Spring 2016

12 Garden of Memories The opening of the Garden of Memories in Elizabeth Street, Hobart, featured in the last edition of Puppy Love and we thought we d give you a little update. There are now 27 Guide Dog tags placed on the memorial post that rises out of the centre of the Garden s water feature. The names of passed Guide Dogs are engraved onto special discs, which are placed onto the post and, when appropriate, we ve held several peaceful and reflective ceremonies when ashes have been scattered onto the garden. In August we were extremely disappointed to learn that five tags had gone missing from the post. As they have no other use but to honour deceased Guide Dogs, we just couldn t understand why they would be taken. We were immediately heartened, however, by the kindness of a number of people who made donations to cover the expense of replacing the missing tags. And while we never thought we would need to think about security we are looking into replacing the fixtures of all the tags on the post so this can t happen again. The garden remains a beautiful little pocket park in the middle of Hobart and we encourage everyone in the community to enjoy and respect it. The official opening of the Garden of Memories in April (top left) and part of the post on the water feature that holds the memorial Guide Dog Tags. Proudly Supported By Would you like your business or organisation to be part of something special? We re looking for Puppy Love partners and sponsors, and there are lots of ways we can work together. To start a conversation, phone Melanie on We are very grateful for the support of all our sponsors, partners and members. For more information on how these organisations help us, visit guidedogstas.com.au Can you imagine your logo here? Start the conversation today. Ambassador Dog Sponsor: 12 Puppy Love - Spring 2016