They change destinies.
Ready to go?
And make the impossible real.
Find the physio.
For people with low vision or blindness,
Good boy.
they're the constant companions who transform their lives.
Very nice.
This is the story of one of Australia's
most trusted charities.
Quentin, you're ready to go buddy.
And the dedicated animals they nurture for a vital role.
Good boy, Elmo.
Welcome to the extraordinary world of Guide Dogs.
Last goodbyes.
Are we ready?
In this episode,
It's like saying goodbye to a family member.
a day of tough goodbyes.
You're going to make me cry.
I'm sorry.
As Guide Dog school starts for these very special pups.
Good girl.
It's up to him now.
I've done all I can do.
Oh, yeah.
Good girl.
It's all quiet now, but the first week of school is about to start
at the Guide Dog headquarters around the country.
And that means some tough goodbyes.
So, some extra cuddles?
I think so.
For the families,
like Nancy's, who've given so much love to the Guide Dogs puppies,
development advisor, Alex, is on hand to help with the heartbreaking
task of saying goodbye.
This way.
Good boy.
Well, it was the first time we'd
ever had a dog to begin with, so it was a big shock
for the whole family as to how to raise this little thing.
Lucas stand.
Good boy.
Lucas spent the last year
living with Nancy and her family in Victoria,
and saying goodbye to their big, beautiful, fair haired
boy is going to be especially hard.
Our girls are desperate for a dog
and we were not prepared to take the plunge.
And so they put together a plan as to how to get a puppy.
Sneaky?
Sneaky.
And our oldest daughter researched and found Guide Dogs,
and just said, look Mum, we can raise one for 12 months
and see what we like, see what we don't like,
and we can change someone's life.
Good boy, well done.
How's he going with his leading out?
He's doing much better.
Yes.
Looks like he's doing really well.
He still likes to sniff.
Yeah.
Yeah, but we're learning.
How did you deal with the pressures
of looking after a dog that belongs to Guide Dogs?
We had several discussions about this before taking Luca on.
We always reminded ourselves
that his purpose was a greater purpose than just being our pet.
Well done.
Good boy, Luca.
The challenges are
preparing ourselves to not have him.
That's the most challenging part.
But we know that he's going to someone who needs him,
and who will love him as much, if not more than we do.
Tomorrow being Luca's last day with us,
I think we're just going to spend time with him.
I think we're just going to take him to his favorite park
and just enjoy him, being him.
Beautiful boy.
And we're just going to celebrate the fact that we were lucky enough
for him to be matched up with us.
You're going to make me cry.
I'm sorry.
Did you see that though,
when he thought you were upset?
He's come over to you and
and actually, sort of, nuzzled your arm.
He's such an intuitive boy.
He's very, very special.
He knows exactly when any of us are upset,
comes and puts his head on our lap
and, you know, just makes us feel better.
Meanwhile at Guide Dog HQ in New South Wales,
handover day is already underway.
Yes, good girl.
And the goodbyes are in full flow.
Yes, good dog.
Free.
We knew this day would come from the beginning,
but it's really hard to give him up.
It's like saying goodbye to a family member, so it's not easy.
But we keep reminding ourselves that she'll be going to someone
and really be a blessing to them.
A bit bittersweet that they have to say
goodbye to their dog, that they've just,
you know, had at home for the last 12 months.
But they're also really excited to see how their dog goes
and all the hard work that they've put in.
You're so muddy.
You are so muddy.
Today Aaron and his Dad are finding it
especially hard to say goodbye to their special boy, Horace.
Yeah, I'm just watching him play with his brother,
who he hasn't seen for like a year.
And it's really sweet to watch.
I mean, we knew what we we're in for from the beginning.
It's all about just,
he's going to a great cause and Horace has been amazing.
He's like the most special boy ever.
Bye bye.
After their final goodbyes,
it's time for the new dogs, including Horace and Susan,
Good girl, Susan.
to head inside to
check out their new home,
and meet their new bunk mates.
Oh, good girl.
Yay.
Oh, nice.
There's a team of volunteers on hand to keep the dogs company
whilst they get used to all the different
sights and smells.
On your bed.
Good girl.
Good job.
Good job, Horace.
In Melbourne, Sue is getting ready
to take Lance back to suburban Kew.
Even as a second time raiser,
she's bracing herself for an emotional farewell.
It's what you work towards from the very moment
that they enter your house.
You know you've got 12 months.
And this is, this is the day
where you have to be brave.
Alright.
Hello, Lancey boy.
Alright.
Come on, mister.
Very excited.
We won't weigh him
now, we'll just get his info.
He was a very bolshy teenager
and really pushed the boundaries.
Good boy, Lancey.
33.4
But that bolshy teen has grown into a polite young man.
And that's going to make it all the harder to say goodbye.
Have we said last goodbyes?
Are we ready?
It's like raising a child.
You have to give them the experiences.
And it's a whole big, wide world out there,
and you've got to help them to approach it with confidence.
And then you got to give them the wings,
and you let them fly.
Time for a last cuddle.
It's been a fun journey.
Go and show them what you can do.
It's up to him now.
I've done all I can do.
Come on, Lancey.
And they're off to start school.
Hi Luca.
Come on through.
Now Nancy has arrived with Luca, and it's a bittersweet goodbye.
Have fun.
He'll have fun.
Whatever he chooses to do, I hope he gets to do it and
change someone's life,
as much as he's changed ours.
Bye bye, boy.
Come on, Luca.
Hasty exits help hide private tears.
I'm confident that he will match with the perfect person,
and he will just be the best companion and the best guide.
Good boy, this way.
This way, Luca.
Good boy.
The humans might be finding the emotions
hard to handle, but Lance and Luca
are excited to be back playing with their brothers.
Come on guys, down here.
Go for it.
It's definitely easier for the dogs than humans.
Good girl.
The Sydney new arrivals are looking to make friends too.
We are going to mix the dogs today to find them a buddy,
so that they can bunk together overnight, and also have a friend
to play with of an evening, and over the weekends.
Nice and steady, Susan.
It's really important for dogs to have another dog to play with.
Dorrit.
It just allows them to have that free time on a weekend
and of an evening, to just have a bit of fun and be a dog.
Good girl.
So we'll let them go...
Meet and great.
You've got treats, haven't you?
Yes.
Time for shy Susan to meet Dorrit.
Say, hi.
This is an important first test for the dogs.
Good girl.
Susan's a little bit unsettled in mixing.
She's a little bit rough playing with other dogs,
but that's pretty common in the first few days of intake.
They don't know a lot of the people or other dogs there.
So, it does take sometimes dogs
a couple of days just to settle in.
A bit more calmer, hey?
Would be nice.
With Susan, we will just have to do it in shorter bursts.
Through we go.
Okay, stop.
Maybe friendly Dorrit will have better luck bonding with Heaven.
Good girl.
This is nice.
Yeah I like these two.
You're such a cute girl.
Yes, you are.
You're such a cute girl.
Yeah.
Nice, good girls.
Oh, so good.
Yeah, good girl.
Body language was very similar.
They were quite loose.
They're both still responsive to us as well, which is really nice.
So, if we do need to redirect
a behaviour that can easily come back to us with
a piece of food.
Good girls.
They both seem to also read each other's
body language quite well.
So, if one of the dogs is giving off, oh keep away.
The other one tends to read it a bit better.
We have a match.
For all these trainee Guide Dogs,
it's been a huge day.
And there we go.
With new smells, new friends, and a whole new adventure ahead.
Good boy, Horace.
But for now, it's time to say goodnight.
Come on, boys.
We ready?
Bear.
Bear, in you go.
Good job.
Good night, boys.
The Petspiration Foundation
aims to raise $200,000 in August for Guide Dogs Australia.
Help Pet Stock transform a life
and support Guide Dogs
by donating in-store or online.
Next time on Born to Lead...
It is a bit nerve wracking.
You just have to trust your dog.
How will the trainee Guide Dogs deal with distractions?
Big and small.