Arangold's
involvment with Guide Dogs Services
Arangold has been
involved with New Zealand's Guide Dog Services (GDS) for over 20 years. Over the
years we feel fortunate that we have been able to assist GDS to improve the
quality of life for visually impaired people through the GDS's breeding and
training programmes. The qualities required for a stud dog or brood bitch to be
used by GDS are as varied as with any breeding programme and GDS regularly
imports dogs and semen from other guide dog schools throughout the world. The
hallmarks of a good guide dog are appropriate temperament, good health and a
high degree of trainability.
Arangold is proud to have seen over 30 of our golden retriever puppies graduate
as fully working guide dogs matched to visually impaired people. In addition to
the goldens, our trusty German Shepherds have also been used with great success
and we have over 5 teams out working and 10 more in training.
What has made us even more proud is that a number of the progeny from Arangold
goldens have graduated to become breeding stock thus improving the future
generations of guide dogs, both in NZ and overseas. Arangold progeny are working
as guide dogs and breeding stock not only in NZ but also in Australia, across
Asia (including Japan, Korea and Malaysia)and Brazil.
Arangold has continued its association with GDS, with in recent times Rebecca
being the Breeding Services Manager for GDS. Rebecca has since left to work more
fully in research at The Auckland University of Technology. We would like to
take this opportunity to remind everyone that the New Zealand Guide Dog Services
is funded fully by donations, with no assistance at all from the government. So,
if you are ever able, do make a donation to the GDS, as they literally change
peoples lives for the better by giving the visually impaired the opportunity for
independence and also the companionship of a guide dog (and if they are lucky a
Golden one at that!).
