BARC – December 2024
We hope that everyone who attended enjoyed the recent Christmas celebrations with the Guide Dogs community at our Kew Campus, in Geelong and Bendigo/Ballarat/Daylesford. We loved celebrating with you and coming together to enjoy each other’s company and recognise the contributions each volunteer makes towards the success of our programs.
Please continue to review the content shared in October, November, and this month’s newsletter, as this is very useful information to keep pups safe over the holiday period (poisonous foods to watch out for, hazardous ingestion, hot weather, snakes etc.) Much of this content is also covered in your Puppy Raising Manual or refer to the article we recently shared.
Remember, you have access to VetChat over Christmas. For days that Advisors are not available (public holidays), this is a good first point of contact: 03 4427 9847.
If you are a Temporary Carer and wish to express your availability on specific dates over December and January where you are free to care for a GDV pup, you can either update your Temp Care availability from the last email we sent, or email us directly identifying dates you’d be free to assist at tempcare@guidedogsvictoria.com.au.
Current News
Christmas shutdown
Each Christmas, GDV shuts down for a brief period and minimal staff work during this time. This year, the shutdown period is from 5 pm on Tuesday 24 December 2024 and we return to Campus on Monday 6 January 2025.
Please note, Puppy Raising runs a skeleton cover for any non-weekends or public holidays.
Jade Power
Contact: 0476 013 302
Available:
- Friday 27 December
- Monday 30 December
Naomi Wallace
Contact: 0427 458 292
Available:
- Tuesday 31 December
- Thursday 2 January
- Friday 3 January
No staff will be available on designated public holidays (Wednesday 25 December, Thursday 26 December and Wednesday 1 January).
Outside of the shutdown period, the following team members will be on planned leave:
Naomi:
- 17 January
- 25 January to 4 February
Diane:
- 10 to 12 February
Jade:
- 7 to 20 January
Support and advisor contact
If you need to speak to an Advisor at any time during a work week and you cannot contact your advisor due to illness or scheduling conflicts, you can call any of the advisors listed in the manual. Alternatively, you can call Reception on 1800 804 805 and press (1) to speak with a team member. The team will either contact us directly or ensure the most appropriate staff member reaches out to support you.
Sun protection
As the weather warms up, please remember to keep yourself and pup protected from the sun!
Puppy Raisers: remember to slip, slop, slap, seek and slide.
Pups can also become sunburned. Try to avoid taking long walks at the hottest time of the day. If this can’t be avoided, you can use a safe, pet-specific sunscreen. Avoid zinc-oxide sunscreens as they can be toxic if licked.
New Year’s Eve
This time of year can be stressful for many pets, especially with all the noise and excitement around New Year’s Eve. While reminders pop up on Facebook and in local newspapers, we know that many dogs escape or get scared during this time, often because they’re left alone in an environment that’s frightening for them.
We want to make sure GDV pups have the best chance to stay calm and feel safe during this stressful time, especially with fireworks going off. Here’s how you can help:
- Take them for a long walk in the afternoon (as long as it’s suitable for their age and weather). A good walk can help tire them out and keep them relaxed.
- Feed them their dinner later in the evening. A full stomach and tired legs will help reduce their anxiety when it’s time to settle in for the night.
- If possible, stay home with the pup on New Year’s Eve. If you do have plans, consider arranging temporary care at your home with someone you trust, where the pup will feel at ease in familiar surroundings.
- As it gets dark, close the blinds and set up a cozy, safe space for the pup. Consider playing calm music or leaving the TV on to help mask the sounds of fireworks.
- Don’t tie or tether the pup before or during fireworks. If they get scared and try to run, they could hurt themselves. Tethers should only be used under supervision and with guidance from an advisor.
- During the fireworks, which usually happen around 9 pm and midnight, keep the pup close to you, but try not to fuss over them. If they sense you’re anxious, they might become more anxious too. Instead, reward calm behaviour with treats or their favourite toys.
Most GDV pups handle this time of year well when we plan ahead and follow these tips.
If you’re worried about the pup in your care’s reaction to noise, reach out to your PDA on the next working day to talk about ways to help them get used to loud sounds.
Never take a GDV pup to a fireworks display.
Text reads: Happy New Year! Underneath lies a yellow Labrador puppy looking down at a yellow party hat. There are also blue and red party hats on either side of the puppy.
Image Description: Text reads: Happy New Year! Underneath lies a yellow Labrador puppy looking down at a yellow party hat. There are also blue and red party hats on either side of the puppy.
Expert Tips
As the weather becomes favourable, many members of the public choose to visit some of Melbourne’s wonderful zoos – including our lovely Puppy Raisers. Over the years, the guidelines around visiting these locations have evolved.
In recent times, we’ve been working closely with Zoos Victoria and fully support their request that GDV pups not visit their zoos, including Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary, and Kyabram Fauna Park.
Many of the animals in these zoos are predators, and the unfamiliar scents of new animals can unsettle them, causing stress and tension. We want to do our part to ensure these creatures are as comfortable as possible. For example, at places like Healesville Sanctuary, where kangaroos and wallabies roam freely, we want to prioritise the wellbeing of both the wildlife and our pups.
If you’re planning a visit to a zoo, we kindly ask that you reach out to your advisor. We can assist with day boarding or temporary care for your pup during your trip. Thank you for understanding and supporting Zoos Victoria’s request. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and peaceful environment for everyone involved.
Coats update
We’re excited to announce that the new coats featuring the Black Hawk logo arrived in the first week of December! We’ll be checking the shipment numbers and labelling the sizes starting from 9 December 2024. Any pups starting their 16-week puppy class from this point on will receive one of these new Black Hawk coats.
Looking ahead to the New Year, we’ll be swapping out coats with the Advance logo. Please note, all coats will need to be returned in order to receive a new one. A big thank you to Bernadette, one of our wonderful volunteers, for kindly offering to help with numbering the coats, and to Elizabeth for updating our record-keeping system. We really appreciate their support!
Inside Cute HQ
Paige x Gnocchi Z litter: will be seven weeks old on 20 December 2024 and are yet to be named.
Trinity x Elvis A litter: will be seven weeks old on 9 January 2025 and are yet to be named.
Heading home in November and December
Yanda x Irving W litter: Ailsa (sponsored), Whitters, Wilda and Woodrow.
Samira x Schimma Y litter: Louie (sponsored), Yanzee, Lily (sponsored), Shadow (sponsored) and Yari.
Welcome to Bondi and Sydney: Two NSW-born pups have arrived in Melbourne to join our colony! These two beautiful almost-cream pups will join the Y litter puppy classes as they are three days difference in date of birth.
Bon voyage
Two Y litter pups, Yannick and Yoda, have joined the South Australia GD colony.
Enrichment Groups and Temporary Care training
Enrichment groups are run in your regions weekly, fortnightly or monthly.
All new and experienced Puppy Raisers and Temporary Carers should speak to their Puppy Development Advisor to confirm if the pup in their care is ready to attend an enrichment group. Suitability is guided by your PDA as to each individual pup’s development. Pups must be at least five months or older to attend.
