Spotlight on Milo – Trainee Guide Dog

I’m really excited that Milo has agreed to be my guest today. He is a puppy who is training to be a guide dog. I’m sure you’ll enjoy hearing about him. Put your paws together and give him a warm Clowie’s Corner welcome!

Milo

Clowie: Thank you for being my guest today. Would you like to tell us about yourself?

Milo: I’m Milo, I’m ten months old and I’m training to be a Guide Dog. My puppy walker, Allie, and I have a blog on the Guide Dogs website. [There have been changes on the website and this is no longer available.] I like food, playing in the garden, chewing stuff, going to the park, gravy bones, ice cubes, being brushed, getting muddy, having baths, my cuddly panda (the other toys all exploded after I chewed them), and learning new things.

C: It’s a mystery to me why they make exploding toys! What else do you do?

Milo: I get bored walking around the shops (seriously, I would rather hang out with the other dogs outside) but I know I have a job to do and I try to be good. I’m not allowed to pull on the lead but it’s hard for me not to do that.

Cute puppy!

Looks like fun

Waiting on the platform

Ready for a close up

Waiting for the train

Waiting to eat

Please, I’m ever so cute!

At the shops

Meeting a horse

Smile!

Puppy class

Milo is dreaming about being a Guide Dog when he’s grown up

This is fun!

At the beach

C: I struggled with learning not to pull, but it seems important to bipeds!

Milo: I don’t really like pigeons and squirrels and I like to chase them.

C: Good luck with that, they always cheat – pigeons fly at the last moment and squirrels disappear up a tree! What happens next with your training?

Milo: When I am older – after my first birthday – I will have to leave my current uprights and go to Big Dog School to learn how to be a Guide Dog. If I get everything right, I will be sent to live with a new upright who can’t see and I’ll help them to get around (in exchange for treats and hugs, hopefully).

C: I’m sure you’ll get lots of hugs and treats, it’s very important work! Tell me about your family.

Milo: My mum is Lucy, a lab, and my dad is Parker, a golden retriever. I’m told that I have more than 200 siblings and half-siblings!

Proud parents – Lucy (left) and Parker (right)

C: Wow, that’s a lot of brothers and sisters! Where do you live now?

Milo: I live in Chester with my uprights – The Lady (whose name is Allie) The Man (Jez), The Boy (Reece) and The One Who Stays In His Room And Plays Video Games (Jake).
We have a nice garden with a special corner for me to go to the toilet because I’m not allowed to go on the grass or in the house. I have a big bed with a cushion and a blanket in the kitchen. I have lots of toys to play with.

C: That sounds like fun. Do you have a favourite game?

Milo: I like the one where I stand on the stairs and the uprights try and tell me to come down and I stare at them. I once made The Lady say, “Milo, COME” in a really stern voice 27 times before she got bored and made me come down.

C: Ha, ha, bipeds don’t have the stamina that we do!

Milo: I like digging holes in the garden, but The Man doesn’t like it very much and he fills them in again.

Digging is fun!

Three missing?

It wasn’t me!

C: I know what that feels like!

Milo: I also like the one where they throw a big squeaky stick for me, then I run off and pretend I’m going to get it. Seriously – if you pick it up and give it back to them, they only throw it again. What’s the point in that?

C: I’m with you on that! I can’t see the point of “fetch“. Do you have a favourite book?

Milo: I don’t read that much, but I do like watching television. My favourite programme is Springwatch, unless they are talking about squirrels. They’re too fast for me to chase. I also like chasing my tail, sleeping and eating.

C: How have you been coping with the hot weather?

Milo: I don’t like the hot weather very much, but I’ve been eating lots of doggie ice pops to keep cool. The Lady makes them by dissolving 1 teaspoon of Marmite in 500ml of hot water. She lets it cool and then pours it into disposable plastic cups and freezes it, but you could use whatever moulds you have.

C: I like the sound of those! Thank you for being my guest today, it’s been fun chatting with you, Milo. I would like to wish you all the best in your future career.

Milo – Guide Dog puppy in training

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You can follow Milo’s progress here:

• Twitter – @MiloGDP

• Guide Dog website – 2013 Diary of a puppy walker [There have been changes on the website and this is no longer available.]

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See you next Wednesday!

Update:

18 March 2014: Milo has almost finished his basic training and will move to advanced training and be matched with a person soon.