Magpie Leigh Brown this week visited Guide Dogs Victoria headquarters to check on the progress of the puppy in training which was named after him.
Two month old guide dog pup, “Leigh” is the third puppy to be named after a Collingwood player, following Sharrod (after Sharrod Wellingham) and Buckley (after Nathan Buckley).
Brown said he really enjoyed the visit and was amazed at the amount of work and training that is required for each guide dog.
“It was a great experience to see where and how they raise these guide dogs, which make such difference to people’s lives.
“The little puppy Leigh seems to be making great progress and you can already see the training that has gone into him after two months.
During the visit, Brown was given an insight into what it feels like to be under the assistance of a guide dog when he was taken through an obstacle course while blindfolded.
“It was a strange experience to put complete trust in the guide dog but I could feel it leading me the entire way through the course.”
It costs around $30,000 to train a guide dog over the course of its life and they are provided free of charge to the vision impaired.
With minimal government funding, Guide Dogs Victoria relies heavily on the generosity of Victorians to continue to provide services completely free of charge.
Anyone can sponsor a guide dog puppy, which allows the opportunity to participate in the naming of newborn puppy, as well as following its progress.
To become a Guide Dog Puppy Sponsor or to donate, call 9854 4444 or visit www.guidedogsvictoria.com.au.
