Happy 1st Birthday, Ulani!
Today is a very special day - our beautiful Guide Dogs puppy, Ulani, is officially one year old!
It’s hard to believe that ten months have passed since this tiny black Labrador cross bounded into our lives. It really does feel like only yesterday that we welcomed a curious little puppy into our home, wondering what adventures lay ahead.
Looking back over the past year, it has been an incredible journey. We’ve watched Ulani grow from a playful little pup into a capable, affectionate, gentle and wonderfully engaged young dog. Every week has brought something new, whether it was mastering another skill, confidently exploring a new environment, or simply maturing into the lovely companion she is today.
One of the things that has amazed us most is how she has taken everything in her stride. From busy town centres and cafés to public transport, meeting new people and visiting unfamiliar places, Ulani has embraced every new experience with curiosity, confidence and enthusiasm. Along the way, she has developed so many of the qualities that are so important for a future guide dog: calmness, resilience, focus, sociability and an eagerness to learn.
July was an especially exciting month for Ulani as she experienced her very first trip to the beach - and she absolutely loved it! The moment she saw the sand and the sea, she was beside herself with excitement. She immediately set off at full speed towards the water, very nearly pulling me face-first into the sand! Thankfully, I managed to stay upright, and it was a joy to watch her having so much fun.
Ulani showed no fear of the gentle waves and was soon zooming through the shallows with pure delight. Even more impressive was her fantastic recall. Despite all the excitement and distractions, every time we called her, she came straight back to us. We were in Devon celebrating my Dad’s 80th birthday and stayed for a couple of nights in a lovely hotel. It was another great learning experience for Ulani, who coped brilliantly with all the new sights, sounds and smells. She also handled the long car journey admirably, taking the whole adventure in her stride.
This month, Ulani also attended her puppy class at the Guide Dogs centre in Bishops Tachbrook. Our focus was on distractions and micro-settling. Micro-settling is a training technique that rewards tiny moments of calm before a dog is fully settled. Rather than waiting for a puppy to lie quietly for several minutes, you reinforce the small steps that lead to relaxation, helping them learn that calm behaviour is rewarding.
To practise this, we all sat on chairs in reasonably close proximity to each other and allowed our puppies to settle themselves. We only stayed in each spot briefly before moving to another chair and repeating the exercise. If a puppy became distracted or unsettled, we needed to step in before frustration set in by calmly standing up, moving to a new seat and starting again. The aim was to set the puppies up for success while rewarding those small moments of calm. Ulani still has a tendency to want to say hello to the other puppies, so keeping her attention can sometimes be a challenge when one is nearby. Even so, she did really well with the distraction exercises. Our trainers skimmed beanbags across the floor between the dogs, and Ulani stayed calmly in place, watching all the excitement without once trying to chase them.
She shows that same self-control out on walks when we encounter squirrels, birds and cats. She notices them and is clearly interested, but she doesn't act on the instinct to chase. It’s incredibly impressive to see in such a young dog and exactly the kind of composure that will serve her well in her future role as a Guide Dog.
Of course, puppy raising isn't just about training. It's about building trust, encouraging confidence and giving a young dog the very best start in life. Along the way, there have been countless happy moments, funny stories and proud milestones that we've shared here on the blog. Looking back through those posts reminds us just how much she has grown and how far she has come in such a short space of time.
Ulani has become such a cherished member of our family. She greets each day with enthusiasm, makes us smile every single day and has a remarkable way of brightening the lives of everyone she meets. It has been a privilege to watch her personality blossom into the affectionate, hardworking and gentle young dog she is today.
As puppy raisers, we always know that our role is just one chapter in a much bigger story. Every experience, every training session and every new adventure is helping to prepare Ulani for the important work that may lie ahead. Thinking about the difference she could one day make to someone living with sight loss makes every muddy walk, every early morning and every moment of training worthwhile.
We couldn't be prouder of everything she has achieved during her first year. She has exceeded our expectations in so many ways and continues to impress us with her willingness to learn, her beautiful nature and her infectious zest for life.
Thank you for making us laugh, keeping us on our toes, filling our home with love and reminding us every day what a privilege it is to be part of your journey. We can't wait to see what the next chapter brings, and we'll be cheering you on every step of the way.
Here's to another year of adventures - and to the incredible future that lies ahead for this very special girl.
Happy Birthday, Ulani! ❤️🐾
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