Just a word about our sponsorship project.
The MG Guide Dogs for the Blind Organisation.

This organisation has been an officially recognised body since 1981 whose aim is to train guide dogs and assistant dogs for people with a visual handicap. Some 20 to 25 dogs are successfully trained each year. This is so thanks to the internal and external instructors who have themselves received mandatory specific training for this, monitored and supervised by our body, which stands for quality, safety and expertise. It is therefore important that pups are carefully selected, when they are also assessed as to whether their character fits them for being able and willing to work TOGETHER. We work not only with crosses of Labradors and Golden Retrievers, as far as a traditional attitude is concerned, because the phlegmatic nature of the Labrador and the attentiveness of the Retriever are a perfect mix, but also with classic breeds such as Alsatians, Bouviers, Rottweilers, hunting poodles, etc.

Splendid guide dogs for the blind have been trained from these breeds, as well. The puppies are first housed in a guest family during their first year of life to socialise. A good guest family or puppy coach is very important because this is where he receives his "basic training" so that he grows into a stable, balanced, happy little dog. He learns how to act in a family, deal correctly with people, but also with other animals. He is also familiarised with the street picture, traffic, noise, etc. Dogs are trained by an award-oriented method (clicker training) so that they can be raised with a minimum of stress into cheerful, tail-wagging assistants in the making. They are then trained internally with Mg or externally, i.e. with people who themselves run an MG dog school.

That is the case with Iris. She is a dog psychologist and trains various dogs each year. The dogs then live with them for several months and they are "delivered" only when they are really READY. This takes a great deal of patience, dedication and time. The dogs have 4 training sessions each day, both indoors and outdoors. They wear a working harness and the intention is that they learn to understand that this outfit means that they must work. This training is very intensive. After training, screening follows for both the dog and the blind/poor-sighted person so that a perfect combination can be formed as to character of the dog and that of his future boss. Because eventually they will set out on a future where unconditional trust, friendship, safety and cooperation are all-important. It goes without saying that such training is very expensive and we have therefore decided to help to fund this organisation. We consequently dedicate a certain percentage of our sales and we trust that our customers will see this as a fine initiative, knowing that they thereby in their way contribute a mite to this training!

Thanking you in advance for your interest.

Iris & Dominique