Over the course of eight weeks, eight tiny labrador puppies became curious, lively and more independent. Azúr’s P litter have now arrived at a new important milestone: the puppies left the maternal home and moved to puppy raising families. In the coming months, they will be the ones guiding, teaching and helping the future guide dogs on their first big adventure. 

On June 30th they were still tiny, weighing barely half a kilogram as they cuddled together beside Azúr. Five males and three females were born, all healthy. They have changed a lot since then. They learned to walk, run, play, explore, and create connections with their environment more confidently while slowly developing their own personalities. 

“To me, they are the perfect litter” – said the carer for the puppies, Kovács Sára, who is also Azúr’s owner. “I got eight healthy, beautiful and evenly developing puppies. This way I was able to focus almost all my attention on getting to know them.”

And there was plenty to get to know about them. In the beginning, only small movements, sounds and behaviours hinted at what they will be like later. Over the course of a few weeks they revealed themselves more clearly. 

“Perhaps this was the biggest gift they gave me: the opportunity to not only care for them, but also get to know them and watch as they became themselves more and more.”

Eight different personalities 

Out of all the puppies, there wasn’t a single one that you could simply point to and say “this is just how they are”. Already at a young age there were glimpses of what would later be part of their personality. 

“They were barely half a kilogram and you could already see who signals their needs loudest, who fights most fiercely for the best spot next to Azúr, and who likes to sleep where and how.”

Naturally all of them became more complex as time passed. Even the calmest puppy sometimes showed their mischievous side, even the most self-assured one can get frightened, and the more reserved puppies surprised us with their bravery. However, their early characterisations remained recognisable.

… and if there is anything that was the same in them all, it was their curiosity. 

The P litter discovered quite early that the world is full of tasks waiting to be solved. Especially when there is a fence in their way.

The escape artist and the seven followers

The puppies learned how to climb out of the whelping box surprisingly early, then the enclosure too. Later basically every fenced area was interpreted as a personal challenge.

The main escape artist was Pitypang.

“Usually Pitypang found the first crack in the system, and the siblings enthusiastically followed – then with time, they also came up with their own solutions.”

For some reason the way back interested them much less. Whenever they found themselves on the wrong side of the fence, they signalled for human assistance by whining. However, if one of them got sleepy while on the other side, they simply snuggled up to their siblings through the fence and fell asleep in a pile with them.

Then when they got back to their proper place, they started this cycle  all over again as if they had just discovered the best game in the world. 

Azúr wasn’t just a mother

Naturally, Azúr plays a huge role in the development of the puppies. She is an experienced mother, as this was her third litter, and calmly adapted to whatever the little ones needed.

“She is unbelievably caring and precise, instinctively knowing when and what the puppies need.”

In the first weeks she was almost always around her them: feeding, cleaning and caring for them. As the puppies grew, her job also changed. She played with them more, teaching, raising and herding them.

“I especially like watching how nicely she communicates with them – and the puppies are surprisingly receptive to listening to their mother.”

Meanwhile Azúr is still a part of her owner’s life, same as before. As a partner she is an kind, patient, adaptable, and cuddly dog, whose life often revolves around her owner. She has a flamingo toy, which they sometimes hide from her so she can track it down. However, Azúr tries to watch where it is hidden every time.

Perhaps it is this duality that makes her truly special: at the same time she is delicate and sensitive, and a real whirlwind at other times.

“This makes Azúr truly Azúr.”

The big adventure starts now

The eight puppies each moved to separate puppy raiser families. This is a big change for them: new home, new people, new rules and many new experiences await them.

Puppy raising is a noble task, helping them become balanced, confident and adaptable dogs. They learn how they should act in different situations, how to travel, how to get to know new people and animals. 

Playful activities, diverse experiences and everyday smaller situations all lay the foundation for important goals later on. 

One thing is for sure: already within the first eight weeks they got a lot of love, caring and experience. Now they will get this same caring in different places, which will lead to the same end goal.

The first chapter has closed for Azúr’s puppies, but their story is just starting to get exciting. We thank Kovács Sára for providing a loving home for Azúr and for the dedicated care she gave to both the earlier K litter and now the P litter too.

Support opportunities 

Every individual who contributes to the training of guide dogs through their support is important to us. We announce with great pleasure that even companies are making this decision now. 

If you would like to take part in more guide dog couples starting their journeys together, then there are several ways you can support us.

Our central bank account number: 

OTP Bank – 11734004-20466859

Bank card, webshop, or phone donations: https://adjukossze.hu/adomanygyujtes/barathegyi-vakvezeto-kutya-iskola-1083

Corporate and partnership donations: https://barathegyisegitokutya.hu/adomanya-erteket-teremt/vallalati-egyuttmukodes