A COMPETITION to name a puppy whose future career as a guide dog is mapped out for him or her from the moment of conception attracted a huge cross-section of Spanish and non-Spanish residents and regular visitors this autumn, causing a flurry of creativity and investigation to hit upon that perfect entry: Not a human name in any language commonly used in Spain, short and snappy so as to be easy for a little woofster in training to understand and respond to, and beginning with the letter 'N'.
Not an easy feat, but necessary – the ONCE Guide Dog Foundation (FOPG) goes through the alphabet each time it has a new litter to start schooling, and crucially, if one of the puppies has a name that's the same as a human's or sounds just like one, then anyone with the same or a rhyming name would not be able to have the dog for their own. Otherwise, confusion could ensue if their own name is called; likewise, if someone out in public shouted to a person with the same name as the dog, the pet might go to them as he or she has been trained.
And a guide dog has to be 100% focused on his or her owner and on the owner's surroundings, ready to warn their human and take action if they face a potential hazard. Guide dogs are literally a blind or partially-sighted person's eyes, and thanks to these wonderful four-legged scruffballs, their mums and dads are able to lead a near-normal life and get about, going places they would not otherwise feel safe in.
What guide dogs actually do - and why they're trained to disobey
As well as everything you would expect – such as warning owners about kerbs, steps or uneven parts in the ground, how to avoid obstacles and recognise them in time to tell his or her mum or dad, either static or moving obstacles – guide dogs are taught to recognise entrance doorways, find the safest path through a crowd, and even seek out empty seats on public transport.
They're even taught to disobey their owners, surprisingly.
Guide dogs are taught to obey, to disobey, and to know the difference as to when to do which (photo: ONCE)
This is because their human might tell them to go forward, not realising it isn't safe to do so – such a if a car is crossing their path. On these occasions, the dog knows not to do as they are told, but to wait, and force their owner to wait, until the danger has passed.
Crucially, dogs have to be taught to known the difference in these cases. They are trained from the very beginning to be exceptionally obedient, but also have to learn to use their own initiative where doing as they are told means going against other, overriding aspects of their education.
They need to be able to behave impeccably even in strange or frightening situations, and to fight their own instincts. This means they have to be very capable of concentration and focus, ignoring loud noises, never barking unless it's in a scenario they are trained to bark in – such as to warn their owner of a potential risk – and must be completely indifferent to other pets and children or, at least, kind, gentle and tolerant around them.
After all, if your guide dog decides to chase your cat, he or she is not paying attention to you, which is what these pups are educated to do from birth. And if your cat starts playing with your dog's tail, your dog is trained not to join in a play-fight or bark at his or her naughty sibling to tell them off.
Various breeds are suitable - Labradors, Golden Retrievers, Labradoodles and German Shepherds (photo: ONCE)
Basically, a guide dog is never off duty, always has to act 'professionally'; that's a big ask from a pet, so dogs have to be of the type of personality which really and truly enjoys being a guide and loves working.
Their natural instincts are schooled out of them from the first few days of life; running after a thrown stick or barking at other people's dogs when out walking means they are not keeping their eyes on their owner, so they have to be trained to abandon their 'hunting' and 'territory-guarding' traits.
Most people associate guide dogs with Labradors, or Golden Retrievers, but several other breeds are suitable for guide-dog training, including cross-breeds; German Shepherds and Labradoodles, for example – the latter is ideal for those with a fur allergy as their curly coats do not moult so much.
Excessive playfulness or any signs of aggression are not permitted. If a dog whose breed is known to sometimes show aggression is used as a guide dog, it means they have been trained never to give into these 'natural' urges; in fact, a dog which shows any sign of this during their education, whether or not it is thought to be 'typical' of their breed, is immediately ruled out as a guide dog and will be rehomed as a 'mainstream' pet instead.
Future owners get training on guide-dog handling and care, too (photo: Plataforma del Voluntariado de España, or Volunteer Association of Spain)
Stringent health checks, testing for hereditary illnesses or for any condition that can be passed onto humans, annual rabies vaccines and six-monthly worming and de-fleaing, are all taken care of by the ONCE Foundation both before and after the dog finds a home. They are under strict veterinary rules set by regional governments, and it is in fact rare to find dogs in better health, or with better-managed health.
For this reason, as well as those set down in disability equality laws, and the fact the dogs are trained never to cause any kind of social disturbance, guide dogs are allowed in any public areas, including supermarkets with fresh food counters.
Anyone who is banned from entering a premises or outside area with their guide dog should file a complaint, since they are protected by law and, if the human is allowed on site, so is his or her guide dog.
Finally, future owners are also given training on guide-dog handling and care before they are allocated a new pet, to make sure they get the full benefit from their best-friend-to-be.
An 'original and extraordinary' name in a little-known language
Specsavers opticians, based in several Spanish coastal provinces, supports the ONCE Guide Dog Foundation – run by the National Spanish Blind Persons' Organisation, which operates one of the main daily lotteries.
Winners of the 'name a puppy' competition Specsavers launched would be eligible for a goody-bag, including vouchers towards designer sunglasses and a certificate with 'their' dog's name on it.
Now, the optician chain has announced the number one name picked: Nakoa, which means 'brave' in the Hawaiian language.
Mildred du Plessis Hickey, 66, from Calpe, chose it for her entry.
“I wanted to give the puppy an extraordinary, original name, so I did some research on how to say 'protector' or 'brave' in different languages,” she explains.
“I simply loved the name 'Nakoa' as soon as I saw it. I'm so thrilled to be recognised as the winner, and I really feel honoured – though all that honour is really for Nakoa.”
Mildred receives a photo of the puppy she has named, an FOPG travel bag, cool bag, umbrella and reusable water bottle, plus the above-mentioned certificate and pair of designer sunglasses.
About 150 people submitted entries, making the final choice a tough one for the ONCE Guide Dog Foundation – but its managing director, María Jesús Varela Méndez, said they all loved the originality of an Hawaiian-language name.
“[Nakoa] also fits our criteria of being a nice, clear sound, short and easy to understand for the dog,” said María Jesús.
She called Mildred 'a very worthy winner'.
Other names entered will be given to the same litter, including Nango, Neón, Nanur, Nitro and Nai.
“We hope that even if you didn't win the grand prize, but that you suggested one of these names, you'll be pleased to know that a guide dog puppy will have it,” says María Jesús.
Guide dogs are free to those who need them – so donations are always crucial
The competition was not just about naming a new barky baby, though. The main aim was to raise awareness of the lives and needs of the blind and partially-sighted – for those who were born with limited or no vision, certain tools or adaptations are necessary for them to lead a normal life and, as long as they have these tools, can function in exactly the same way as a fully-sighted person; for those who lost all or part of their sight in later life, the psychological impact and having to adapt oneself to what would once have seemed impossible is a huge task that needs equally huge support.
Part of those adaptations involve guide dogs – these trusty animals can make the difference between living independently, and needing constant hands-on help.
But getting a guide dog is not as easy as just popping along to the ONCE Foundation and returning home as six legs rather than two. They're extremely expensive, but the ONCE is determined nobody who needs one should be deprived of a caring canine purely because they cannot afford to pay – everyone who applies for a dog will eventually get one, free of charge. It's then up to the new owner, if he or she is able, to make a donation if they choose to do so; the ONCE would prefer a hard-pressed owner to spend their money on feeding the dog they have than paying the charity back for their work in training their new friend.
And few could afford to pay the full cost of their guide dog's upbringing and schooling in any case: From birth to being rehomed with a blind or partially-sighted person, the outlay is in region of €40,000.
At any one time, around 400 people Spain-wide, not just Spaniards but also foreign residents, are on the waiting list for a guide dog; meeting everyone's need would cost an eight-figure sum.
For that reason, the puppy-naming competition was a great chance to increase visibility for the cause and encourage donations.
These can be made at any time and in any branch of Specsavers, whether or not you're a customer.
Otherwise, you can make your donation online to Perrosguia.once.es, writing SPEC in the 'second surname' box so Specsavers can identify it as part of its own fundraising campaign.
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