Guide Dogs is celebrating the arrival of its largest litter for three years – a whopping 13 puppies affectionately known as ‘the Baker’s Dozen’.
Four-year-old Yori, a golden retriever-Labrador cross, welcomed them at home in Chipping Campden in August, two months after meeting guide dog dad Otis, a yellow Labrador. The size of the litter is well above our average of between seven and eight pups.
The 13 have been given bakery-themed names inspired by sweet and savoury treats, in honour of our Guide Dogs Puppy Appeal. It now costs Guide Dogs £77,000 to breed, raise and train every guide dog pup to partnership, up from £34,600 in 2019.
The boys are Biscuit, Crumble, Bagel, Crumpet, Rye, Tiger and Pretzel, and the girls are Apple, Eccles, Cocoa, Chelsea, Custard and Ginger.
Mum Yori raised ten of the puppies, while three were fostered to another guide dog mum with a smaller litter of the same age, to give them the best chance.
Now eight weeks old, all 13 have been reunited at the Guide Dogs National Centre near Leamington Spa. The puppies are ready to head off to volunteer Puppy Raisers around the UK and rise to the challenge of becoming life-changing guide dogs in 2027.
Janine Dixon, Breeding and Welfare Operations Lead at Guide Dogs said: “Counting puppies during pregnancy is very tricky so we didn’t know Yori had quite so many buns in the oven.
“She had a very straightforward whelping at home and is an excellent mum. We’re thrilled that all 13 thrived thanks to the hard work of our volunteers and staff.
“Each pup has a bright future, hopefully becoming a guide dog bringing independence and mobility to someone with sight loss.”
