Guide Dogs celebrates ‘queen’ great-grandmother on Mother’s Day

A former guide dog will celebrate Mother’s Day with three other generations of her family after becoming a great-grandmother.

Connie, 13, produced four litters before retiring from the breeding programme at the charity Guide Dogs in 2017.

Six of her children are still working as guide dogs, with her grandchildren either working, training or acting as breeding parents.

In February she became a great grandmother when her granddaughter Coco gave birth to eight guide dog puppies, her first litter.

Connie, a 13-and-a-half-year-old yellow Labrador retriever, with her daughter Sophie, granddaughter Coco and alongside one of Coco’s yet-to-be-named puppies (Fabio De Paola/PA Media Assignments)PA Wire/PA Images - Fabio De Paola Media Assignments

She now shares her Stratford-upon-Avon home with her daughter Sophie, seven, and Coco, two, as well as the newest additions to her family.

“Connie is truly the queen of the household. She may be a little whiter in the face nowadays, but she can still spring around the garden with the puppies,” said Linda Atkins, a Guide Dogs breeding dog volunteer who has looked after Connie and her descendants since 2012.

“Volunteering for Guide Dogs and looking after my lovely girls and all their pups is a fantastic experience.

“It’s hard work at times but so rewarding, knowing each one has a great chance at becoming a guide dog one day.

“With four generations under one roof, this Mother’s Day is going to be a very special one indeed.”

‘Connie is truly the queen of the household’, said Linda Atkins (Fabio De Paola/PA Media Assignments)PA Wire/PA Images - Fabio De Paola Media Assignments

Connie, a yellow Labrador retriever, has 24 children and 17 grandchildren, with her daughter Sophie also retired.

The first eight weeks of a guide dog’s life will be spent with their mother, with training the next step for most.

When they retire, their volunteer is able to officially adopt them.

Janine Dixon, breeding and welfare operations lead at Guide Dogs, said: “Connie’s impressive age is testament to the love and care she’s received throughout her life, as well as her excellent genetics – critically important to produce healthy pups that go on to have long working lives in partnership with blind or partially-sighted people.

“We have such reverence for this esteemed older lady. Every guide dog is given the best start in life when they have a mum – or indeed, great-grandmother – like Connie.”