‘Wonderful’ dog who fathered more than 300 puppies for Guide Dogs retires

A “wonderful” dog who has fathered more than 300 puppies as part of the Guide Dogs’ breeding programme has retired from the charity.

Golden retriever Trigger, nine, has fathered 39 litters, including one with 16 puppies in 2021 – a record-breaking number for the charity.

Trigger’s final litter for the charity Guide Dogs (Doug Peters/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Doug Peters Media Assignments

Two hundred and ninety-four of his puppies have been bred by Guide Dogs, and 29 others have been born from his “valuable collaborations” with guide dog schools and other assistance dog charities.

His final golden retriever litter was five girls, Jenny, Rita, Hermione, Sandy and Indy, and one boy, Billy, who are eight weeks old.

Janine Dixon, head of breeding operations at Guide Dogs, said: “Trigger’s wonderful, gentle nature and excellent health have made him the perfect asset to our breeding programme.

Trigger has retired from being top stud dog at the age of nine (Doug Peters/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Doug Peters Media Assignments

“We can’t overstate the impact that Trigger has in helping us to provide so many guide dogs for people with sight loss.

“We hope that in a few years his son Billy may join the breeding programme to continue Trigger’s legacy.”

Trigger will stay in Banbury, Oxfordshire, with his breeding dog volunteer Sarah Bryne, who will officially adopt him after looking after him for the past seven years.