[新聞] 1次生16隻！德牧媽+阿金爸誕下健康小黑汪　創導盲犬協會60年紀錄

實習記者李承貞／綜合報導

英國導盲犬協會（Guide Dogs）長期致力於培育和訓練導盲犬，並幫助視障人士配對適合的狗狗。2021年底，協會裡的3歲德國牧羊犬「Unity」產下16隻健康的幼犬，比一般的牧羊犬的平均高出2倍多，更打破導盲犬協會60年來的生育紀錄。協會負責人馬修·博頓利（Matthew Bottomley）表示，這非常不尋常，卻是一份珍貴的贈禮。

Guide Dogs UK
Meet our record breaking litter of beautiful German Shepherd cross Golden Retriever pups! Their parents are German Shepherd Unity and Golden Retriever Trigger. Both Unity and all 16 of her puppies are happy and healthy. A full video breakdown of the litter be posted on our YouTube this weekend. ❤️

[Visual Description: Image 1 is of eight Guide Dogs National Centre staff stood facing the camera in their blue overalls, each holding two of the 16 black puppies in their arms. The team are stood outside on the grass. Image 2 is of eight of the 16 puppies all standing on their back legs with their front legs on a silver gate. All the puppies are black with flecks of brown. Image 3 is of 4 of the puppies outside on the grass. 3 of which are out of focus and sniffing the grass. One is in focus and running towards the camera with its ears flopping and two front paws in the air. Image 4 is of 4 of the puppies playing around the feet of the National Centre staff. There are two pairs of feet within the photo. One of the staffs hand is at the top of the photo, holding an orange toy. The puppies are inquisitively looking towards the toy.]

這次成功生下這麼多小狗狗，要特別感謝孩子的爸，六歲的黃金獵犬「Trigger」，牠是最多產的狗狗品種之一，曾經和母狗交配產下240隻的幼犬。這些孩子的耳朵像到爸爸，有點垂垂的，而毛色像到媽媽呈現黑色，但也有些小狗狗的腳上和臉部摻雜了一些金黃色毛髮，模樣十分討喜可愛。該組織選擇混種交配，是希望每一隻孩子們都能同時保有德國牧羊犬的忠誠和幹勁，以及黃金獵犬的友善和自信，以利未來訓練成更優秀的導盲犬。

▲▼ 工作人員用心照顧黑汪，期盼未來能成為幫助視障者的導盲犬。（圖／翻攝自Guide Dogs UK）

儘管小狗狗目前才剛滿八週大，但牠們都已經離開媽媽的身邊，開始接受初期訓練。協會負責人馬修表示，「工作人員和志工們一直認真的工作，以確保所有的幼犬都能茁壯成長，狗狗們現在已經準備好開始牠們的旅程，致力成為改變視障者生活的導盲犬。」接下來這些孩子們會去各自的照顧志願者家中，逐步學習如何社交、適應新環境和聽從指令，等一年過後，牠們就會開始接受成為導盲犬所需的專業訓練。