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Pride of Australia Medal 2015: 14 years devoted to special puppies

GRANDMOTHER Lillian Eastlake-Smith has raised a newborn every year for the past 14 years — including dealing with toilet training time and time again.

Lillian Eastlake-Smith has been raising puppies for Guide Dogs Australia for 14 years and has been nominated for a Pride of Australia Award. Pic of her with her puppy Lacey at Glossodia. Photo: Bob Barker.
Lillian Eastlake-Smith has been raising puppies for Guide Dogs Australia for 14 years and has been nominated for a Pride of Australia Award. Pic of her with her puppy Lacey at Glossodia. Photo: Bob Barker.

GRANDMOTHER Lillian Eastlake-Smith has raised a newborn every year for the past 14 years — including dealing with toilet training time and time again.

But her charges go on to ­become invaluable aids for the blind and seeing-impaired.

The Guide Dog Association puppy raiser from Quakers Hill said: “It’s like having your own children, all their personalities are different so your approach to training is different.”

Ms Eastlake-Smith and her family have loved, trained, walked and cared for a puppy a year since 2001 before passing them on to someone who needed them.

Devoted... Lillian Eastlake-Smith with puppy Lacey. Photo: Bob Barker.
Devoted... Lillian Eastlake-Smith with puppy Lacey. Photo: Bob Barker.

Her efforts have earned her a Pride of Australia nomination for Community Spirit.

“Every 20 minutes or half hour you’re taking them out for toilet training — it’s like having a newborn,” she said with a laugh.

NOMINATE SOMEONE FOR A PRIDE OF AUSTRALIA MEDAL

“So slowly you train the dog and it’s a family thing so we all have to get involved, and every time a new puppy comes along you think, ‘oh I forgot about that bit’.

“It’s like having a newborn every year, and every time you get a new puppy it starts all over again.

“I find it very fulfilling — it gets you out of the house and walking and exercising and interacting with your puppy.”

Nominate someone who deserves recognition at prideofaustralia.co.au until July 19.

Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/pride-of-australia/pride-of-australia-medal-2015-14-years-devoted-to-special-puppies/news-story/bcb8b1a9e7db322a7d89ffac0fe15d25