Paw-itively cute! Labrador, Yuko, becomes the first Japanese dog to have a litter of guide dog puppies in Britain

Like any proud mother, Yuko the Labrador loves to show off her litter of nine beautiful puppies.

But this group is extra special as Yuko is the first Japanese dog to have a litter of guide dog puppies in the UK.

The litter marks an ‘incredible milestone’ for Guide Dogs UK’s international breeding programme, in which guide dog schools from around the world exchange puppies with each other.

The program guarantees the genetic diversity of their puppies, in addition to the mix of friendliness and energy expected of a seeing-eye dog.

Yuko, whose name means ‘merciful child’ in Japanese, came to Britain from Japan at just five months old. The Guide Dogs team watched her grow from a little puppy to the mother she is today.

Yuko, whose name means ‘merciful child’ in Japanese, came to Britain from Japan at just five months old, as the Guide Dogs team watched her grow from a little puppy to the mother she is today.

Upon arrival, she underwent puppy training, which included living with a volunteer dog breeder and being introduced to the activities expected of a service dog.

This included visits to shops and restaurants, and traveling on crowded buses and trains.

With almost 1,200 puppies bred each year, the charity is always looking for volunteers near its base in Leamington Spa.

Now two years old, Yuko has given birth to her first litter of nine puppies, the father of which is a British golden retriever.

Crossbreeding Labradors and Golden Retrievers is a common practice for service dogs, mixing the breeds to ensure newborn puppies have the right balance of sociability and drive.

Now two years old, Yuko has given birth to her first litter of nine puppies, the father of which is a British Golden Retriever

Yuko’s arrival in Britain was made possible by the charity’s international breeding programme

Yuko’s arrival in Britain was made possible by the charity’s international breeding programme.

By engaging in exchanges with many countries, including Australia, France and Croatia, it is crucial to ensure that the gene pool of guide dogs remains broad, while also maintaining the desirable traits for a reliable guide dog.

Becky Hunt, the breeding programme’s data manager, said genetic diversity is crucial to ensure the charity ‘always has diversity’ should health or behavioral issues arise after a litter is born.

Tom Lewis, the head of breeding at Guide Dogs, added: ‘When you’re managing a small population, genetic diversity is one of the things you need to keep a close grip on. And if you don’t, you can lose it very quickly.”

Guide Dog National Center staff Ruth, Karin, Eleanor and Emily are pictured with the nine puppies

He added that the international breeding program will help maintain the sustainability of operations and ensure that a breeding program will still be in place in ten years’ time.

This means that Yuko could be the first mother of many, and she will likely give birth to more litters of adorable puppies.

At approximately eight weeks old, Yuko’s puppies leave the breeding center and are cared for by a volunteer puppy raiser.

After about a year, they leave the breeder for six months of guide dog training, usually qualifying and working with an 18- to 24-month-old owner.

But for now, they can spend some more time with their mother.