Two Labrador Retrievers, one cream-colored and one golden-brown, sit attentively on a sandy beach with forested hills and rocky outcrops in the background.

Breeding Volunteer - Aimée Ní Bheirn

My mother Christine made the decision to participate as a Breeding Dog Volunteer after a conversation with our friend Catherine, (previous dog trainer with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind). She filled out the form online, and we were lucky. This did not surprise me as I spent years with dogs running around in our house when I was growing up. We had experience taking care of dogs, in particular Boxers.

With perfect timing, at the beginning of the pandemic, we welcomed Poppie to Donegal - the first breeding dog in Donegal.

That was the beginning of the love story for me. I became very attached to Poppie. I was studying for my undergraduate at the time online every day. Poppie is a smart, affectionate, goofy dog, and she spent a lot of time with me in my room learning about Business and Irish on Zoom with great lecturers from Fiontar agus Scoil na Gaeilge, DCU.

A young woman with red hair and glasses wearing a beige cardigan and colorful scarf kneels beside a brown Labrador Retriever on a street filled with people in the background.

In 2021, Poppie had a litter of puppies, the H-Litter - Harry, Hope, Hugo, Honey, Hana, Hunter, Hugh, Holly, Hazel and Heidi. We were very grateful that 5 puppies had the opportunity to learn in Donegal with amazing puppy raisers, and they are now guiding and supporting people in different places in Ireland.

Poppie is retired now, but still with us at home in Donegal with her sisters Tilly and Bella. I must say Poppie is fluent in Irish now too! She loves to practice her Gaeilge when she is hungry, for example, lapa, suigh síos, tiontaigh thart agus lapa in airde! I received my undergraduate and masters degree in the Irish Language, a BA Gnó gus Gaeilge (Business and Irish) and a MA i Léann na Gaeilge (Irish Studies) with DCU and I always wanted to bring my work with Gaeilge and the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind together.

A smiling woman wearing glasses and a beige jacket crouches beside a brown dog on a rocky beach, with another light-colored dog visible in the background.

We had a chance to care for another puppy, Neptune and we had so much fun together. We got another breeding dog Bella a while ago, and I must say she is a little bit different in terms of characteristics. She is always in front of the fire, she loves to nuzzle into people, and she is full of energy. Like Poppie, Bella had a litter of pups in 2024 and we had the opportunity to look after Inish, Iain, Iarla, Ice, Ivy and Iris. They are all in training now with hard-working puppy raisers in other counties.

I am an Irish Language tutor at university level, teaching Irish to adults or learners in Ireland. I grew up in the Gaeltacht and it gives me great joy to share Poppie and Bella’s story in Irish. I was happy to link Gaeilge with volunteer work through opportunities on Raidió na Gaeltachta and on the podcast, Seal le Seán. A few people told me it was great to hear my story with Poppie and Bella in Irish, and this got me thinking.

A tan-colored Labrador Retriever rests on a gray blanket while watching over her litter of newborn puppies sleeping nearby.

I submitted a few terminology questions on Téarma.ie, The National Terminology Database for Irish. They answered me without much delay, and I was extremely happy to see new terms added a few months ago. Now you can find madra pobail (Community Dog), cúramóir deonach madra pórúcháin (Breeding Dog Volunteer), coinneálaí sealadach (Temporary Boarder), bunoiliúnóir coileáin (Puppy Raiser) agus bunoiliúint coileáin (puppy raising) on Téarma.ie.

We are sincerely thankful that these terms are available in Irish, and that we can properly express our passion for dogs like Poppie, Bella and their puppies to other Irish speakers.