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Ten adorable guide dogs named after Taylor Swift’s music are starting to graduate from training.
Golden retriever and Labrador cross Archer, whose name was inspired by a track on the newly-married singer’s album Lover, has become the first from his litter to qualify.
The Guide Dogs charity named the puppies, born in 2024, in honour of the musician as part of a drive to encourage Swifties to volunteer as puppy-raisers.
Archer, who qualified on the day of the mega-star’s wedding to Travis Kelce, has since moved to Kent, where he is living with a guide dog owner.
His brothers and sisters, including Betty, Inez, Marjorie, Clara, James, Tim, and London, are all yet to graduate.
Meanwhile Peter, named after the song on the singer’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department, has also since graduated and been homed with a guide dog owner in Sheffield.
August, who was identified as ‘an ideal guide dog mum’, is now off to have her own guide dog puppies.
Volunteers across the UK look after the puppies for the first year of their life, from around eight weeks old until they are ready to begin formal training.
Golden retriever and Labrador cross Archer, whose name was inspired by a track on Taylor Swift’s album Lover, has become the first from his litter to qualify
James and Betty, pictured as puppies and whose names were inspired by Taylor Swift’s music, are yet to qualify
Now two years on, trainee guide dog James is still learning his skills while being homed by a volunteer in Leamington Spa
Marjorie is one of the ten puppies born in 2024 and named after the global music sensation
Mum Sandy and black Labrador grandmother Wispa pictured with the litter in 2024
Volunteers across the UK look after the puppies for the first year of their life, from around eight weeks old until they are ready to begin formal training
Archer was taken to Guide Dogs’ Maidstone team, in Kent, where he learned skills needed for the role and was then matched with a local person with sight loss.
Now, the charity is encouraging others to step forward and volunteer, as hundreds wait for a guide dog.
A Guide Dogs spokesperson said: ‘Guide Dogs relies on public donations as well as the kindness of volunteers.
‘It now costs £77,000 to breed, raise and train each guide dog, and £25,000 to support every partnership throughout their working lives.
‘Anyone unable to look after a puppy can therefore still help the charity to care for and train guide dogs by raising much-needed funds.’
