Lamda: the young guide dog
Sometimes, an everyday act of love, such as adopting a pet, can turn into meaningful contribution to society, positively affecting many lives. In 2025 we opened our hearts to Lamda, a Labrador puppy, sponsoring her training so she can become a guide dog and offer independence to a person with visual impairment.
Lamda came into the lives of two of our people, Giorgos and Katerina, who take turns hosting and caring for her, 3-4 days a week, for as long as she’s being trained by Liberty Guide Dogs. Both of them are ready to admit the puppy has brought many changes to their daily routines, but the most important one was the effect she’s had on their outlook on life.
The power of love
Lamda has changed the pace of Giorgos’ daily life. “The day starts and ends with Lamda,” he explains. The walks to the park, the playtime, the care and attention to her training have become part of a new routine, packed with small acts of responsibility. Even his travel habits have changed, as he now takes her with him everywhere. “Now I have to think where we are going, how we’ll get there, what I need to plan for so that she’s comfortable and safe.” And, as he notes, through caring for Lamda, he has discovered that “love, when combined with a purpose, can change more than one lives.”
Despite having grown up around dogs, Katerina feels that she is learning everything from scratch with Lamda. The days she cares for Lamda start early in the morning with a walk, breakfast, playtime and then hanging out at the office. Lamda is a service dog, and Katerina does not forget it. “Every time I try to follow the instructions of the amazing Liberty Guide Dog trainers to the letter, I know it is not just another training step. It is laying the foundation for the ultimate mission this dog will have.” When asked how she is going to be able to part with her, Katerina says she knows this day will be hard, but it will also be a proud moment for her, as “I’m playing my own small part to improve another person’s life.”
The preparation journey, step by step
Training is an important part of Lamda’s daily routine, and it is not limited to obedience lessons. As is the case with all guide dogs, her journey started when she was just a few weeks old, and it has very specific landmarks:
- Foster care – Until she turns 1, Lamda will live with Giorgos and Katerina, to learn how to socialize with people and animals, become familiar with daily stimuli and obey simple commands.
- Training – Over the next 6-8 months, a certified trainer will teach her to wear the special harness, safely move around public areas and follow 52 commands.
- Meeting with the blind person – Over the following month and perhaps a little longer, young Lamda will meet her handler. The pairing is not accidental. The right dog is chosen for each blind person, to suit their habits, physique, walking pace or the existence of other ailments and impairments.
- Retirement – When she is 9-10 years old, Lamda, who is, after all, a working dog, will retire. She will either live with her handler or be returned to one of her foster parents.
More than a companion
As a guide dog, Lamda will be much more than a helper. She will be someone whom the blind person will trust without second thought; a willing and loyal partner that will make their day-to-day life easier and, most of all, more accessible. When they walk together down the street, they will be acting like a small, expertly coordinated team.
On every route, Lamda will have to accomplish certain important tasks: She will be detecting objects on the ground and at the level of her handler’s head, and she will be responding to commands such as “find the door, the step, the seat”. When her and her handler have to cross a street, she will stop on the sidewalk and she will only move forward when the situation is safe. Moreover, she will make decisions on her own and refuse to obey a command when she feels that it might put her handler at risk, while she will know how to act in settings such as buses, stores or restaurants.
For an inclusive society
Our little Lamda has all the qualities to fulfill the mission that was assigned to her: become the eyes of a person. Katerina, her foster mom, talks about a bright and headstrong puppy that is training every day, with every walk, for the important role she will play. Giorgos, the foster dad, adds, “Every exercise, every moment of discipline and calmness is not just about us. It is about the future person who will rely on her to move around safely, with dignity and independence.”
At LAMDA Development we are envisioning a better day-to-day life for everyone. With our initiatives, we are promoting an open and inclusive society, free from barriers and discrimination.