Mauritania Dog Names

About 90% of Mauritania’s land is in the Sahara Desert. This is a unique and special landscape in this region. In keeping with the Mauritania theme, Sahara is the name of a Labrador and Golden Retriever cross, a service dog who received media attention. Sahara initially participated in 16 weeks of guide dog training, however, during this time of instruction her trainers realized that working as a guide dog was not the best fit for her. A sweet, sensitive pup, they could see that Sahara did not like the pressure of the job. It turned out that she had the perfect disposition to become a therapy dog.

Just as Sahara was transitioning into the role of therapy dog, Pam Sharnock, who is the general manager at the Willochra Home in Crystal Brook, submitted an application for a therapy dog. She learned that the process could take from six months to two years. In July of 2018, Sahara arrived for her first day at Willochra Home, an aged care home. Ms. Sharnock had liked the idea of having a pet for her residents, however, she felt like a puppy or cat would not be a good fit. She determined that a guide dog would be ideal, as the dogs are calm and well-trained and would manage well with different people. Ms. Sharnock explained, “we have always had pets around us and pet therapy is one of those things, particularly in aged care, that there is a lot of research around on the comforting and calming influence they can have on aged care residents”.

Sahara will permanently reside in the home, where she will be free to roam about the three fenced areas as well as the indoor space. Some residents were hesitant when hearing about Sahara’s arrival, particularly those who worked in farming who saw dogs as working animals rather than pets. Ms. Sharnock explained that she hoped that the presence of Sahara could help soften some of the residents who were abrasive. She noted that “we all need some doggie love and a bit of a cuddle”. Staff were enthusiastic to learn that Sahara would be a part of the team; when Ms. Sharnock asked for feedback on the idea of a service dog, all responses were positive.

According to Sarah Crawford, therapy dog officer at Guide Dogs SA, it was apparent that an aged care home would be a better fit for Sahara than a person with a visual impairment. Crawford explained that while Sahara was willing to do the training because she is eager to please, the pressure of the job was more than she could handle. As she is a dog who loves to be pet, is sweet and wants to be around people, the Willochra Home is where she thrives.