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Too lazy to be a guide dog: how Marcus found his calling as a therapy animal \u2013 video<\/p>\nMarcus is a very good boy.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s a four-year-old, 32kg labrador with lustrous black hair, soulful brown eyes and a bodacious bottom.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s sensitive and food-motivated; if given the choice between a distressed person and a tasty treat, he might have a hard time picking.<\/p>\n
Oh, and don\u2019t mention guide dog school; it\u2019s a touchy subject.<\/p>\n
Too lazy to be a guide dog: how Marcus found his calling as a therapy animal \u2013 video<\/p>\n
When Marcus was a puppy, he began training with Guide Dogs NSW, in Australia, with the expectation that he would graduate from their world-class program and match with a person who has low vision or blindness. A noble profession for a dog but not guaranteed to all who enrol.<\/p>\n
Marcus was purpose-bred at the Guide Dogs Centre in Glossodia \u2013 a small town at the foot of the Blue Mountains, 68km north-west of Sydney.<\/p>\n
In April 2020, at the start of our most recent global pandemic, when Marcus was eight weeks old, he went to live with puppy raisers Alex and Alison. At this stage, Alex says he was \u201ctiny and funny\u201d, with \u2013 do not repeat this to Marcus \u2013 \u201ca stubby little face and very short legs\u201d.<\/p>\n
Marcus as a puppy.<\/p>\n
He was a cautious fellow, unsure of his new surroundings. Needed to be fished out of his cage by large human hands and set upright.<\/p>\n
He proved himself to be proficient at the basics; in under two weeks he could sit, drop, stay and come when called. He was well behaved; with the exception of one hole-digging incident, there was very little mischief. No kitchen intruding, no counter surfing, no pantry raiding.<\/p>\n
One of his favourite extracurricular activities was sticking his face into a nearly empty yoghurt tub to lick it clean, though he was not always able to extract his head afterwards.<\/p>\n
For six months, Marcus did training once a week via Zoom and practised his skills every day. He was given his own bed but preferred to sleep near or on top of his foster brother, Baxter, a patient chocolate lab who has welcomed and tolerated many guide dog hopefuls in his time.<\/p>\n
Marcus was a quick learner but a slow mover. He was a \u201cdawdler\u201d.<\/p>\n
In his official file, it was noted that Marcus showed an \u201cunwillingness to work\u201d, which, while relatable and endearing, is not ideal for a guide dog.<\/p>\n
Rather than, say, guide someone firmly and safely without distraction, Marcus preferred sitting in puddles, playing fetch, having naps, seeking out snuggles and trying out his sweetest facial expressions in hope of securing some chicken as a snack.<\/p>\n
\u2018Unwillingness to work\u2019: Marcus the therapy dog as a puppy.<\/p>\n
After 14 months, Marcus was assessed. We do not use the word \u201cfail\u201d \u2013 Marcus was \u201creclassified\u201d (the paperwork for this process used to include the word \u201crejected\u201d, says Guide Dogs NSW\u2019s alternate pathways manager, Sam O\u2019Keefe, but it now says \u201ccareer path change\u201d because that\u2019s much nicer).<\/p>\n
Being a guide dog was not his destiny, on account of being \u201ca bit slow\u201d and \u201ca sloth with a low drive to work\u201d.<\/p>\n
So, Marcus became a therapy dog, for which he is perfectly suited on account of being affectionate, friendly and polite.<\/p>\n
In 2025, 39 dogs made it through guide dog training and 93 were placed as therapy dogs across NSW and the ACT. There are currently more than 650 therapy dogs at work in the community, all of them aged 12 years and younger. They have been placed in court rooms, schools, aged care facilities, rehab clinics, psychologist offices and with emergency or frontline services. Some have been placed with individuals or families affected by PTSD, autism, or mental illness.<\/p>\n
Therapy dog Marcus works with clients at Cancer Fit in St Leonards. Photograph: Blake Sharp-Wiggins\/The Guardian<\/p>\n
To qualify, these dogs must demonstrate the right temperament and that they can settle and relax in various environments, respond well to handler cues and enjoy physical touch. They\u2019re put next to wheelchairs, canes and medical equipment to test their reactions, and they\u2019re often asked to un-learn their training not to jump up on furniture. In their new line of work, they\u2019re usually required on laps, beds, sofas and chairs \u2013 anywhere a person might be found who needs the soothing presence of a dog like Marcus.<\/p>\n