# Guide Dog puppy walking - any advice?



## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Dear All

We're thinking of becoming puppy walkers for Guide Dogs for the Blind. It involves taking on a puppy (at 6 weeks) and keeping them with us for a year. 

So far, we can only think of the positives. Has anyone done/do this? Any negatives (apart from the obvious one of letting them go)? Also, how problematic would it be to take the dog across to the continent? (all food/vets/vaccinations free)

Thanks in advance.


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## 91502 (May 1, 2005)

Hi
I would check that they would allow you to take the puppy out of the country before you go any further.
I have no personal knowledge of guide dogs puppy walking only puppy walking police dogs but I have visited their trainng kennels and do know they invest a lot in their puppy breeding and are very careful with them.
They also have a very tight training schedule so you would have to make sure you were available for visits etc when they want them.
James


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## Hawcara (Jun 1, 2009)

Don't know how old you are but try and find out if there is a pass, so you can take it on the bus for free.
Where I live, dog owners have to pay to take the dog on the bus, but guide dogs are free. That surely is part of the training for them and you would not want to be out of pocket.


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## Camdoon (Sep 21, 2012)

There is a sales technique called "the puppy dog" in that you give the customer the item to take home to see if it fits - like a puppy dog going home, the item will be sold. So be prepared not to get too involved, must be difficult when they go back.

Friends do this and we regularly get updated photos so deal wth above and go for it.


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## rayrecrok (Nov 21, 2008)

Hi.

I have no personal experience of taking on a puppy in this situation, but have taken on a few of our own dogs from being a puppy, without exception they have all been bonkers at that stage and we weened them out of it, but brought them up to adult dogs successfully, 

But would we have brought them up capable of being guide dogs for a blind person?.. Or is that why they are taken back before we do lasting damage to them by making them too daft :lol: :lol: :lol: .

Either way if you take one on good luck, and you are a better man than me Gunga Din giving them back after a year.

ray.


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks for your thoughts. I've been told that when the dog retires from service you have the choice to take them back (suppose that makes up for the breaking of the heart when the puppy moves on to the next stage). I'm worried that the puppy won't be good enough to make the grade - it is quite stringent! We've been told that we need to make sure it integrates well with public situations - thus take it shopping; using public transport etc. So I have to go shopping...well someone has to do it! :lol: We also will have to train it to pee/poop on command (interesting concept).

It has been a long time since I've had a dog. Never had a puppy/dog in a MH. Are puppies like kids when travelling, with regards to frequent stops; car sickness? Does everyone keep their animals inside the MH, or once they're a certain age, do they get to sleep outside?


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Our Border Collie pup is 5 months old now.

We are working on 'toileting' on command - we do it by taking her to the same area every time for her toilet, keeping her on the lead and giving the command, followed by a high value treat (chicken) if it works!

She loves the motorhome - took her travelling in the car everyday from the day we got her at just under 8 weeks. Away in the van early on too.
She was on the train at 11 weeks.

She sleeps inside the van, wouldn't be comfortable with her outside the van overnight.

Golden rules with puppy training - Keep calm, be consistent and above all - socialise, socialise, socialise.

Good luck!!


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## Spiritofherald (May 18, 2012)

Sounds like a huge commitment to me, but if you're the kind of person who can do it then go for it.

I tried to teach our two Border Terriers to pee on command but even with the help of an ex-police dog trainer failed to achieve my aim (almost a pun there  )


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

There is a letter in Dogs Today this month from someone who puppy walked a Guide Dog. They were gutted when the dog went as they had invested a huge amount of time and effort into the dog. It all ends when the dog is "retired" from active service for pooping on the while working. They got to have the dog back and trained it to be a search and rescue dog. Very heartwarming  .

I think it is very time consuming as the puppy has to be exposed to every conceivable sight and sound so that it will not be fazed when working.


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## gaz44 (May 21, 2009)

my father in law does this, 
a lot of the joy of owning a puppy is removed, 
as in effect they are in training and not pets.


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## Carreraboy (Sep 14, 2011)

We puppy walked for GDBA for 10 years and had 10 puppies straight off without a break. 
The sadness of handing the puppy back was somewhat helped by having a small bundle of fluff arrive the same day which certainly eased the pain from our then quite young daughter.
You will need a secure garden and the pup must not be left for more than 3 hours. I used to work shifts so this wasn't too much of a problem.

The tie of having a guide dog is actually less than having a normal pet dog because generally they can come with you into shops, restaurants etc etc. In all the time we had the dogs we were only refused access on one occassion and this was bizarrely to a shoe shop!!!!

Our success rate was 70% and we were offered each of our three dogs who failed to qualify back as pets. We were lucky enough to have contact from all of the others new owners and received regular updates on their progress.

The only negatives we found were the normal puppy issues such as chewing etc. (our house soon became puppy-proofed) and the need to allow double the time for a visit to the shops - everyone will want to talk to you and stroke the pup.

Not sure about taking them abroad but certainly not a problem taking them on uk holidays. Guide Dogs will arrange temporary accommodation if you wish to holiday without them.

We certainly found the whole experience very rewarding and enjoyable.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Although not a potential guide dog we are in the midst of going through the process of rearing a labrador pup. She is six months old now and is very much a live wire :roll: .
She has passed the teething stage and puppy chewing but now has reached the 'I'm testing my new, enormous adult teeth! 8O .

Last time we went through this was at least 25 years ago when we had much more energy, tolerance and stamina. Its proving very hard work! The only thing that keeps us sane is the thought that in, maybe, another six months we might have a great, sensible dog.


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## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Was in Morrisons this morning and was a bit surprised to notice a yellow lab. puppy in the store. I then noticed the yellow "tag" on its lead. Lovely to see it being trained and I did resist giving it a stroke while it was "working"  

Guide Dogs for the Blind - IMHO a lovely charity to support as it helps people while giving to an animal charity.

Sue


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Spacerunner said:


> Although not a potential guide dog we are in the midst of going through the process of rearing a labrador pup. She is six months old now and is very much a live wire :roll: .
> She has passed the teething stage and puppy chewing but now has reached the 'I'm testing my new, enormous adult teeth! 8O .
> 
> Last time we went through this was at least 25 years ago when we had much more energy, tolerance and stamina. Its proving very hard work! The only thing that keeps us sane is the thought that in, maybe, another six months we might have a great, sensible dog.


Make that six years and you might be closer to the truth :lol:


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks again for people's thoughts. We've put our names down and are now waiting to see if we get accepted. It is a very exciting/nervous time. 
Still so many questions, such as will we make good trainers, when will we get a puppy, how do we puppy proof the house/MH?! :roll:


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Puppy crate! The best invention ever for bringing up a puppy. You turn into a des res with lovely soft bedding and encourage the puppy to sleep and rest in it. Whenever you are not able to watch the puppy they can be popped in with a lovely toy and everything is safe.
I am sure the wonderful people at GD will recommend or even supply one.
Our two year old Whippet still insists on squeazing into hers :roll:


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Thought you'd like to know that our guide dog puppy arrived last Thursday. His name is John and he is an 8 week old lab cross. (have used my avatar as not sure how to upload a photo)

He comes with a huge manual and we have a lovely lady supervising us. Lots of responsibility because we know that he is a fast learner so we have to behave the whole time - want him to be a good guide dog one day. But also someone left money in their will for him to be trained - so we can't fail!

He also comes with a big heart and lots of personality :wink: 
Though the past day he's had a bad tummy and so wants to sleep on or near me the whole time - hence one-handed typing at present. 

We have a crate for him, which he likes - not sure that it will fit in the MH...but we'll work out a plan. Can't wait to take him motorhoming...just need to work out how to stop him eating leaves!!


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

He is gorgeous! 
I expect the leaves are causing the funny tummy. Let's hope he is bright enough to realise this too 

Would love to know all the info about puppy walking. Do you have to go to special puppy classes for instance?


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

No, the puppy is daft - I spend half my time pulling all sorts out of his mouth...think he probably ate something bad too. He is just like a toddler - sleeps, eats, plays etc...and bites! (oh and very cuddly!!)

If you are interested then have a look at:
http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/support...an-do-to-volunteer/puppywalking/#.UlWO3BCE6d4

They also need people who look after the puppies when they go to puppy school - the pups are like lodgers.

In relation to training, yes, we're going to classes in a few weeks time. It is a good chance for us and him to meet others in our local area. But, the supervisor provides one-on-one training. So we got John on Thursday and yesterday, Jenny came round to see how he/us were getting on. I feel that there is a big supportive net available from the staff at GD - I think they've been doing it for so long, they have seen most problems.

There is also a couple of blogs on the GD site from volunteers which make for interesting reading.

Feel free to pm me :wink:


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## grenwelly (Aug 7, 2007)

My brother is on his third guide dog which is retiring in the next year.
He has interviews shortly re the chance of getting a replacement
Because of his situation he has been able to keep the retired dogs as pets. They seem to adjust easily to no longer being working dogs. 
All three dogs have been bonkers their brain is in the harness. take the harness off and they are just mad labs.
The difference having a dog made to his independent is hard to describe
Great that you are having a go at puppy walking


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## Jodi1 (Mar 25, 2010)

Interesting thread, I hope the OP keeps us posted as to progress with John. We have a four month old golden retriever pup which we are taking away in the motorhome this weekend, it will her first time! No idea if it's going to work out as she is a a lively soul, but it's only for a few days so what can possibly go wrong! 8O 
One thing I've noticed between her and our previous dogs (all the same breed) is her attitude to life. I spent a lot of time researching as I wanted to make sure we got a dog with a good temperament. Our last two had different temperament issues something which has been creeping into some GR lines. Seem to have got it right this time as is as she is sound as a pound. Apparently the Pets as Therapy people also had one of the litter after doing a careful assessment of character. Socialisation is key when pups are young, meeting lots of different people on lots of different situations, meeting other dogs and behaving politely with them (in dog language), going into lots of different environments with the pup, ours has spent quite a bit of time in various pubs!  and yes it's is dead easy to teach to eliminate on command. Take the pup to the same spot outside the moment it wakes up from a sleep, after a meal, after a playtime before going back to sleep, more or less once an hour initially. Wait there until the pup goes to the toilet and say a ”cue” word such 'be good' or 'go wee's' or whatever you choose to say. After the pup has been, loads of praise, I personally don't use a food treat as a retrievers life revolves around its stomach and it doesn't take long for them to realise that going outside and squatting produces food (squatting, but not actually doing anything! Yes they are bright enough for that concept) whereas praise is something they appreciate even if it is just tone of voice saying 'what a good dog' etc. doesn't take long before you can take them outside, say the cue word and the dog will perform. Took the current pup just a few weeks to understand what was wanted. 
Good luck with John, OP


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## patp (Apr 30, 2007)

Couldn't agree more Jodi1. Having had various rescues, most of which were poorly socialised, I made sure my latest pup got out and about as much as possible. It was hard work, because we live in a rural area with no gatherings of dog walkers, so we had to go to the nearest town to find enough dogs. Even then they were mainly gundog breeds with a few terriers thrown in. To find really hairy breeds for my puppy to socialise with I had to work even harder. I remember seeing a Staffy once that would go catatonic with fear at the sight of a Tibetan Terrier (very hairy) that came to training classes. 
It would help if vets would tell owners of puppies that, although they can't go to the park etc they can mix with other *vaccinated* dogs from day one. They can be carried anywhere too. I once saw a lady with a Border Collie pup, in a cat carrier, sitting outside a café. The little fella was seeing traffic, prams, bikes, people of all shapes and sizes including children. If she did that regularly I bet that pup is bombproof.
Puppy classes, brilliant though they are, can only help to a certain extent.

Glad you found a good Goldie


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## Suzysetter (Jun 19, 2011)

Hi
Our first outing before vaccination was to the local garden centre , where Indy sat in the top part of the trolley on her blanket...queen of all she could see! Took ages to go round as everyone loves a puppy so lots of attention for her, people all shapes and sizes.....glasses, beards, hats etc.

An excellent learning curve. First journey in MH was 4 hours and was so good, she loves it. Had some newspaper down by back door just incase, didnt chew or anything....but she did have 4 other adult irish setters with her!
She is a joy to travel with and just live with. Enjoy your puppy
Sue


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Thanks for your replies. Like all puppies, John seems to change everyday. He understands my request for him to pee (2 steps forward), but has taken to turning demonic at times and biting us very hard (1 step back). Lots of patience is required!!

We've started taking him out and about - I'm to be the socialiser, taking him shopping, coffee shops etc (hard life!). We took him to Pets at Home as a first outing and we met a lady with her guide dog - weird to see the difference in sizes. Long way to go!

Grenwelly: it is lovely to hear what a great influence these dogs have on their owners' lives. I had also heard that when not in harness they turn into complete loonies. Suppose we all need to relax somehow :wink: 

As to the MH, he doesn't like our car, so next task is to get him happy and relaxed and then we can move onto the MH.


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## aldra (Jul 2, 2009)

take him everywhere where there are bumps bangs squeaks 

So slowly with you close by to reassure nothing will phase him

And remember he is so lucky to have you as a puppy walker

And one day he will be the eyes and delight of someone like my son inlaw

Thanks to your care

Aldra


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## redkite93 (Dec 29, 2010)

Just our pennies worth....... We have a 9 yr old assistance dog from " dogs for the disabled " as hubby disabled. Had him since 20 months old. He travels well in both cars and motorhomes but has never liked buses much. He was a pet for his first year of life so only had 8 months of socialising/ training. He goes to the toilet to order, although has been nicknamed 10 second Charlie as he likes to think about it first!!!!
Basically the socialiser must have done a good job as we take him everywhere and he's pretty bomb proof. 
But jacket off and he's a crazy lab like them all. Amazing how they learn the difference, but they all do. 
He makes a massive difference to our lives and hubby is always so grateful to the people that were involved in getting him to this stage.
We take him abroad with us and the " Assistance Dogs UK" logo is well recognised, but your support person will have all those answers and will have done it all before.
Good luck and thank you.


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## Mumoffive (Nov 22, 2013)

My son is blind and has a guide dog. The work of the puppy worker is invaluable. 
There is a Facebook group for guide dogs where there are lots of active puppy walkers. It is a huge commitment. But so worthwhile. Without the puppy walkers there would be no guide dogs. 
The difference Norris has made to Joshua's life is beyond measure.


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## Ian_n_Suzy (Feb 15, 2009)

Hi,

Really enjoyed reading this thread, very interesting, and best of luck with the training.

What was the answer regarding you taking the Dog abroad in your Motorhome?


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## simandme (Jan 11, 2011)

Hi

I've updated the avatar so you can see how big John is now (4 months old). We found out that we are not allowed to take him outside of the country. We can take breaks away from him - so are thinking of doing this next year for about 10 days. Otherwise, there is so much to see in the 'kingdom' that we're not too fussed about the lack of mediterranean sun.

John loves the motorhome - as we don't have a very big vehicle, we let him sit up with us on the bed, which means he can watch the cooking. He adores cooking and is very interested to see what happens in the pot. At night time he sleeps in his bed between the seats. He has been a very happy camper, which is lucky for us! We are heading up to Scotland in January so will be interesting to see how he copes with the snow :wink: 

Thanks to everyone's lovely comments regarding assistance dogs. They are amazing creatures - their ability to understand commands and act is interesting to see. They learn so fast! It has been a real joy to help with John's upbringing - he is such an affectionate dog. Whilst we know it will be difficult next year when he moves on, seeing and hearing people's comments about what a difference these dogs have on someone's life makes it all worthwhile!


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