Homes Needed For Guide Dogs In Training

Local volunteers wanted to board dogs for about twelve weeks

Guide Dogs For The Blind is looking for four volunteers in Chiswick to board a guide dog in training for a period of 10-12 weeks.

The guide dogs spend their weekdays in training and are collected by Guide Dog Mobility Instructor Wayne Townley in the morning and dropped back at their house at the end of the working day. They spend their evenings and weekends with their boarders and as they work hard during the weekday, only need exercising at the weekend once they have settled.

There are no particular requirements to be a trainee dog boarder, but the role does demand quite a commitment. They ask that boarders:

• Board the dog for 10-12 weeks (they understand that you may want to take some holiday whilst you are looking after the dog and they would provide cover for this, but it can be disrupting for the dogs so they appreciate if you try to keep it to the occasional weekend or week away)
• Live in a house or flat with access to an area of hard standing - dogs go to the toilet on a hard surface as many guide dog owners do not have a grassy garden, it's also easier for them to pick up from a hard surface.
• Follow "house rules" for dog care and behaviour. These are fairly common sense given the dog's future working responsibilities and include not allowing the dog on furniture, to have titbits or to beg for food.
• Provide feedback about what the dog does and how it behaves.

"We give full training before you have a dog and as much support as you need whilst the dog is in your care. We also provide all the food and equipment, for example bed and bedding, that the dog needs and pay any vets bills it may incur," said a spokesperson.

At the end of its training the dog will be placed with its new blind or partially sighted owner.

"It is a big commitment but also a very rewarding experience being part of the dog’s development into a guide; as a boarder, you will have contributed to giving somebody a freedom and mobility they wouldn't otherwise enjoy."

If you are interested contact; Wayne.townley@guidedogs.org.uk
07748 932013.

March 12, 2014