Guide dog puppy raising 19:19 - Jan 4 with 1350 views | LegendofthePhoenix | Yesterday there was a story on BBC Breakfast about puppy raising for Guide Dogs https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/videos/cn0xj459260o My wife and I took our first guide dog puppy, Newman a black lab/retriever at 8 weeks old, in July. He's now 7 1/2 months. This morning my missus took him to a local park and walked with a group of friends, then as it was so cold they went into the cafe which was heaving with people and dogs. Newman however sat quietly under the table for around 20 minutes. A man then approached my wife and said "I've been watching your dog and I can't believe how well behaved he is. Would it be ok if I give him the sausage that I can't eat?" To which my wife replied "Well he's a guide dog puppy, and we have to control his food intake, so thankyou but no he can't have it." The man replied "Oh well that explains why he is so well behaved." It was a very proud moment. Puppy raising is demanding and hard work. And then you have to give them back. But my word, the upside is huge. The BBC article explains a bit and that there is a shortage of puppy raisers. If anyone is thinking about it and wants to ask more questions, feel free to PM me. That is all. [Post edited 4 Jan 19:21]
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My hound would have.... on 19:22 - Jan 4 with 1308 views | Bloots | ....jumped onto the table, scoffed the sausage and then tried to hump the blokes leg. Legend. |  |
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Guide dog puppy raising on 19:40 - Jan 4 with 1254 views | bsw72 | Nice. Doing a good thing. We have 4 labradors, 3 are well behaved and then we have the chocolate one . . . safe to say you don’t see many chocolate labs as guide dogs as they have the brain capacity of an amoeba. He is basically a chocolovelump, but my young black lab would have been an excellent guide dog we think. |  | |  |
I would have.... on 19:47 - Jan 4 with 1220 views | Keno |
My hound would have.... on 19:22 - Jan 4 by Bloots | ....jumped onto the table, scoffed the sausage and then tried to hump the blokes leg. Legend. |
I’ve amended the title for you Bloots |  |
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Guide dog puppy raising on 19:48 - Jan 4 with 1223 views | DarkBrandon | Nice one. My wife and I have done the same thing with hearing dogs for deaf people. Spaniels as it happens. Completely insane dogs but so loving. We’ve got a lab now, but one of our own. |  | |  |
Guide dog puppy raising on 19:52 - Jan 4 with 1201 views | Keno | For once I will make a serious point in saying well done for doing that! I’m not sure I’d have the patience to train a dog to that level or the emotional resolve to hand it over Upmost respect to you |  |
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Guide dog puppy raising on 19:57 - Jan 4 with 1173 views | davblue |
Guide dog puppy raising on 19:48 - Jan 4 by DarkBrandon | Nice one. My wife and I have done the same thing with hearing dogs for deaf people. Spaniels as it happens. Completely insane dogs but so loving. We’ve got a lab now, but one of our own. |
we did similar but we did bed and breakfast had 1 lab, 3 spaniels and a small poodle. They were all brilliant dogs but the poodle was an unbelievable dog, so well natured and a real surpise. |  | |  |
Guide dog puppy raising on 20:30 - Jan 4 with 1106 views | Vaughan8 | well done! I would like to do something like that but I don't think i'd be able to give them back/away....! I remember about 10 years ago in a shopping centre they had some guide dog charity people there and I spoke to this lady who basically said the dog changed her life. We must have been talking for 10-15 mins. I find the dogs absolutely amazing and life changing for those people who have them. |  | |  |
Guide dog puppy raising on 21:09 - Jan 4 with 1034 views | ArnoldMoorhen | You are doing a brilliant thing. Some friends of mine have been doing this for years. They have a gallery of photos of all the dogs they have trained with the blind people they went onto. A whole wall is covered in them. They do the puppy stage immediately after selection, and then the dogs go on to a kind of finishing school programme where they learn commands and then are trained alongside their future companion, learn the layout of their place and locality etc. They find it hugely rewarding, and have been doing it long enough that the wrench of "losing them" when they move on is lessened. The thing they find hardest is when a dog doesn't pass the evaluation after it has been with them. The Ukrainian refugee teenager who lives with us goes to take them for walks each weekend, which has been a really good outlet for him. So, lots of good being done! I've know one guide dog assisted person well. He always jokes about his ability to have an extra pint on an evening out because he knows he can rely on the dog to get him home safely! |  | |  | Login to get fewer ads
Guide dog puppy raising on 21:40 - Jan 4 with 991 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
Guide dog puppy raising on 21:09 - Jan 4 by ArnoldMoorhen | You are doing a brilliant thing. Some friends of mine have been doing this for years. They have a gallery of photos of all the dogs they have trained with the blind people they went onto. A whole wall is covered in them. They do the puppy stage immediately after selection, and then the dogs go on to a kind of finishing school programme where they learn commands and then are trained alongside their future companion, learn the layout of their place and locality etc. They find it hugely rewarding, and have been doing it long enough that the wrench of "losing them" when they move on is lessened. The thing they find hardest is when a dog doesn't pass the evaluation after it has been with them. The Ukrainian refugee teenager who lives with us goes to take them for walks each weekend, which has been a really good outlet for him. So, lots of good being done! I've know one guide dog assisted person well. He always jokes about his ability to have an extra pint on an evening out because he knows he can rely on the dog to get him home safely! |
I hadn't thought of that last point, but since you mention it I realise I will now need to train our puppy to do that. |  |
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Guide dog puppy raising on 23:54 - Jan 4 with 833 views | Hugoagogo_Reborn | As someone who has thought about doing this after my (antisocial but loving) Cavvie goes to the big farm in the sky, how many hours a day would you say you need to devote to the training side? |  | |  |
Guide dog puppy raising on 00:39 - Jan 5 with 780 views | Hugoagogo_Reborn |
"Listen ..", it's nice to see the Dark Lord supporting a worthy cause. Ah Roy. Love/hate. 🤷 |  | |  |
Guide dog puppy raising on 06:06 - Jan 5 with 721 views | LegendofthePhoenix |
Guide dog puppy raising on 23:54 - Jan 4 by Hugoagogo_Reborn | As someone who has thought about doing this after my (antisocial but loving) Cavvie goes to the big farm in the sky, how many hours a day would you say you need to devote to the training side? |
To be honest, the hours spent on "training" aren't many. By far the biggest part is just trying to bring the puppy up to be socialised, but unlike Bloots' hound to get the puppy to learn good habits. Obviously the first few weeks are tough until the puppy is house trained, but you're supposed to get the puppy to "spend" on a hard surface (patio) in a specific area. That is really hard to achieve (we haven't managed it), but there is a border with bushes and that's where Newman has decided he will go. https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering/volunteer-with-our-do You need to take them on walks and meet other dogs to socialise, but to walk calmly. Take them on trains, buses, in shops, pubs and restaurants, get them comfortable with different noises. Basically once the dog completely trusts you, and sees you as his/her protector, then they seem to grow in confidence. Newman is a bit wary of horses, but everything else including fireworks don't faze him. He was sleeping by my feet as I watched the Wolves game and when we got the late minute winner he was a bit surprised as I launched myself about 3 ft into the air screaming. Guide dogs provide the puppy of course, and provide the food, cover all the vet costs etc. We keep thinking "how will we be able to give him back?" and although it will be hard, it can't be like the pain of losing a dog, because we know he will be well cared for, and if he makes it through big school and actually becomes a proper guide dog, we will just be so proud of him. |  |
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Guide dog puppy raising on 07:41 - Jan 5 with 650 views | saxon | We live very near to one of the guide dogs regional training centres, so do the next stage - fostering them while they are in basic training. We have them for usually 5 or 6 months, sometimes a bit more or less, until they are ready to be matched with their new guide dog owner. |  | |  |
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