To ask about guide puppy home checks

[Puppymaybe]

We have applied to volunteer with the guide dog society as puppy walkers.

We have done all the forms and references and are awaiting for contact with the local manager and a home check.

We have a 'do it upper' house which is partially redecorate since we moved in and I am starting to worry we are not going to pass a home check.

Can anyone tell me about their home checks and how you got on !

I've been involved with other dog charities.

They will be checking if there are any dangers in the house, or garden. Where the puppy will be fed, where they will sleep. If the garden is safe and the puppy can't get out. They aren't looking for show homes.

They will go through what your duties are and suss out if you understand why there are rules in place and if you will follow them.

Thanks Bird.

Just nervous as our house isn't the biggest, just a standard three bed semi with a small paved garden. Plus it is full of kids ! So definitely not a show house.

I happened to meet one of the puppy walker supervisors last year out with her foster puppy and she told me a fair bit about the puppy walking programme. I know there are loads of rules to follow and they have to be super careful to only entrust their puppy with someone who will follow their rules.

Although DH and I have had family dogs whilst we were growing up, we have only had cats whilst adults. Pre children we volunteered with cat rescue and in particular trapping and neutering feral cats. Taming, hand rearing and rehoming the kittens. So have some experience of looking after animals that have to move on to their forever homes.

But I have no idea how to train a puppy or correctly walk a puppy and although the criteria for the puppy walking role did say they would send us for training, I wonder if this lack of experience will count against us.

I am so excited and nervous. What if they say no ! What if they say yes ! It is a big commitment to look after a puppy 24/7 for 12 months and then hand them back to the next stage of training.

Well, I will just have to wait and see what the supervisors says. It is up to them after all.

@Birdsgottafly

They won't care about how pretty and pristine your house is - it'll have a puppy living in it, after all. They will look to see that the garden is secure, where the pup will sleep/eat etc, have a general chat with the family and establish how committed you are to this.

You will be given a big handbook to follow and your supervisor will visit, be a phonecall away and do training classes for you and other puppy walkers (or that's how it was with Irish Guide Dogs anyway).

Raven. That all sounds reassuring. :)

Especially a big handbook of information/rules. Just waiting for the phone call, to hopefully set a date for home check/interview.

They are so nice and supportive, in my experience anyway. The handbook was huge and very detailed, and if you had any worries the supervisor was always there. It's such a lovely thing to do!

We would really enjoy having a foster puppy around. We don't have the money to commit to a family dog atm. So thought this would be a win win situation.

We get to love a foster puppy for a year and they go on to do a really important job for a blind person, who might not otherwise get a guide dog.

Assuming we pass the home check. :)

We have an email asking about it card photos and welcoming us to volunteering but as they haven't done the home check yet, I assuming this is a standard email request.

Will take and send photos this evening !

Off to clean kitchen, guess if we get approved, I will have to get baby gates back on kitchen door and bottom of the stairs. Wish I had kept ours now, hind sight is 50:50, lol