puppy walking a guide dog

[cruelladepoppins]

I would love to do this. I work full-time, and you can't leave them alone for that long. My employer is a local authority, and might be amenable to my bringing the dog in to work every day. Very deskbound office job.

Has anyone ever puppywalked a guide dog puppy and taken it into work? Or known someone who did this? How did it go?

Sorry. Have had 2 glasses of wine. [hblush]

I know someone. Problem is, they are still puppies and as such they are not exactly well behaved and they have not started training yet, it is no so much about walking but about socialising them big time. I doubt you will manage to do much work if you take him to the office, neither will he manage to learn much if he is not exposed constantly to multiple environments.

I used to work with someone who had a guide dog (fully trained) perhaps that is colouring my view. Very well-behaved, lay in his basket unless invited to play. When we went to the pub at lunchtime, he lay under the table; if you happened to drop some food he wouldn't eat it. I think I have been assuming that a puppy will sit quietly in meeting etc ...

Chandra, how has the person you know managed?

She is always up and about, which was good for the dog. I don't know if the dog made it, as it used to get travel sickness, but she doesn't have it anymore. I think it was also sad on the children to let him go at 6m.

I very much doubt they would let you puppy walk if you work full time. You have to do loads of socialising and usually weekly training so it would be hard for you to fit that in. However depending where you are other dogs for disabled agencies require foster owners. Canine partners near Midhurst for example like to send there bigger dogs out for weekends to families so perfect if you work full time.

Hearing Dogs in Bucks also do B&B at weekends for their dogs who are in training. You just treat them like a normal pet as it is their 'down time' - we do it as emergency as they arent far from us.

If you work full time being a puppy socialiser isnt a good idea, you really have to take them everywhere you go to get them used to all sorts of environments.

We are just in the screening process for puppy walking and they will not let you do it and work full time. The puppy comes to you from approx 6-8 weeks so there is no way that you would be able to take it to work and also the main thing about puppy walking is to socialise them outside and in the home, so I don't think your lifestyle would suit them. There are lots of other ways to volunteer though

Thanks for your responses.

Struggling with why it's such a no-no - I don't just work, I take the kids to school, go shopping in my lunch hour, meet people at lunchtime etc. My employer is a local authority, lots of people in and out, I go to meetings, up and down stairs etc.

I can see I suppose that such a baby dog would not be happy to sit under the desk and would maybe need more attention. The website I read suggested that taking a dog to work might be possible ... I suppose I must have been a bit which I guess is why I was asking about people's experiences of doing so.

Well, it is about preparing the dog for intense work or crowded situations, you are not walking a pet. But one thing I can tell you, guide dog or not, there's no way a puppy will stay happily sitting under your desk for more than a few seconds minutes.

Thanks Chandra, I appreciate it, makes sense I guess. [hsad]

When I did it I had to take the puppy on trains, buses, ferries, escalators, busy shops, quiet place, into zoos, shops, taxis, meet workman, meet policeman, visit A&E, on the tube although 60 miles from London. We even went on the London eye. You have to get the puppy used to walking on many different services eg slippery floors, cobbles, carpet, and steel girders. Have to walk them up stairs, fire escapes etc. This is just a small type of incidents we had to encounter.

The puppy has to learn to wee and poo in a designated area before they leave their home
so this is hard if you are at work all day. You have to teach the dog to ignore people when they are working.

It is pretty much full on for the time you have the puppy so not much time for full time work to be honest!