Has anyone re-homed a guide dog?

[Toomanybaubles]

Just that really, I will be completing the forms over the Christmas period but would love to hear from anyone who has done this.

I have a friend who has had retired guide dogs for many years. Her current two are Labrador-retriever crosses, one wouldn’t work so was rehomed at age four. They are well-behaved, of course, but real personalities too. She had to wait a long time for each one.

My DParents had a friend who was blind from very early childhood . She had a GD who worked in the city so retired slightly younger than more rural dogs. As she knew my parents and spent many weekends at their house there was no discussion [ grin]

She had to wait till she retired to have surgery to remove a fatty lump (and lose weight pre-op) then she enjoyed her retirement .

When the woman visited my parents (she didn't match with a new dog as she was ill) my DDad used to escort her onto the bus and someone met her . The GDog didn't stress , she waited and pootled off with my Dad .

The GDA used to cover Vet Bills (not sure if that still applies) but with an elderly dog who has been full time working , you don't get long with them. Those last few years are a mix of relaxing and chilling out.

Most of the working dogs have someone in their life to take them out just for a walk without the responsibilty of guiding . Would that be an option?

My friend is a guide dog puppy walker so she gets a puppy at around 8 weeks I think, then trains them until they are around 14-16 months. She attends a specific guide dog puppy class and trains the dog to urinate/poop on demand at home. They use the same key words with all the dogs. I have attended puppy classes as I think it is really interesting how they teach them not to be distracted, or how to make them lie down and how they teach them to always be on the left hand side of the owner and position themselves (treat feed them at your knee )

She has only had 3 dogs so far but boards other guide dog puppies too for owners on holiday. One dog is living with a blind lady so a successful one, then another one failed. She wouldn't get on a bus or a train. They brought in a very experienced trainer, even took a break from training but she just couldn't get her on a bus. So she "fails" but was bought by a family with a couple of other dogs.

To see if it will be successful the failed dog spends time with the new family in sort of a foster situation but then if this works out they get to keep the dog, and this one did. Having seen photos the pup is having the time of her life there.

The GDA funds all the vets bills for the dogs when they are training and provides all the food too.

The hardest part is giving them back to GDA and stopping people petting them when they are training and wearing a blue coat that clearly states Guide Dog Puppy in training. Most dogs I have come across at puppy class are retriever/lab mix.

I hope you get one.