Guide dogs

Don't get me wrong, I think that how these dogs are trained to do what they do is wonderful. What drives me nuts is the fact that the organisation constantly breeds more and more. Take a look at any animal/rescue centre and see how many abandoned dogs there are, how many are put to sleep every day, and then ask yourself whether by contributing to this charity you are not also contributing to this slaughter?

And before you come back at me saying what a wonderful job they do, and how necessary they are, please I beg you, take a look at the work done by a similar organisation, Hearing Dogs for the Deaf. Now these people train dogs to do an equally useful and necessary function, but and it is a big BUT they scour animal sanctuaries and rescue centres and test then select dogs they know they can train. And, before anyone says "Oh but labs or Alsations are big enough for their owner to merely reach down and touch, I knew someone who was deaf and who had an amazing labradoodle hearing dog. So before you dip your hand into your purse or pocket and contribute to guide dogs, think twice, and maybe write to them saying something along the lines that you would donate if they changed their policy of specifically breeding dogs and maybe followed the way hearing dogs selected. Actually come to think of it they are not the only ones as there is an organisation which now provides dog 'helpers' for people with varied difficulties. And they too train rescue dogs.

Thanks for reading this.

Re: Guide dogs

A good post and I note what you have said. However getting dogs from a rescue home may not always work. To be a guide dog it must be of a certain size and have the right temperament too as it will be out with the owner in busy situations and must remain calm. Many rescue dogs have serious problems following a bad start in life. In my mind the worst problem of all in the rescue homes is the Staff as they are full of them and these dogs would not be suitable to be a guide dog. I still look at the website of the rescue home where I got mine from and probably 80% of their dogs are Staffs. The Kennel Club should put a complete block on the breeding of these dogs and point prospective buyers in the drection of the rescue homes where they will have plenty of choice !

I feel to be a guide dog for the blind a labrador or retreiver is the best breed due to their size and temperament and they should be trained from a puppy so that you know what you are dealing with. A hearing dog for the deaf is somewhat different as it is required to respond to sounds and doesn't need to "guide" the owner in the same way as dogs for the blind do so these dogs can be of any shape and size as long as they respond well to the training.

Re: Guide dogs

Unfortunately there are a lot of dogs in rescue centres, but I have to agree with Doglover when she talks about the temperament and suitability necessary for a dog to become a guide dog. The training is rigourous and it costs about £34,000 to put a dog through the training and takes about 24 months. The investment is considerable and the guide dog association gets no government monies, so they must select from the most suitable puppies. . The Blind Association of necessity must have their own breeding stock and registers, and they select from the puppies they breed specifically for purpose. They also maintain a lifetime responsibility and committment for the dogs they breed and train for guides. Surprisingly most guide dogs are actually first crosses, as it has been found that the golden retriever/labrador first cross is temperamentally most suited for the work they are required to do. They also have some flatcoated retriever/labrador crosses on their register. There are a few GSDs and other breeds which go on to become guide dogs and a few are donated, but they are the minority. I have a particular interest in the retriever breeds and knowing these breeds quite well I really do believe they are the best type of dog to be used as guide dogs for the blind. I spent some time at Leamington Spa a few years ago and I have only admiration for the work they do. They deserve all the suport they can get IMO.

Re: Guide dogs

I got my currant JR from an animal sanctuary and because they didn't know his full history they sent him to a dog behaviourist. When I feel like a good laugh I read the report, and I'm not convinced she's talking about my dog, the only thing she got right is he likes children. He's not nasty (not really it's just his ball) I can only think his behaviour was different in the sanctuary from in his own home, so I don't think it would work also I think they got his age wrong, and they need the longest working life they can get at such a high cost.

Re: Guide dogs

Where we live I frequently see staff out training their guide dogs and I am always amazed at their patience.

I believe that if the dogs are to be trained properly the staff need to know their full history and accepting dogs from shelters etc is probably not such a good idea.
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