4m x 3m Omlet pen, cube, new auto door still boxed and coop light

[little chickadee]

Hi everyone. I tried posting something like this a few days ago but it was moved to the “My Family and other Animals” section. I’m wanting it to stay here in the nesting box though, as it’s not about my animals in particular – I’m just wanting to draw people’s attention to Puppy Walking for The Guide Dogs Association for the Blind. I found out about puppy walking on the Omlet forum and I’m aware that a lot of people don’t look in the other section so wanted them to see it here.

 

It’s a bit of a strange title “ Puppy Walking” and I’ve heard of people phoning and offering to walk the Puppies on a Thursday afternoon! It’s not like that, but means taking a pup into your home for about a year from the age of about 6 ½ weeks and looking after them until they are ready to go in for training.

 

It’s an exciting hobby as you get to take the pup everywhere with you, including supermarkets, shops, restaurants, tourist attractions etc and it’s lovely watching the pup grow and develop. It’s not a paid role, but it doesn’t cost you anything either, as all the pup’s food and vets bills are paid for by the Guide Dogs association.

 

It doesn’t matter if you’ve never had a puppy/ dog before as there is expert help on hand from a supervisor, who visits you once a month and is on the other end of the phone if you ever need any advice. We already had a retired Greyhound, but had no experience of Puppies/ training until we got our Guide Dog pup Quita. If you follow the link in my signature, you can find out about what she’s been doing since we got her in February. (There is also info about Maggie McHen’s Pup Lexis in the section)

 

 

Yes, we will cry when she goes. We love her to bits, but it has been a great experience and we are planning to do it again when she goes in for training. A lot of people say they couldn’t do it, but hopefully there is someone reading who believes that they could. Without Puppy Walkers there would be no Guide Dogs.

There is more info on the Guide Dogs website if anyone is interested or feel free to pm me.

[Hen Watch]

What a lovely post. I have to say I'd never heard of this and it would be a fabulous idea for someone like my Nan. She has always loved having dogs in the past, and is retired so could give time but just doesn't now have the money to pay for expenses like vet bills, so Puppy Walking would be ideal. Unfortunately, the online applications don't cover her area but the website was very interesting.

 

http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/index.php?id=2661&no_cache=1

[little chickadee]

That's right - there are certain areas which aren't covered by the program I'm afraid as they just don't have the number of supervisors to cover the whole country.

There are also opportunities for looking after brood females (cant' use the proper name because it would be edited out! ) and stud dogs if you live close enough to the breeding centres. Again all costs are covered by the Guide Dogs association. Smudgley is a forum member who works with Brood "females" for the Association.

[Shirl]

I go to a church where they have a little cafe and the local puppy walkers meet there every couple of weeks. It's so funny to see them trying to behave when they'd just like to run around and play. They do quickly learn that they have to lie quietly whilst their walkers chat.

[little chickadee]

I go to a church where they have a little cafe and the local puppy walkers meet there every couple of weeks. It's so funny to see them trying to behave when they'd just like to run around and play. They do quickly learn that they have to lie quietly whilst their walkers chat.

 

They do get to run around and play too! Just at a different time. It's amazing how many people talk to us and think that the puppies aren't allowed love or toys or anything like that - they are just puppies who are being well trained ready for an important job.

 

It's also amazing how many people think that Guide Dogs are zombies who are not allowed to "be dogs" Since getting involved, I've met a lot of Guide Dogs and the transformation is amazing when the harness comes off/ goes on. They go from being a completely normal dog, to being in work mode. Some people think that having a Guide Dog is cruel (and we were warned about people coming up to us and having a go at us - luckily this hasn't happened, although a couple of people have said this in conversation) , but it's actually a lot more interesting for the dog than being shut at home all day while their owner is at work!

[Shirl]

Oh I know they get to play too just not in the cafe!

[Ain't Nobody Here]

That photo is just gorgeous .

[little chickadee]

Oh I know they get to play too just not in the cafe!

 

I thought you did, it's just amazing the amount of people who assume that they aren't allowed to play or be like other dogs.