Volunteer Experience with Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs for Blind People

To grab your attention, here’s a snapshot of Lucy drying off after her bath.

I recently discovered the incredible volunteer program offered by Guide Dogs for Blind People!

As a volunteer, you can temporarily care for a puppy that may grow up to become a guide dog. Your role involves showering the pup with love, training them to adapt to urban environments, and taking them for regular assessments.

If you prefer, you can also foster an adult dog that has completed initial assessments and enrolled in a specialized guide dog school. Your main responsibility would be transporting them to training sessions throughout the week. Some volunteers even have the opportunity to care for a mother dog and her puppies!

💜 Labrador Retrievers are the primary breeds trained as guide dogs, although you might occasionally find German Shepherds and Poodles in the mix.
💜 On average, only 20-30% of puppies successfully complete their training to become guide dogs. In the UK, however, they have an impressive statistic—65% success rate!
💜 It's heartening to see that similar volunteer programs for raising future guide dogs exist in Russia as well.

Just yesterday, I watched a documentary titled "Pick of the Litter" about the upbringing and training of guide dogs. Be prepared to shed some tears; it's a deeply moving film.

One astonishing aspect I learned is that guide dogs must know when to disobey their owners for safety. For instance, if the owner commands “forward” but a cliff is ahead, or if they are about to cross the street and a car suddenly comes into view.

I’m feeling incredibly inspired by this experience, especially since they have a vacancy for a Communications Specialist. I reached out to them—let’s see what happens!