Guide Dog for Xmas

SirDelboy18

So we are potentially getting a guide dog to care for over Christmas - Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this and what it was like?

tk123

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

So we are potentially getting a guide dog to care for over Christmas - Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this and what it was like?

Friends of mine have done holiday cover. They bring the dog on walks with their own dog and depending on its age/stage of training there's different rules - they get to play with the other dogs but eg you can't throw a ball/stick etc for them or give them treats - they can only have a treat from the handler. They've only had puppies/dogs still in training to mind but they've all been very well behaved.

JustAThought

Fair dues - what a fun Christmas you will have : )
I walk/run mine in Malahide + we often meet up + have a big play with training guide dog folk- why not get in touch with the malahidd coordinator + ask if you csn meet + chat with some regular walkers - they are a v friendly bunch!

jimf

have often though of doing something similar but i know i would get too attached
and be heartbroken when i had to give it back

SirDelboy18

Well this is going ahead. Been told the dog is 14 months old, a cross between a Lab and a Golden Retriever. Will let people know how it goes in the event that they want to try in the future.

JustAThought

SirDelboy18 wrote: »

Well this is going ahead. Been told the dog is 14 months old, a cross between a Lab and a Golden Retriever. Will let people know how it goes in the event that they want to try in the future.

Lovely : )

Why not do an every-other daily update here! I'd love to read it! Thou you might have your hands too full! Happy GuideDog Filled Christmas : )

tk123

Just don't expect it to be an angel - like if it's a pup/young dog it might still do mad things lol - my friend was minding one and he ate a whole block of butter off the counter lol!!

cena

I want a pup lab so bad. they look so cute

SirDelboy18

Was just looking over old threads I started and realised I never responded to this, so I'll try my best to give some sort of summary of how it went.

Anyway - The dog was named Lacey. I have to say, she was easily, by quite a distance, the best mannered, best behaved dog I have ever come across. Can't remember the routine we had with her too well unfortunately though. A happy, friendly dog who literally never created a single problem for us. Her food was taken care of (we were given a decent supply) and we were given a few guidelines about how to treat her. Unfortunately for the Guide Dogs and prospective owners, Lacey was in the very rare minority of dogs that became so debilitated by travel sickness that she was deemed unfit to be a Guide Dog. It's really a shame because she was the most suited to it out of any guide dog I came across down there - and this was confirmed by the staff down there too. She was very responsive and alert but even on a 10-15 minute car journey (such as that from the facility to my home) she would obviously become very distressed.

It's not easy but it's not hard either - the hardest part is probably bringing them back ( we actually had Lacey a second time when they were vetting potential new owners for her ). Honestly if you think you are capable and this is something you want - with Christmas coming up I would enquire. Really is a brilliant experience.