Guide Dog School

I contacted the Guide Dog school and set up a tour of their Redbridge Training Facility.

It took me about an hour and half by tube to get to Woodford Green.

I will say, it made my heart happy to see some beautiful goldens and labs and get some lovin' in.

The dogs in this facility are about 18 months old and have arrived after living in homes with their Puppy Raisers. (In the UK they are called "Puppy Walkers".)

Here the dogs receive basic training with professional trainers for about 4 months.

The dogs that show promising careers as guides move to one of the other 4 training facilities for advanced training.

I miss having a dog in my life, but I can not make a full time commitment.

I would love to be a relief Puppy Walker and take a Guide Dog puppy into our home on a part time basis.

Or I'd love to board a retired Guide Dog until he finds his retirement home.

I would also be happy to help out at the kennels as one of their Guides.

They have another program called "My Guide" where they partner a sighted person with a vision impaired person for outings once a week.

With optimism I explored all the options.

Wellllll.....

There will be no pitter patter of tiny feet in my home. I can't be a relief Guide Dog Walker, nor can I board a retired Guide Dog - because "there is no supervisor in my post code."

Nor can I be a Guide at the training facility because "my post code is too far from the kennels."

And, I can not be paired up with a vision impaired person because there "isn't a need in my post code."

Really???

Really!!!

Back to the drawing board. It looks like I will have to stalk dogs in the park.