It’s pawsome being a Guide Dog boarder
Louise Rice, HR Business Partner, at LSSL, the council’s street scene company, shares her experience of voluteering with the Guide Dogs.
It was at a friend’s BBQ, Louise started talking to a friend of a friend, and began to learn more about becoming a volunteer with Guide Dogs for the Blind.
Always a lover of animals, and previously a cat owner, it was ‘that conversation’ which had her sold, although she could probably never envisage how her life would change and, in turn, have such a positive impact on society.
That was in July, fast-forward a month and Louise became a proud guide dog boarder to George — an 18 month old Labrador/retriever cross who is a guide dog in training.
“I was nervous and excited but thought I might as well take the plunge immediately.”
Louise said, “I had been thinking about volunteering opportunities for a while and this sounded perfect, almost too good to be true! You get the benefits of having an amazing animal to look after with a training schedule which fits in with work commitments. So I applied online and started the process which was really easy and straightforward to complete.”
To become a volunteer, there is a criteria of requirements, one of which includes a home visit to ensure you can offer a safe and welcoming environment suitable for a guide dog in training. In addition, the dog must be fed and exercised as directed and must be dropped off and collected from dog school every day (excludes weekends).
“Once I had passed the process I was invited to a half day induction and Boarder Training Programme however, two days before the training I received a call asking if I would be able to take a dog immediately. I said yes before I had chance to change my mind!”
“George settled in amazingly, he certainly made himself at home and it was like he’d always been with us.”
Prior to George’s arrival, Louise had a full induction at home with his trainer. They covered everything from his personality, quirks, likes and dislikes.
Louise’s first day at dog school got off to a flying start — literally. Reliving the moment, she said: “George was so excited to be at school and seeing the other dogs, that he jumped out of the car boot and pulled me over at the same time resulting in me rolling around in a very untidy heap on the grass in front of the staff!”
“Having a dog around the house is a totally new experience for me. George will be with me for the duration of his training which is around six months before he (hopefully) passes and is assigned to his forever home with a new guide dog owner.”
“As a boarder I get the benefit of having the dog when he’s off duty.”
A guide dog boarder is ideal if you want an animal in your life but just can’t commit to a full time dog due to work or other commitments. As George attends dog training school every day this fits perfectly with Louise’s working hours.
It’s a win, win!
In becoming a guide dog boarder, Louise sees her role as a rewarding way to volunteer time to a cause which plays such a vital role supporting people who are blind and partially-sighted to enjoy the freedom of movement. At the same time she has the opportunity to care for and enjoy the companionship of a dog during the evenings and weekends.
Louise, added: “George has added a different dimension to my home life and I love having the responsibility of looking after him on this part of his very important journey. I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for the benefits of having an animal at home.”
“All his food and vet care is provided so we don’t incur any huge additional expense to have him in our lives. I will definitely consider taking another dog when he eventually passes his training but will need to prepare myself emotionally for giving him up first!”
Want to find out more?
There are a range of boarding options available if you are interested in providing temporary accommodation for a dog. Or there are a range of other volunteering opportunities available on the Guide Dogs website.
