As I am already sponsoring Guide Dog for the Blind puppy, I already know about the journey of a GDB Puppy (Guide Dog for the Blind Puppy).
It starts when the puppy is first born. The mum spends around six weeks with mum before being separated.
The puppy then stays with it's litter mates for another three weeks and when they are nine weeks old, the puppy then goes and moves in with it's volunteer puppy raiser.
The volunteer puppy raiser will train the puppy for around 12-16 months. The puppy raiser will teach the puppy basic commands such as sit, stay, down and heel.
Margo is just starting her puppy raising journey. I don't know her puppy raiser and I won't find out until October 2022.
When the puppy has finished puppy raising, they move onto something called formal training which they learn for around six months before being matched with a blind or visually impaired person.
In formal training, the dog will get used to the feeling of a harness and a handle on their backs. In puppy raising, the puppy will have gotten used to the feeling of something on it's back but it would be lighter than that would be used during formal training.
The commands that are taught during formal training are more advanced than those used during puppy raising.
After formal training has been completed, the staff at Guide Dogs for the Blind match the dog with someone who is blind or visually impaired.
The dog will stay with it's owner for around 8-9 years before it gets retired.
When the dog gets retired, it'll be re-homed with a loving family.
Hopefully, Margo will go through all these stages of training and will be matched with someone who is blind or visually impaired.
Anytime during the puppy's journey, they could be career changed. Career changed means that the puppy is unsuitable for this job. They may go into a loving home, or placed into a different job such as Hypo Hounds (Dogs for Diabetics), Hearing Dogs for Deaf People or they could be a Buddy Dog which is another job that is for the Guide Dogs.
A Buddy Dog is a guide dog which was career changed but was seemed suitable for a child under the age of 16.
Buddy dogs help children gain confidence around animals and other people, gets them out and about and teaches them the skills needed to own a guide dog in the future.
A Buddy Dog is only allowed for a child with sight loss under the age of 16. The child may have other conditions alongside sight loss such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ADHD or OCD.
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All these facts are true and if you have any questions about either Margo, puppy raising, formal training or guide dogs, don't be afraid to ask in the comment section.
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The next chapter will be Margo's gallery. Pictures come from the Guide Dog website and are not owned by me.
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Sponsor Margo, Betty or Rupert on the Guide Dogs website found below.
www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/donating/sponsor-a-puppy/
The Guide Dogs website has a lot of answers and I've gained a lot of my knowledge from the website.
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My Guide Dog Puppy
Non-FictionOn Monday 9th May 2022, I started to sponsor a Guide Dog for the Blind named Margo. Three puppies are always available for sponsorship on the Guide Dogs Website in the UK. I will be documenting Margo's journey from sponsorship to becoming a fully-f...
