National Breeding Centre

Come and see the puppies who become life-changing guide dogs throughout the UK. They all start their journey at the National Breeding Centre located just outside Leamington Spa.

At the centre they have the room to breed up to 1500 puppies a year and since they opened their doors in 2011 they have now bred over 9000 puppies. That’s a lot of life changers!

To find out more or arrange a trip to visit the breeding centre visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/about-us/national-breeding-centre/

The history of Guide Dogs – Top 5 facts!

• The Guide Dogs story started in 1931 with two pioneers – Muriel Crooke and Rosamund Bond. These amazing women organised the training of the first four guide dogs from a garage in Merseyside
• The first known example of a special relationship between a dog and a blind person was depicted in a first century AD mural in the ruins of Roman Herculaneum
• During WWI, a doctor looking after the wounded in Germany was called away from a blind man with whom he was walking in the grounds of the hospital. The doctor left his German Shepherd with the man and was subsequently so impressed by the dog’s behaviour that he decided to start experiments in training dogs to act as guides for the blind
• In the early days, German Shepherds were used almost exclusively. Later other breeds were preferred with the essential characteristics of willingness to work, used to people and other animals and not afraid of noise or crowds. Today, the breeds mainly used are Labradors crossed with Golden Retrievers, Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds
• The National Breeding Centre located just outside Leamington Spa opened in 2011. The centre has facilities to breed up to 1500 puppies a year and since it opened has over 9000 puppies – that is a real life changer!

To support Guide Dogs in continuing their life changing work visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/

Guide dogs & children – Nell’s story

Meet three year old Nell. She was diagnosed as blind soon after being born. Her mum made a promise that Nell would always be able to do whatever she wanted to, in spite of her sight loss.

Guide Dogs offer a range of support and services for children and young people who are blind and partially sighted. With support, children with sight loss can gain the skills and confidence they need to understand the world around them, so that they can enjoy their childhood and reach their potential as adults.

Find out more about the work that Guide Dogs do to support children and young people at www.guidedogs.org.uk/services-we-provide/children-and-young-peoples-services/

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow for more information on the amazing work Guide Dogs do!

Inspiring stories – Pennie & Yvonne legacy story

In 2013 Pennie Chapman’s Aunt Joan left a gift in her will to name guide dog Aussie. Having been through training, Aussie has been matched with owner Yvonne making a huge impact on both of their lives.

Leaving a Legacy to Guide Dogs hugely changes lives. For more information visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/donating/leave-a-gift-in-your-will/

Guide Dog campaigns – pavement parking

When cars are parked on pavements, people who are blind and partially sighted may have to risk their lives by walking into the road just to get by. This is an issue that also impacts parents with prams, wheelchair users, older people and many others.

A survey by Guide Dogs showed that 97% of blind or partially sighted people encounter problems with street obstructions, and 90% of those had experienced trouble with a pavement parked car.

For more information and to support visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/campaigning/pavement-parking/

Christmas Wishes concert

Support the Guide Dogs by attending the first ever Christmas Wishes concert on Monday 17th December 2018 at Coventry Cathedral.

The evening will be hosted by Aled Jones and features a packed programme of special guests and performances.

For more information visit the event page on Facebook

Know your harness!

Guide dogs wear slightly different harnesses to signify what stage of training they are at or what kind of support they provide.

Find out more about the services provided by Guide Dogs at www.guidedogs.org.uk/services-we-provide/

About Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs work tirelessly to help improve freedom of movement for people who are blind or partially sighted.

• It takes around 20 months of specialised training to transform a newborn puppy into a confident guide dog
• Most newborn puppies will go on to become working guide dogs by the time they are two years old
• Every person and dog is unique, so matching a guide dog to an owner is a complex and carefully managed process. Trainers take into account a person’s needs – walking speed, height and lifestyle – and look for a good match
• Along with training guide dogs, Guide Dogs also campaign for equal mobility and genuine independence for blind and partially sighted people
• Guide Dogs work in collaboration with others to influence the design of technologies, ensuring they meet the needs of people with sight loss

For more information on Guide Dogs please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/

Don’t forget to come back tomorrow to see what is behind the door for day 2!

Keep checking back for more information on dogs in general and Guide Dogs!

Remember to sign up for our competition to win one of three Guide Dog Puppy Sponsorships and 15 bundles!

Keep checking back for more information on dogs in general and Guide Dogs!

Remember to sign up for our competition to win one of three Guide Dog Puppy Sponsorships and 15 bundles!

Meet our latest Sponsor a Puppy trainee Fletcher!

Fletcher is a German Shepherd cross Golden Retriever who loves exploring new places and playing with his key chew toy.

To follow his journey to become a life-changing guide dog, sponsor him today.

To find out more visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/fletcher/

Luna’s journey – from pup to life-changer

Take a quick look at the amazing journey of the former This Morning puppy Luna from adorable pup to life-changing guide dog.

To sponsor a Guide Dog puppy and help change a life visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/ to sponsor a puppy.

Why sponsoring a Guide Dog is the perfect Christmas gift

As a charity, Guide Dogs transforms the lives of thousands of people living with sight loss every year by enabling them to live with independence and confidence. At ROYAL CANIN® we’re proud to be feeding generations of guide dogs.

In the Christmas season’s spirit of giving, sponsoring a guide dog puppy through the start of training to the finish is a perfect Christmas gift. Guide Dogs give so much to their owners; freedom, independence, companionship and peace of mind. It’s a powerful, charitable and meaningful way to significantly change the quality of a person’s life for the better.

What your donations will bring you

Before sponsoring a puppy, you’ll be presented with information regarding the puppies available for sponsorship. You’ll also be able to watch a video of each puppy to help you decide which one you want to sponsor.

If you sponsor a puppy from just £1 a week, you’ll be able to watch them grow from a young pup into a fully-fledged Guide Dog.

Here’s what’s included in your welcome pack:

• Regular Pupdates – following your puppy’s journey to becoming a qualified Guide Dog
  photo album with photos of your puppy
• A personalised certificate
• A bespoke calendar based on your puppy at the end of each year
• A fridge magnet with a picture of your puppy

After 24 months of training, your puppy will be ready to help a person with sight loss, which will then give you the chance to sponsor a new puppy – supporting them along their journey!

Visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/ to find out more!

The cost of a Guide Dog

In 2017, it cost £49.7 million to run the guide dog service.

It costs £55,000 to support a guide dog from birth to retirement. This cost is made up of the following six stages:

• Breeding a guide dog puppy – around £4,000 – We hand-pick the best dogs around to breed the next generation of world-class guide dogs
• Puppy walking – around £5,000 – our puppies are house trained, taught basic obedience and familiarised with our busy world
• Foundation training – around £22,000 – new trainees learn how to guide by walking down the centre of a pavement, avoiding obstacles, stopping at the kerbs and crossing
• Advanced training – around £10,000 – having mastered the essentials, each dog is matched with a prospective owner and undergoes further training tailored to the owners specific needs
• Partnership training – around £3,000 – finally we bring the dog and owner together to complete their training, forming a new life-changing partnership
• Supporting partnerships – around £12,000 – Guide Dogs continues to support our dogs during their time working as a guide. This cover’s the costs of food, vets’ bills and ongoing training

To help change a life this Christmas, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/ to sponsor a puppy.

Guide Dog breeds – Golden Retriever

A large, active, and well balanced dog with a broad head, the Golden Retriever has dark brown eyes full of kindness.

The Golden Retriever is deep chested with long muscular limbs; it also has a tail which is carried level and has plentiful feather.

The coat can be any shade from cream, to deep gold – with the exception of red. It should also be flat or wavy with good feather. The Golden Retriever also has a water resistant undercoat.

Full of natural working ability, the Golden Retriever is active and enjoys a lot of exercise. A friendly, confident and relaxed breed, they are generally very sociable making them perfect as guide dogs!

To find out more about Guide Dogs and the amazing work they do visit www.guidedogs.org.uk

Inspiring stories – Lucy & Olivia

Guide Dogs really do make a difference in peoples lives.

At the age of 17, Lucy was on track to get her medical degree at university. Sadly she spent the next three years in and out of hospital undergoing various medical procedures and lost much of her vision.Whilst she still has some usable vision, Olivia has greatly improved Lucy’s mobility and confidence.

Read more of this inspiring story at www.guidedogs.org.uk/inspiring-stories/lucy-and-olivia/

Meet our latest Sponsor a Puppy trainee Eve!

Eve is a Labrador cross Golden Retriever and she loves exploring the play area. She is a confident pup and enjoys running in the garden with her brother Spirit.

By sponsoring Eve, you’ll be kept up to date throughout her journey to become a life-changing guide dog.

For more information visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/eve/

Meet our latest Sponsor a Puppy trainee Spirit!

Spirit is a handsome and playful pup. He enjoys running through the leaves and exploring new smells.

To follow his journey to becoming a life-changing guide dog, sponsor him today. To find out more visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/spirit/

Guide Dog breeds – Labrador

The modern version of the Labrador was developed in the UK where its retrieving skills were quickly recognised, going on to gain popularity as a gundog.

Today, the Labradors popularity is linked to their generous personality, along with their ability to learn and work in many different scenarios.

Intelligent and highly trainable, the Labrador has a strong work ethic and a desire to please, which is also helped along by being highly food orientated!

Labradors are strong, athletic and excellent swimmers. The Labrador’s energy levels are naturally high, which means plenty of sufficient Labrador exercise is needed – particularly as they are very prone to weight gain. The Labrador is a great companion; both kind and forgiving.

To find out more about Guide Dogs and the life-changing work they do visit www.guidedogs.org.uk

My Guide – sighted guide

As well as providing guide dogs, Guide Dogs offer a free service – My Guide – that helps people with a vision impairment get out of their homes and into the community with a volunteer as their sighted guide.

Sighted guides help to build self confidence, increase social interaction and be part of the community along with a range of other benefits.

Visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/services-we-provide/my-guide/ to learn more about the service and how you can help!

Guide Dog campaigns – Talking Buses

As well as providing guide dogs and training for those that are blind or partially sighted, Guide Dogs is committed to making it easier for blind and partially sighted people to find their way in the world.

The Talking Buses campaign came about following research that 7 out of 10 bus passengers with sight loss have missed their stop because a driver forgot to tell them where to alight.

Thanks to this campaign, back in October 2016, the Government made an amendment to the Bus Services Bill that required all buses to provide accessible next-stop and final-destination information for people with vision impairments – fantastic! The Bill is due to become law later in 2017, but remember you can still take action to ensure that the Talking Buses amendment is in it.

For more information and to support visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/campaigning/talking-buses/

Guide Dog breeds – German Shepherd

Originally a herding breed, the German Shepherd pedigree soon showed just how versatile it could be with its aptitude for many different types of work and service, including within the military – even as far back as the First World War.

Extremely loyal, the German Shepherd is a true “one person dog”. Steady, confident, adaptable and courageous are all words that describe this breed.

When it comes to German Shepherd dog training, they are very quick to learn commands under the right training. The proficiency with which German Shepherd’s exercise, alongside the renowned German Shepherd intelligence, make this breed the most frequently used working and rescue dog worldwide.

To support Guide Dogs and the life-changing work they do visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/sponsor-a-puppy-today/

Rehome a Guide Dog

75% of trainee guide dogs are successful, but they are always looking for people to provide loving homes for the dogs that are not suitable. Dogs can be withdrawn from the training programme or from their role as a guide dog at any stage, and we occasionally look for homes for older dogs who have retired from their role as a guide dog.

Dogs that are not suitable for work make great pet dogs! Some just don’t have the temperament to become a guide dog, some have a health condition that means they are not suited to our type of work and some simply retire. Many of our retired dogs will stay with their owner or a member of their family or friend but this is not always possible.

To find out more about rehoming guide dogs please visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/rehoming-a-guide-dog/

Guide Dog facts

At any one time, they are responsible for more than 8000 dogs.

• Breeding – at any one time, around 375 dogs are mums and dads who breed the next generation of guide dogs
• Dogs in training – the average number of dogs in training in 2017 was 615
• New born puppies – Guide Dogs are responsible for around 180 new born puppies (six to seven weeks old
• Qualified partnerships – at the end of 2017, there were around 5000 active guide dog partnerships

To help support Guide Dogs and the people they help visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/donate-now/