I'd like to see if there are any other volunteers out there. Perhaps we can form a support group.

Helping to raise a pup for the Guide Dog School in Allschwil is a worthwhile endeavour, methinks.

My pup is arriving end-September. Dogmom, me!

Is that the scheme where they let you have a puppy for a year, so that it gets used to a family etc...and then they take it away and to be a guide dog etc?

Good for you!

I've never been a puppy walker, but we regularly meet with a lady who has a guide dog as her companion and helper. This dog has given her independence and self confidence - truly a new lease on life. The trust and friendship between these two is a wonderful thing to see.

Would you mind posting from time to time about your experiences? I'd love to hear more about the training program.

Best of luck to you and the pup!

Yes. The family is supposed to help socialise the pup and complete its 'imprinting' at puppy play groups. It stays with the family for 12-16 months before it goes back to the school for 5-8 months of training and a final test.

And, yes, humans are using dogs to help the blind lead more independent lives. Humans have been using animals, with different degrees of compassion, since time immemorial and if this poses a premise for a debate on ethics, that'd be another thread.

Consolation is that the dog gets to retire with its original Walkers (if they're able to take it in) after about 6 years of service. Or if it fails Guide Dog School, it can go back to its Walkers and be a Social Dog (visiting orphanages and old folk's homes periodically).

Heya

Awesome work argus!! I have often ( in the past ) thought of doing something like that but circumstances did not allow unfortunatly... and now with baby on the way my Pepper and my horse Rami are going to be enough work for me ...

Let me know when you get your puppy what sort of personality it has ie an outgoing personality would fit with Pepper perfectly and than maybe we can meet up and let them play together...

All the best for you all
kt

ps how old are the puppies when they come to you ?

Thanks, Katie. Will certainly keep in mind letting the pup play with yours -- sweet idea.

The pups are 10-12 weeks when they go to their respective Puppy Walkers.

Thought it'd be as good a time as any to do this as I'm not working full-time at the moment. They've already sent me a manual on 'purpose-raising' a pup -- do human babies come with one, too?

The school is very protective of their pups. No escalators for Guide Dogs -- one got its nail ripped off by one once, they said -- the blind will need to use stairs or lifts.

Heya

I have a book titled something like 'Training a puppy in 15 mins'. The idea is that there is only 15 mins per session of 'work' and the rest is playing around with the puppy, im not too sure where it is at the moment, probably in with the horse books but I can dig it out if your interested - might give you a few different ideas....

Have fun and keep us posted on how it goes

Enjoy
kt

ps I wish that human babies came with a manual - im starting to get a bit terrified but thats another thread

Oh how I wish they did!

Good luck with your puppy!

Thanks, SwissMiss. The school has set procedures on how to bring up a puppy and an expert from there told me not to listen to any 'friendly neighbourhood advice' which I might get from strangers while walking the pup. I said, "My Schweizerdeutsch is so poor, there's no danger of that. I'd just nod and say 'ja, ja'."

Well, I wish my 'nurturers' had a handbook too when I was a 'pup' -- then maybe today I'd be more go-getting, fearless and confident.

I'd love to do that, but can you imagine the reaction of our neighbours? Good for you Argus for taking this role on, I would be concerned that I couldn't bring myself to hand the puppy/dog back at the end of our time together.

Wouldn't your neighbours be delighted or curious? One unusual thing is that I'd be required to train the pup to pee/poo in the gutter (between road and sidewalk) or by a wall on a street -- as the blind would not be so easily able to go to a meadow or park two or three times a day. The school will give me circulars to put in neighbours' letter boxes asking for their understanding.

Yes, I was concerned too about the pain of parting but I convinced myself it is for a greater purpose and the pup likely is destined to be an invaluable service dog. Planthead did tell it from the perspective of the pup (thank you!) and it has got me more concerned about the parting pangs it would suffer eventually. It's something for me to talk to the school's experts about. I mean I know the purpose for which the pup is bred and I can console myself with it, but the lil' 'un doesn't.

I doubt that curious or delighted would be their response. Maybe me and girly can come over to cham and meet you and your puppy some time. She does adore cats and dogs (and rabbits and mice and guinea pigs and horses and deer and cows and.........anything furry really), I am such a bad mum not letting her have a pet.

Sure, Zugbound. You and your daughter will be most welcome to meet the pup come October. We'll be required to get it used to public transport so we'll take a bus ride or train ride into Zug. No puppy fare for Guide Dog School pooches!

Your daughter will appreciate more having a pet much later when she can be fully responsible for it -- instead of giving you more work now.

In Kanton Zug?

Is your question related to where Puppy Walkers I'm referring to are from, or?

The dog school is in Allschwil near Basel. And I'm asking if any EF members are or applying to be Puppy Walkers from anywhere in Switzerland, so we can form a support group.

On the occasion of the pup's second birthday this Saturday, here is her progress in pictures (from nine weeks old till today; after she went off for official training, she occasionally came back to stay with us during her holidays; she's still undergoing guide dog training at the moment):

She is absolutely gorgeous!

Thanks, Oldhand. Can't believe it's been two years. I'm going to send her Puppy Adviser and trainer some homemade cookies to celebrate her litter's birthday - am I silly or what?

Will you repeat the experience Argus? And how was it for the both of you at separation time?

Thanks for sharing the pictures, she's a doll!

I don't think that's silly at all.

I want to know same as Deb, would you do it again or was it too hard at separation? I ask because I've been thinking for a while that I'd like to do it as well...

Also, I did read (last year) that they want the dog to be brought up in a house without other dogs - I can not remember what they had to say about a household with cats (I think they said it was alright).

Another thing is: I sometimes have visiting dogs or cats while their people are away, is this something that is alright when one has a future guide dog or not?