A day in the life of the very special school which trains dogs to change lives
03.09.2023 - 09:11
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
A quick school run, lessons in safety and walking, break times and plenty of kibble - that is all in a day's work for a trainee guide dog.
In an industrial estate in Atherton sits a massive training complex for the charity Guide Dogs, which helps support the blind and visually impaired. Guide dogs are a lifeline for those with sight problems and there are thousands across the country that help people retain their independence, improve their confidence and boost mobility.
To see how the dogs get in shape ready to match up with their new owners, the Manchester Evening News went down to the Guide Dogs Regional Centre North West on Gibfield Park Avenue.
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The centre itself surrounds an activity space where dogs learn to avoid obstacles, pick out chairs for their owner to sit on and go through the basic first steps. Dogs will then take to the outdoors where there are faux traffic lights, zebra crossing and pavements littered with blockades to simulate day-to-day scenarios for the guides.
Dog trainer Vicki White said: “The core aspect of our job is to teach the dog the basic skills which initially start with behaviours. This would become the foundations of what it means to be a guide.
“On average we look at between six to nine months of training. That covers every aspect of what a dog needs to learn before they get matched with a potential new owner.
“The matching process comes through various factors such as their walking speed, height, workload and what they want the dog to give them mobility for. The dog is then taken to spend time and meet the owner and do practice on the routes they are familiar with.
“There are some that are super