Organisation

Guide Dogs

NW Regional Centre

Gibfield Park Avenue

Atherton

M46 0SU

 

 

Role and Opportunity Details (You must be 18+ to apply for this role)

Volunteer Training Dog Fosterer

Are you a dog lover with room in your home to look after a dog during evenings and weekends?  This could be the perfect role for you!
As a Training Dog Fosterer, you’ll be giving a dog in training a loving home whilst they embark on their journey to become a guide dog.  You’ll get to see the progress your furry companion is making in their training and be a vital part of their journey, without the commitment of looking after a dog full time.

In this rewarding role, your support for a guide dog in training will include:

  • Doing the school run for your dog in training!  This will typically involve dropping them off and picking them up at an agreed time Monday to Friday at one of our regional centres or community teams, however, some sites may vary.  There are some locations where we will be able to collect and return the training dog from your home. Take a look here to find your local guide dog training site and any alternative arrangements they have in place for dogs in training.
  • Caring for your dog in your home such as feeding, grooming, free running and playing, following the advice of our expert staff.
  • Helping your dog keep up with their training by reinforcing the techniques at home from our first-class training programme.
  • Making sure your dog is not left alone for more than four hours in a 24-hour period.  If you’re planning on going on holiday, let us know at your initial phone call so we can plan alternative cover for your future life changer.

 

Specific Skills Required

If you’re hoping to foster a guide dog in training, here’s what we ideally look for:

  •  Being close to one of our regional centres or community teams so that your dog can get to their training.
  • The agreement of your landlord to have a dog in your home if you rent your home.
  • A safe and secure area outside for the dog to go to the toilet.

 

Benefits of Volunteering with this organisation

What you’ll get

  • The opportunity to have a lovable canine companion!
  • The satisfaction in knowing you’re supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.
  • The rewarding feeling of seeing your dog learn new training techniques to help them develop into a guide dog.
  • An insight into our bespoke world-class training programme so that your dog’s training stays consistent at home, which can also help you train your own dogs or advance in a future career in dog handling.
  • The opportunity to be part of the Guide Dogs Family, meeting like-minded people in your area.
  • Training and Support – A dedicated volunteer manager and fellow peers who will help support you throughout your role.

 

Level of commitment required 

Ongoing Volunteer Opportunity

 

Date(s)/Time(s) Required

Mornings, Evenings and Weekends

 

Volunteer Opportunity Number

VO10427

Apply for this role