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How to adopt a retired seeing eye dog


The Seeing Eye - Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Can I donate my dog or puppy to The Seeing Eye?
    The Seeing Eye breeds its own German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, golden retrievers and Labrador Golden crosses. Learn more about The Seeing Eye breeding program.

    2.  

  2. Can I adopt a dog from The Seeing Eye?
    Yes, although the waiting list can be quite lengthy. In certain situations, some of our dogs may not become Seeing Eye® Dogs and are made available for adoption. To learn more about our adoption program, please visit our Dog Adoption page.

    3.  

  3. How long does it take to train a dog?
    When the puppy is about 8 weeks old, it's placed in the home of a volunteer puppy raiser, where it's taught basic obedience and socialization and given lots of love. When it's about 1 year old, the dog returns to The Seeing Eye and begins a four-month course of training with a sighted instructor. When the dog passes this phase, it's matched with a blind person and they train together, under the supervision of a sighted instructor. Learn more about Seeing Eye dog training.

    4.  

  4. How does a dog know when to cross the street?
    Dogs don't see colors the same way we do and can't read traffic lights. The dog's owner learns to judge the movement of traffic by its sounds. At the appropriate time, he or she will command the dog, "forward." The dog will not carry out the command unless it is safe to do so. This is called "intelligent disobedience." Learn more about Seeing Eye dog training.

    5.  

  5. How does a dog know where a blind person wants to go?
    Blind people generally know their own communities and can direct their dogs wherever they want to go. The basic commands are "forward," "right," and "left." In a new location, blind men and women, like sighted people, ask for directions and communicate them to the dog by using the proper commands. Learn more about Seeing Eye dog training.

    6.  

  6. How long does a dog work?
    The average working life for a Seeing Eye dog is 7 - 8 years. Many Seeing Eye dogs have lived and worked to the ages of 10 or 11. Retired Seeing Eye dogs may be kept as pets, given to a friend or relative as a pet, or returned to The Seeing Eye and re-homed through our dog adoption program. Visit our training page to learn more about how Seeing Eye dogs are trained.

    7.  

  7. How much does a Seeing Eye dog cost?
    Each student is asked to pay $150 for his or her first visit to The Seeing Eye and $50 for each subsequent visit. Those who served in the armed forces pay $1. This fee, unchanged since 1934, includes the cost of the dog and its initial equipment; the student's instruction with the dog; room and board during the 18 to 25 days the student spends at the school; round-trip transportation from anywhere in the United States or Canada; and lifetime follow-up services. This payment, which may be made in installments, covers a fraction of the actual cost. To the student, however, it represents dignity and self-respect. No one has ever been denied a Seeing Eye dog for lack of funds.

    8.  

  8. Does the government provide funds for Seeing Eye dogs?
    The Seeing Eye receives no government funding. The school is supported by private donations, bequests, and gifts from foundations. Visit our "You Can Help" page to learn more about how you can make a difference.

    9.  

  9. Can I train dogs for The Seeing Eye?
    Staff instructors are full-time employees who hold college degrees from various fields of study and have successfully completed three years of specialized on-the-job training. They relate well to dogs and people and are physically fit, since their jobs are physically demanding and involve working outdoors in all weather. Instructor position openings are rare and are often filled through promotion from within the organization. Visit our employment page to find out if we are currently hiring.

    10.  

  10. Are people with guide dogs allowed in public places?
    The Americans with Disabilities Act and laws in all 50 states and the provinces of Canada guarantee access to public places to blind people accompanied by Seeing Eye dogs. The dogs are trained to behave properly on public transportation, in restaurants, stores and any other place their masters go. For more information, please visit our page about Rights & Legal Information.

    11.  

  11. What's the hardest part about having a guide dog?
    The greatest difficulty guide dog users encounter is public interference. For anyone to take hold of the blind person's arm or the dog's harness, or otherwise distract either the dog or its owner, is like grabbing the steering wheel of a car away from its driver. If you think a guide dog user needs assistance, calmly ask if he or she would like help. The person can then accept or decline your offer. Download our tip sheet for more information about etiquette around guide dog teams.

    12.  

  12. Are all dogs that lead blind people Seeing Eye® dogs?
    Only dogs trained by The Seeing Eye, Inc., of Morristown, N.J., are properly called Seeing Eye® dogs. The Seeing Eye is a registered trademark. The generic term for dogs trained by other schools is "guide dog."

 

For questions about puppy raising or admissions, please see our Puppy Raising Frequently Asked Questions and our Admissions Frequently Asked Questions.

How Can I Adopt A Retired Service Dog or Failed Guide Dog?

This post may contain affiliate links. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post.

So You’d Like To Adopt A Service Dog.

It’s a common question we get at the Puppy In Training blog:

“How can I adopt a retired service dog? or a failed guide dog?” (we like to substitute “career change” for the word “failed”).

I’m not surprised by this question. Not all puppies in training make it as working guide dogs.

Not all service dogs work their entire lives.

How to adopt a retired service dog or failed guide dog

And you bet your bottom dollar that these career-change dogs are well socialized, have great house manners and are aces when it comes to basic obedience.

So it goes without saying these dogs are in high demand!

QUICK RECOMMENDATION: One of the first things we did before bringing home our first puppy was order and read through Puppies for Dummies. It’s an excellent book that teaches the basics of raising and training a puppy. If you’re considering adopting a puppy then be proactive and start reading about what you can expect.

On today’s agenda:

  1. I’ll go over a few facts about a career change or retired service dog.
  2. A few tips I’ve learned over the years as a puppy raiser on how to give yourself the best chance to get a retired service dog.
  3. Finally, I prepared a list of assistance dog organizations with adoption programs (with direct links to adoption pages).

Career Change Service Dogs

I have an aunt that adopted a service dog that didn’t make it through the training. Something to keep in mind for readers. It’s a tough process to find the right dogs for these programs and sometimes they just aren’t able to make it.

But these little guys who sadly, fail out of the program, are super smart and need a home. So if you don’t need a service dog but are looking for great little pups who need homes, you can also reach out to these groups to find out where they send the pups that don’t make the cut.

–BB

If you’re thinking about adopting a Yorkshire Terrier, a Bulldog, or an Irish Wolfhound then it’s highly unlikely you will find what you are looking for when trying to adopt from a service dog organization.

QUICK TIP: As I mentioned the two most common dog breeds in service dog organizations are Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers. Read up on these two breeds to make sure their personality, temperament, and energy level will fit your lifestyle.

While I’m not ruling out that you will never be able to adopt one of these or many other dog breeds at a service dog organization I will say it’s highly unlikely.

Based on our experience here are a few simple facts about what kind of dogs you will find in service dog adoption programs:

  1. Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers are the most common breeds available. You will also see Lab/Golden crosses as well as German Shepherds, Poodles Labradoodles, and Goldendoodles. We have seen many other breeds working as service dogs, but these are probably the most common you will see in one of these adoption programs.
  2. Many of these organizations have a very long waiting list for adoptable career change service dogs. For instance, Guide Dogs of America: “Currently the waiting list to adopt a dog is over six years.”  Can you recall what you were doing six years ago? Can you imagine what you’ll be doing in six years?
  3. Most programs have more inquiries than adoptable dogs and therefore their selection process is based on suitability rather than a first-come, first-serve basis.  So even with these long waiting lists, you may still receive a dog earlier than anticipated.
  4. Common reasons why service dogs are career changed
    • Health – anything from allergies to cataracts to varying severities of dysplasia (hip and elbow).
    • Behavioral – high activity level, incompatibility with cats or other dogs, assertiveness requiring strong handler leadership. Some of these dogs may not be suitable for homes with young children or other pets.

Tips On How To Adopt A Retired Service Dog

How to adopt a service dog puppy

 I wanted to know how to adopt a seeing eye dog that has been rejected.

–BR

Okay, guys and gals.  Do you still want to adopt a retired service dog?

Do you want to know the best way to facilitate getting said retired service dog?

After 10+ years of raising guide and service dogs, I’ve learned a thing or two about how to give yourself the best chance to adopt a retired service dog.

  1. Get involved with the organization – As a puppy raiser, I have the first opportunity to adopt a career-change puppy that I raised. Stetson was the first puppy I raised and now lives at home with me as a pet.  A friend allowed guide dogs to use his facility for monthly meetings.  Several years later he was interested in adopting a career change guide dog. The adoption department bumped his name up the waiting list.
  2. Find a local service dog organization – After reading through hundreds of assistance dog websites I’ve found that the majority only adopt out locally.  Check out our Ultimate List of Service Dog Schools with Adoption Programs to find a local school near you.
  3. Make a donation – We know a local business that makes yearly donations to guide dogs to sponsor puppies in the guide dog program. Needless to say, the organization owners have priority anytime they are interested in adopting a career change puppy.
  4. Be flexible – I’ve heard through the grapevine that if you are willing to accept a dog with health problems you will have a chance to adopt a retired service dog much quicker. The severity of health issues can vary from simple skin allergies to severe hip or elbow dysplasia. Of course, being flexible is not just about accepting a dog with health issues. Expanding your criteria to any breed, color, age, etc. will give you more opportunities to adopt a dog.
  5. Keep in touch – Another tip I heard through the grapevine is don’t just send your application in and wait six years. Follow up regularly, get to know the adoption coordinator, visit the campus, and talk to employees at the school, and puppy raisers.  Keep in touch and stay connected. By keeping in touch you’ll find out when puppies are dropped when dogs are retired, and when a dog becomes available.

The Ultimate List Of Service Dog Schools With Adoption Programs

The ultimate list has not yet arrived.  Sorry folks I did not have it prepped in time to publish with this article.

I’m in the process of sifting through hundreds of service dog organization websites to find the exact adoption page on each site.

In a few days, I’ll have that page live so make sure and subscribe to our newsletter, add us to your RSS feed, or check back with us in the next few days.

UPDATE: Here’s the link to our list of assistance dog schools with adoption programs.

By the way, if you know of an assistance dog school that has an adoption program please let us know so we can update our ultimate list.

So what do you guys think?

Do you have any questions on how to adopt a retired service dog?

Have you already adopted a career change guide dog?

Tell us about your experiences in the comment section below.

UPDATE: Can you believe we wrote the original article on how to adopt a service dog way back in 2007 (Stetson wasn’t even 1 year old and still a guide dog puppy in training).

Remember two things:

  1. Persistence – you need to keep looking and trying.
  2. Patience – most likely it won’t be a quick process.

Service dogs are well-bred, socialized, and trained. However, you’ll still want to keep up with their training.

If this is your first dog or if you need to brush up on your knowledge and skills I highly recommend reading an introductory book on dog training. One of our favorites is Puppies for Dummies (I know I already mentioned this book, but it’s worth repeating), a quick and easy read that will give you a solid foundation for your new dog.

Best of luck finding your career-changed service dog! Let us know if you have any questions.

How to adopt a retired service dog or failed guide dog

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Post Tags: #failed guide dog#retired service dog

Colby

Colby Morita has been raising and training guide and service dog puppies for over 13 years. He has puppy graduates from Guide Dogs of America, Tender Loving Canine Assistance Dogs, Cascade Service Dogs, and Canine Support Teams. Colby has been writing to the PuppyInTraining.com blog and sharing his puppy training tips from his experiences since 2007. Follow his puppy adventures at Facebook | YouTube | Twitter | Pinterest

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Get a guide dog - Assistance dogs

Who can get a guide dog

We give guide dogs to visually impaired people of groups I and II aged 18 years and older who have difficulty moving independently and need the help of a guide dog, having the conditions for keeping a dog, and, for health reasons, able to walk with a fairly large and energetic dog.

How to apply

The following documents are required to obtain a guide dog:

  • Permission to process personal data
  • Application in any form (download the form) with a request to prepare a guide dog.
  • Application form available here.
  • Medical certificate (copy) confirming your visual disability.
  • Copy of Russian passport.

Send documents electronically to [email protected]

Documents do not need to be notarized, we will certify them ourselves if we have the originals.

Curator's visit

After receiving your documents, the Center's curator will visit you to select the most suitable dog for you, answer your questions and tell you more about the upcoming work with a guide dog. Such a visit is always discussed in advance at a convenient time for you. Refusal to meet with a handler may be grounds for refusing to receive a guide dog.

We visit all blind and visually impaired people who are waiting for guide dogs at our center and who live in Moscow and the Moscow region, and most of them who live in other Russian cities.

We ask you to answer the questionnaire in detail and honestly, because if we cannot come to you to get to know you personally, then it is your answers that will allow us to select and train a dog for you. Guide dogs are trained according to the standard program, but in addition, each of them receives the skills that are necessary for the specific person to whom it is intended.

When you receive the dog

Based on the documents received, we will put you on the waiting list. You get a dog for free. The average waiting period is 1.5-2 years. When the dog of your choice completes its training, a center employee will call you and agree in advance (usually about two weeks) on the date of your arrival for a two-week training. If you refuse to come to study three times, you are removed from the queue. If you have objective reasons for calling during a certain period (studying at an educational institution, weather conditions in your region, etc.), please let us know in advance in the Questionnaire.

Which dog you will get

We train adult young (1-2 year old) dogs that have been carefully screened and tested for suitability as guide dogs. We use Labrador Retrievers and Golden Retrievers of both sexes. These are the breeds best suited for the demanding work of a guide dog. All dogs are sterilized.

The dog undergoes training for 6-8 months and passes an exam together with the trainer, confirming its readiness for work. The training of dogs is carried out by specialist trainers with many years of experience in training dogs for people with disabilities.

How to receive a dog

After agreeing with the employee of our center on the time of your arrival, you will have to complete a training course within two weeks. During this time, you will receive all the necessary knowledge and acquire the skills of leading a guide. And the dog, in turn, will get used to you, learn to obey you and work with you. This is an important stage, without which further work and life with a guide dog is impossible.

The transfer of the guide dog to the future owner takes place at the training base of our center in the Moscow region, in the city of Balashikha (former Zheleznodorozhny) and takes an average of two weeks. We organize the transfer of a dog for each person individually, based on his skills and characteristics.

What documents you will receive

The transfer of a guide dog is accompanied by the execution of relevant documents. You will receive:

  • Guide dog passport.
  • Charitable donation agreement - transfer of a guide dog to a visually impaired person.
  • Certificate of transfer of a guide dog.
  • Veterinary passport for a dog.

Dog equipment

Together with the dog you get a set of equipment necessary for working with it. Including a special guide dog harness with identification marks and reflective elements.

Supervisory support after receiving a dog

We keep in touch with everyone who has received a guide dog from us and are always ready to help you. Curator support can be both remote and in-person - with a personal visit of the regional curator and on-site assistance in any region of Russia. Please don't be afraid to contact us with any question you have about your guide dog!

The legislature of St. Petersburg proposed to give money to the disabled to keep guide dogs in retirement September 21, 2022 - September 21, 2022

Society

September 21, 22, 12:36

discuss

Petersburg deputies plan to apply to the Minister of Labor of Russia Anton Kotyakov with a request to allocate funds from the budget for the maintenance of guide dogs to their wards, after the animal can no longer perform his duties as an assistant. At a meeting on September 21, the deputies of the Legislative Assembly unanimously supported the draft resolution on an appeal to the head of the Ministry of Labor.

Now funds are allocated from the budget for the maintenance of a guide dog only during the period when the animal performs its duties. As the authors of the initiative note, during this time the dog becomes a friend to the owner. However, although a disabled person has the right to keep a dog that has already retired, maintenance is no longer allocated for it.

Since not all people with disabilities have the resources to support an animal on their own, the authors suggested doing this at the expense of the budget. How much money is required for the implementation of the initiative, the authors found it difficult to name.

More news in our official telegram channel Fontanka SPB online . Subscribe to be the first to know about important things.

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