I was wondering how to go about getting an ex guide dog i have 3 children age 8, 6, and 1, i have looked into rescue dogs but alot of places wont let me have 1 because of my little one, does n e 1 know how to go about getting on the list for one or ex-dogs for the deaf? if you have n e links that would be great ty xxxx

I dont know about guide dogs but you might be able to rescue a dog from one of the smaller rescues, they tend to look at how suitable your home is for the particular dog rather than have blanket bans.  My latest dog is a rescue from a small rescue down in Devon, my little one was 10 months old at the time but because I was experienced and because I was prepared to work the dog in a couple of disciplines (he is a Kelpie so very high drive) they were willing to let me have him, and he has fitted in perfectly, he and my little one love each other and share their toys (although he did eat the feet off her new dolly )

Good Luck

Are you specifying a retired guide dog because you think it will come ready-trained?

You should be aware that guide dogs - even the "rejects" are trained to be the guide for one particular person - who is trained along with the dog - and you would have just as much work - if not more - in re-training a guide dog to adapt to family life/rules/order.

Don't forget - guide dogs generally work until they are 11 years old - so you really would have to teach an old dog new tricks.   And of course, they generally retire in the family that they have served so well - or go back to the person who puppy walked it all those years ago.

Have a look here :- http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/adviceandservices/re-homing-a-guide-dog/

Guide dogs aren't generally rehomed but kept when retired due to old age -did you perhaps mean one that was rejected as a guide dog due to failing its training? Those occasionally come up for rehoming but I do believe there is quite a waiting list.

> I do believe there is quite a waiting list

Out last summer and got talking to a couple with another GSD, they had puppy walked for a number of years and decided they wanted a 'keeper' not an 'on loan' :-D
They were on the list for about 2 years before they got their dog.
Chris

think your'll find the guide dog folk are even more particular about where x-guides go then any rescue. speaking from experience of exersising a friends (in-work) guide dog in past, once off the harness they can be total bs and just as naughty as any other dog too. I went up the road like Ben Hurr with him! and he was a thief of ANYTHING within range. lovely dog but a handful when not actually on the job. when he eventually retired he went back to his puppy walker who he remembered and still clearly loved.

I had friends with one, and even though he had failed his training and would never be a guide dog, there was some ridiculously long list of rules of things they weren't allowed to do with him, regarding training / obedience competitions etc.

Speaking as a puppy walker and having also found out all about rehoming a guide dog as I wanted to do it myself,  lets just say that there are lots of hoops to jump through.  There are different categories of rehoming (although this is just what I found out, Im not employed by them):
A retired guide dog, these are like gold dust, as they generally stay in the family where they have been living for the last 7ish years, after all if a dog had been your eyes for that length of time you wouldnt want to lose touch with them.  They can also be retired because they have developed arthritis or other health problems. I shouldnt think they would place a dog of that age with an young family just due to the fact that they would want them to have a quiet retirement.

A younger retired guide dog, this could also be due to health or behavioural issues, they would try and either find an alternative career for them or they would be offered back to the puppy walker first.

A pup rejected in training, this is more normally due to health or behavioural issues such as development of HD, eye problems, extreme skin problems or IBS.  Fear of harness/severe distractibility/aggression towards other dogs.  They would still try and find them an alternative career first, and Guide Dogs have also bought in something called Buddy Dogs which they are running as a pilot.  http://www.guidedogs.org.uk/adviceandservices/buddy-dogs/ which are a good use of the dogs that arent quite up to Guide Dogs but are still fantastic in any other way.

Pups rejected at walk, due to behavioural issues such as aggression etc or health problems that are severe, one of my fellow puppy walkers started to walk a pup that was discovered to be blind in one eye.  She kept him!

The dogs are always offered back to their puppy walkers first, (well that is what is meant to happen anyway) and then there is a long waiting list for the others.  So you can see that the dogs that are available for rehoming arent necessarily what you were thinking of, plus if you narrow it down by only asking for a girl, or even just a colour you will be waiting longer.  There is no longer a central pool of dogs that are available, you also have to wait for one to be available in your area now (thats changed recently).  Ive been on the waiting list for over a year and Ive not even heard anything at all.  You are now expected to pay for all the health issues that the dog has (that has also changed as previously if a dog came with health problems then GD would cover it).  You dont have any guidelines to follow (so not sure where the obedience/training thing came from) only that you dont use the dog for guide dog fundraising unless you are a registered volunteer.

Would any of the rescues consider you as a fosterer  untill you children are older. Difficult I know as you will get attached but good experience if you are considering a resuce.
If not how old would you youngest need to be to be considered for a rescue I am sure it will be worth the wait

I'll probably be shot here but 1 is very young to take in a new dog as toddlers are v hard work. an established dog already trained to routines of home is one thing but a new dog..well I can see why breeders/rescue not so keen.  Would you consider a cat instead?far less work -and will teach the little one manners arround animals then maybe expand to a dog when youngest more able to join in and understands basic suitable behaviour round animals too.

reasonable point weimed cats are far more independant I must agree taht I owuld nt have been able to balance a puppy and young child successfully although people do

>I'll probably be shot here but 1 is very young to take in a new dog as toddlers are v hard work. an established dog already trained to routines of home is one thing but a new dog..well I can see why breeders/rescue not so keen.  Would you consider a cat instead?far less work -and will teach the little one manners arround animals then maybe expand to a dog when youngest more able to join in and understands basic suitable behaviour round animals too.

I think it depends on the dog and the toddler, mine were fine, In fact it was my established dog I had problems with, he hated the crawling stage but was find once she was walking.  I dont agree on the cat though, if the toddler scares or harrasses it then it will just move out.  Im lucky, my cats are bomb proof !