Guide Dogs

Guide Dogs act as the eyes of a visually impaired person. They do a wonderful job assisting their owners in daily life and are great companions too. A guide dog will work for around seven years with one owner. When they retire they may stay on as a pet with their owner but often go to new homes as their owner takes on a new guide dog.

Guide Dogs are bred from specific stock. Their parents are selected for their good nature, obedience and steady nerves. This hopefully produces likewise offspring, though of course this is not always the case.

Guide Dogs are trained to walk in front of their owner and avoid obstacles, know the size of their owner and how to make sure they avoid obstacles, stop ant kerbs and corners, go left and right and know what to do in traffic. Amazing!

The training guide dogs go through before starting their career is rigorous. Dogs can be declared unsuitable at any time in training, and many are. If this is the case the dogs go to good homes. Even if they aren’t quite Guide Dog standard, these dogs are house trained and make excellent family dogs.

Owners and Guide Dogs are carefully selected before they are matched. The pair spend around four weeks at training school. In the UK the owner hands over a traditional token of fifty pence for their guide dog.

They sound like great pets. If you want to choose a dog breed that has some of the traits of a Guide Dog then choose a breed that is used as a Guide Dog. These include Labradors, Retrievers and German Shepherds.

Even though Guide Dogs are working dogs, they enjoy it. Spending all day with their owner and going to places off limits to most dogs is not a bad life for a dog! When a Guide Dog is working, this is when they are wearing their harness and is being held by their owner, they should not be petted or distracted in any way so they can concentrate on guiding.

German Shepherd Dogs - Choosing A Dog Breed

German Shepherd Dogs (also known as Alsatians) are amongst the top ten most popular dog breeds in the UK.

They are lovely dogs; strong, affectionate and reliable. As well as making great family pets and guard dogs, German Shepherd Dogs work as guide dogs, police dogs, search and rescue dogs, security guard dogs and even in the military.

This is a protective, intelligent and fearless breed. As a puppy it is important to socialise your German Shepherd well. Ideally a German Shepherd will be calm and affectionate and non-confrontational in their home and alert outside, whilst being comfortable with strangers.

This is not an impossible feat with a German Shepherd Dog. They are responsive to training and are obedient.

As with all larger dogs they need plenty of exercise and outdoor space. If you are choosing a dog, a German Shepherd Dog will be a great choice if you’re looking for a larger dog.

Dog Breeds that are Easy to Train- Miniature Poodle, German Shepherd...

We all want a well behaved dog who responds to our commands of Sit! and Stay! No dog is naturally a great family dog. Like us humans, they need guidance when they are growing up to learn how to behave.

When choosing a dog breed you should consider how much time you will be able to commit to training your dog. Some dog breeds are easier to train than others, such as the Miniature Poodle and German Shepherd. There are many dog breeds that are easy to train.

As well as what breed your dog is, where he or she came from can affect how easy to train they are. Puppy training or training an older dog; their needs will be different.

No matter what age or breed of dog you are training, be patient! You can teach an old dog new tricks and puppy training can turn your gorgeous little rascal into an obedient and delightful pet.

Guard Dogs - Boxer dogs, German Shepherds, Victorian Bulldogs...

A guard dog is a great way to keep a home safe. Whilst we want to deter intruders and protect our loved ones, we also have to live with the guard dog, so it is important to choose a dog breed that is useful as a security dog and a dog you can trust to play nicely with your young children.

This may sound impossible, but it isn't! There are excellent dog breeds that can be guards and family pets. Of course, no matter how suitable your breed of guard dog is, the dog you choose will need to be well trained. This is especially true with a dog who will guard your house. They need to know you are the boss!

Amongst many to consider (choose carefully the right dog breed for your family) are the Victorian Bulldog and German Shepherd and Boxer Dog. You can have a wonderful family pet and feel safer in your home.