Dog Wellbeing Volunteer

Guide Dogs
VO99143

In this role, you will provide day to day care for dogs whilst they are housed at your local Guide Dogs site. Ensuring physical, behavioural, and mental welfare needs are met.

What you’ll be doing:

• Using positive reinforcement techniques to encourage dogs to settle in their environments.
• Supporting in general housekeeping e.g., tidying dog pens and preparing food for enrichment purposes.
• Discussing needs and requirements of the dogs with staff members.
• Supporting in hands on training; helping develop our dogs cooperative care behaviours.
• Assisting with videoing dog behaviours and proofing behaviours.
• Assisting with grooming and toileting of dogs, as appropriate.
• Supporting Dog Health and Wellbeing team in their daily tasks.

Ideally you will:

• Have good dog handling skills and/or enthusiasm for working with dogs.
• Have good communication skills and work well in a team.
• Be able to implement training methods with our dogs and adapt to the specific requirements of our dogs.
• Be able to support in manual labour e.g., cleaning.

You’ll get:

• The opportunity to increase your knowledge of dog health and wellbeing. Alongside learning about up-to-date dog training techniques.
• The opportunity to gain hands on experience of caring for dogs, and meeting their individual needs while they are in training.
• The satisfaction that you are supporting people with sight loss to live actively, independently, and well.

This role has 6-8 hours of initial training and then you’ll be ready to go! These modules include:

• Basic dog health, wellbeing, and behaviour training.
• Positive reinforcement techniques.
• Additional training to learn new skills throughout your role.

Travel details

Volunteering role is based at the Forfar Regional Centre. Travel to and from is necessary.

Travel expenses

Pre-agreed expenses paid in line with organisational policies.

I want to volunteer

Report this opportunity

Support

Training details

6 - 8 hours of initial training, ongoing training is then available. Initial units include:

• Basic dog health, wellbeing, and behaviour training
• Positive reinforcement techniques.
• Additional training to learn new skills throughout your role.