Guide Dogs of Texas is one of only 12 accredited guide dogs schools in the country. The staff of 13, which includes three professional guide dog mobility instructors, relies on a cadre of more than 120 volunteers, who do everything from socializing puppies to bringing meals to clients who’ve come to the center to be trained with their new dogs. Guide Dogs of Texas is desperate for additional volunteers to help raise the dogs for their first 16-20 months of life.
The organization hopes to double the school’s capacity by 2020, by adding four mobility instructors and increasing the number of appropriate puppies. Toward that end, Guide Dogs of Texas began a breeding program, three years in the making, which produced its first litter 14 months ago and is on track for three more in 2012.
In addition to community volunteers, Guide Dogs of Texas has been part of a successful collaboration with the Texas Department of Criminal Justice and the warden of Fabian Dale Dominguez State Jail in Bexar County. Since 2000, more than 130 nonviolent offenders have helped socialize puppies under what’s known as the PAWSitive Approach Program. They help housebreak, groom, and socialize the puppies. The program has seen “a near-zero recidivism rate” among participants, according to Susana Dias of Guide Dogs of Texas, and saved the state money because of reduced disciplinary actions.
The organization has jobs for volunteers who cannot or do not want to bring the puppies into their home to train and then give back. They are asking for help with socializing and training puppies daily for the first 8 weeks of their life. Puppies will be exposed to various tasks and sounds to train and condition certain behaviors that are highly desired in guide dogs. Volunteers will help administer puppy temperament testing, record data, take puppies on car rides, train puppies to make eye contact and read hand signals, and teach them to do a kindergarten sit. This is an activity that the entire family can enjoy. Interested volunteers of all ages are encouraged to apply and work in hour-long shifts. Checkout their volunteer page for all of the positions that they are looking for help with http://www.guidedogsoftexas.org/Volunteer-program/volunteer-program.htm
