Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind (CGDB) is a national, non-profit, registered, charitable organization. We assist visually-impaired Canadians with their mobility by providing and training them in the use of professionally trained Guide Dogs. We rely greatly on volunteers and on public support and funding to add to the success of our organization.

About Guide Dogs for the Blind

A working Guide Dog provides mobility and independence to the visually-impaired user. A Guide Dog is not a pet dog when it is working; therefore, other people must not distract the Guide Dog. Guide dogs wear harnesses when working, and upon seeing this, others should first ask the user for permission before touching or distracting the Guide Dog. To distract a working Guide Dog in any way means the animal cannot concentrate fully on avoiding potentially dangerous situations. Some of the qualities required to make a good Guide Dog are: a quiet and calm disposition, a high level of initiative, a high level of concentration while working, as well as a high level of willingness to work and a strong desire to please the user. At Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, puppies of 7 weeks of age are placed with foster families called "puppy walkers" who raise the pups. The puppy walkers socialize the puppies, which are mainly Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers, to as many different, everyday environments as possible. The outdoor socialization begins in quiet residential areas and slowly works up to restaurants, shopping malls, public transit, elevators and so on. Between 12 to 18 months of age, the dogs are brought to the Training Centre to begin five to eight months of professional training. The dog and its new handler are then matched and are trained together, in residence, as a team.

Aquiring a Guide Dog

Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind accepts applications from Canadian citizens or residents of Canada who are visually-impaired. Anyone over the age of 16, who is in good general health and whose lifestyle would be enhanced by having a Guide Dog, may apply. Applicants are evaluated on physical condition, mobility, degree of blindness, and general ability to care for and work a Guide Dog. Applicants are interviewed in their homes by a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor and each applicant is evaluated individually. Successful candidates are placed on a waiting list until a suitable Guide Dog is available for them. Accepted applicants undergo a residential training class to learn how to successfully work and handle their Guide Dog.

For more details, please visit our website.