Meet Lynsey and find out about her life training guide dogs.
What is your job?
I am a guide dog trainer. I get to work with and teach dogs how to be guide dogs! I was in disbelief when I first got this amazing job.
To start off with we teach basic obedience like sit, lie down and stay. Then we move onto teaching tasks like finding a traffic light pole or finding a chair. Gradually we'll start moving outside.
What's the best thing about your job?
The best thing is being around the dogs all day, seeing them learn and seeing how excited they get when they get things right! And of course seeing the different they make to the lives of the visually impaired owners they go on to help.
The worst part of my job is when the dogs drool all over my hands when they’re getting a treat!
I get very sad when the dogs leave, but I know they’re off to do a very important job and I know I’ve done a good job myself when they leave.
How do you become a guide dog trainer?
It takes about one year to qualify.
In that year we have to train eight guide dogs! We also have to study for exams in this time too, but it’s all worth it in the end.
Guide dog equipment slideshow
Image caption, Guide dogs have a harness to clearly show they are assistance dogs. It also allows the owner to have a firm grip on their dog and be led by their dog!
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