Guide Dog coming to stay

Hi Guys,

As you know I board guide dogs here occasionally when owners need them looked after.

We have one coming to stay overnight on Friday. I'm really keeping my fingers crossed that it will all go well.

This is the first GD I've had over since getting Archie and I'm hoping he's going to behave himself.

This will be telling of wether or not I can continue to foster for the Guide Dog's!

Willow is fine with any dog that comes into our house, the more the merrier as far as she's concerned. But Archie can be hysterical when he see's other dogs out and about and he's onlead - though getting better at it. I don't know how he'll react to another (male) dog being in the house.

But at least it's only for Friday evening and Saturday and I have his crate to use if things do get bad.

EEKKK!!!!
Wish me luck!!!!

good luck and i hope archie behaves

awwww I really hope it goes well for you. The main piece of advice I can offer, is try not to be too uptight about it as Archie will sense something is wrong if you are!!!
Are Guide Dogs dropping him off or are you picking up?? Have they offered any advice?

Since I don't drive and we live far from the centre, owners drop their dogs directly to my house.

In the past Willow has been fine coming out to meet them in the street before they come inside.

Archie was s good out today on our first walk, only whining a little on seeing other dogs. This afternoon's walk was horrendous though. If someone had come past and said "Here, I'll take him off your hands" I really think I would have handed him over, no questions asked.

He went completely hysterical at a friendly lab that runs loose, we frequently meet him on our walks and he follows us round. Later in the walk he tried to fight with the lab and worse still on the way home we bumped into another dog coming round the corner. There was only a young lad holding on to it and Archie launched at it full attack. looks like I'm back to square one again.

I hope it works out for you and Archie behaves himself. What is he like with other dogs off the lead.... i wonder if he has been attacked in the past by one when he was on the lead.

Sorry to hear you did not have a good walk this afternoon.
Hope all goes well with your Guide dog visitor and that Archie behaves. Will be thinking of you. Do keep us posted.

Do Guide Dogs know about Archie?
One of the GDMI's could maybe give you some advice regarding introducing them etc? It may be worth having a chat with them.

Archie is a little calmer offlead. He still whines, but doesn't work himself up into hysteria. Once he gets up to say hello he's usually fine offlead.

His last owner rarely walked him, so I think this is why he reacts the way he does. I really felt great about his progree this week, up till this afternoon. I can't even look at him now, I feel like I'm never going to get beyond this problem.

Ramble,
I explained to guide dogs about Archie yesterday, that he is unsocialised, but fine offlead. Also that I'm unsure how he will be with other dogs in the house, but that I do have a crate for him and it is only a short stay. They offered some advice, but nothing I don't know already. It's a case of not really knowing how Archie will be with another dog in the house, and I guess I won't know till I bite the bullet.

With any luck oce they settle to each other they'll be fine Evie. I think the hard thing is allowing them to be grumpy and watching the body language carefully. Be prepared to intervene but don't do it unnecessarily, it's a hard one to judge. You know Archie by now so you should be able to judge quickly how he's being.
Hope it goes well Evie, Guide dogs needs people like you. Axxxxx

Thanks Ramble.
I sure hope it goes ok, it would break my heart if this doesn't work out.

I remember when I took Willow around to visit in his old home he was more than happy for her to be there, no badness on his part at all. If he hadn't been like that there would have been no way I would have taken him on; I adore doing this work for Guide dogs.

Fingers crossed he will be the same when this dog arrives.