Guide dog life
How Long Do Guide Dogs Work?
When will Cooper get to put his paws up and chill…
A guide dog will usually spend 7 – 9 years guiding a person with vision loss before retiring.
In a guide dog’s 7th year of work, an instructor from the school will come to our home and assess Cooper as he works. If they find that he’s keen on guiding he will be ok’d to keep on working.
If he shows signs that he is not enjoying his job as a guide dog, he will be allowed to retire.
At that time, I’ll have the option to adopt him and he’ll be part of the family, as usual, without being on duty.
If I cannot keep him, I may recommend someone, or he’ll be adopted by a family on his school’s waiting list.
I can’t imagine my life without Cooper in it. My husband Dale will likely adopt him, and Cooper will spend his days with Dale at the office, welcoming customers.
Cooper already does a good job as a greeter when I fill in, occasionally, at their reception desk.
The customers know and love him! Now I just need to teach him to make the coffee ☕️
The question ‘How long will Cooper work?’ is from the story: 10 questions I get asked about Cooper
