Guide Dog Instructor
Guide dog instructors train dogs to guide people who are blind or vision-impaired. They also train these people to use and care for a guide dog.
Guide dog instructors may perform the following tasks:
- work with a team of approximately eight specially chosen 12-month-old dogs that have undergone initial socialisation through the Guide Dogs Association of Australia's puppy-raising scheme
- over a period of four to six months, put the dogs through an intensive assessment and training program
- train the dogs to guide people with little or no sight through all likely independent travel situations
- conduct interviews and assessments on all applicants for guide dogs
- conduct a matching meeting, whereby guide dogs are matched to clients on the waiting list
- train a person who is vision-impaired to use a guide dog at either a residential training facility or within the person's home area. Training is conducted for three to six weeks. For people trained in the centre-based program, additional follow-up instruction of three to five days is provided on the person's return home.
Personal Requirements:
- good health, hearing and eyesight
- full mobility
- desire to work with people who are vision-impaired
- be flexible and adaptable
- able to work both independently and as part of a team
- love of, and aptitude for, working with dogs.
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