Guide Dog training schools

There are four guide dogs training schools. Together they train over 1,000 new guide dogs each year. Regions covered will be included below:


Atherton was opened for business in April 2009 and was officially opened in May 2010 by HRH Princess Alexandra. The site is a breeding ground for the Great Crested Newt. This is a protected species so the initial building work was delayed while we followed DEFRA guidelines to make sure we didn't harm any of the newts. We still have a pond on site and the newts are still here today. We have trained and put forward to advanced training over 400 dogs.

Counties covered include: Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Isle Of Man, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Merseyside, North Wales, Staffordshire and Shropshire.


Contact:

Gibfield Park Avenue
Atherton
Manchester
M46 0SU

The Guide Dog Training School Redbridge trains nearly 250 guide dogs each year. At any one time there are over 100 dogs at the school. Most are undergoing their first stage or “early” guide dog training. A small number are doing second stage or “advanced” training.

Dogs come to Redbridge from puppy walking when they are about 14 months old. Their early training takes around 16 weeks. 20 professional Guide Dog trainers introduce the young dogs to a harness, encourage them to ignore distractions and teach them the basics of guiding which includes: leading a person in a straight line without pulling, stopping and sitting at changes in the ground level such as kerbs and steps, and avoiding street obstacles. 

Redbridge is the South East regional hub for puppy walking. The puppy walking team manages over 600 puppy walkers who currently look after more than 420 puppies. Regular puppy training classes are held at the school where local puppies and walkers come together for a couple of hours of schooling and socialising!

The Redbridge Training School is the regional centre for the re-homing of dogs that have been withdrawn from training or guiding and retired guide dogs. A team of re-homing staff find new careers and new homes for over 200 withdrawn and retired dogs each year.

Counties covered include:  Kent,East Sussex, Suffolk, Essex, Norfolk, West Sussex, Surrey, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire, Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, London.

Contact:

Findlay House
Manor Road
Woodford Green
London
IG8 8ER

Tel: 0345 1430225

Rehoming: redbridge.rehoming@guidedogs.org.uk

Forfar was opened for business in 2007 and was officially opened in 2008 by HRH Princess Alexandra.

Visits - To take a tour of the school, please contact us on the number below.

Regions covered include: Scotland, Northern Ireland, Tyne and Wear,Durham, Teesside, Northumberland, Cumbria,Northumbria PW.

Dean Way

Orchardbank Business Park
Forfar
DD8 1WG

Tel: 0345 1430205


Forfar Site Information

Rehoming: forfar.rehoming@guidedogs.org.uk



The Guide Dogs Training School at Leamington Spa started in 1941 and today trains 220 dogs a year. We would like to invite you to take part in the Guide Dogs experience and learn about our life-changing work.

Take a tour of the school; meet the guide dogs in training, interact with the dogs, have your photo taken with the dogs, a great day out for all the family.

We also offer interesting and interactive sessions for school or young peoples groups which we aim to make it as interactive as possible whilst educating the children about sight loss as well as the life changing work we do.

Get in touch today to book a tour, or to find out more!  

Areas covered include: Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, Isle Of Wight, Cornwall,Devon, Somerset, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Herefordshire, South Wales (Powys & South), Leicestershire and Northamptonshire.


Contact:

Edmondscote Manor
Warwick New Road
Leamington Spa
CV32 6AH

Tel: 0345 1430208

Leamington Site Information

Rehoming: leamington.rehoming@guidedogs.org.uk