Pawsome Partnership with Guide Dogs

A Tail-Wagging Team

What could be more delightful than spending time with a charming puppy? Well, that's exactly what residents at Abbeyfield Winnersh care home have been enjoying, thanks to a new partnership with the charity Guide Dogs.

Five-month-old German Shepherd-Golden Retriever cross, Gibson, has been popping in to Abbeyfield Winnersh every other week to help with his training as a future guide dog.

Sophie, a Puppy Development Supervisor for the South-East, accompanies Gibson along with his owner, Rakesh. Rakesh will be looking after Gibson for just over a year before he moves on to more advanced training with Guide Dogs.

One of the residents, Rhona Nightingale (pictured with Gibson below), is thrilled to be getting to know him.

“I love being involved in training a guide dog,” she said.

“I had a friend with a guide dog, it was the most amazing dog I’d ever met – although mine were well-trained too! Gibson’s very obedient, I think he’ll be a fantastic guide dog.”

Gibson is still learning to control his puppy enthusiasm. He's being taught to greet people on command, settle down after greetings, avoid jumping up, and of course, come back when called (recall). Everyone at Abbeyfield Winnersh agrees he's already much more disciplined than most puppies!

Rakesh believes a care home environment is perfect for Gibson's early training. It allows him to get used to new and unfamiliar people, different noises, and all sorts of activity. Organising Gibson's visits has been the responsibility of Abbeyfield Winnersh's activities leader, Charlotte Richardson.

Charlotte said, “Most of our residents adore animals, especially dogs, so these visits are a huge benefit for them.

“More importantly, it hopefully gives them a real sense of purpose and pride, knowing they’re helping train a guide dog. These dogs do such life-changing work.”

Care Home Manager, Sue Smart, added, “We're delighted to support Gibson's training. He's brought so much joy to our residents, all of whom are living with advanced dementia. His visits help with their social interaction, anxiety, and sensory needs. They're also fantastic for residents who are no longer able to speak.

“We like to contribute to our local community, and this feels like a wonderful way to do that. We're planning a summer party, and seeing as dogs play such a big role here – with families bringing their own dogs in and our regular visits from a Pets as Therapy dog – the party will have a dog theme, complete with an agility course!”