Training in warmer months.

You may well still spot one of our trainers out and about, but they will be taking care to keep the dogs cool.

• They start work at 6 am in summer to beat the heat. An early start for both dog and trainer!
• If it’s over 32 degrees, we don’t take our dogs out.
• We avoid hot pavements. If it’s too hot for the trainers hand it’s too hot for the dog!
• While one dog receives it’s individual training, the rest of their training buddies are left in large, secure pens, in our specially designed vans, parked in shade. The doors will be open or the aircon on, and they will have plenty of toys and water. They have special cooling carpet lining the pens.
• The trainer regularly checks on the condition of the dogs in the vans after each short training walk.
• Wherever possible we try to train on public transport and inside cool shopping centres, where air conditioning is on, if it’s hot outside.
• Our dogs are groomed regularly so that their heavy under coats are removed. We also have a swimming pool on site at Guide Dogs Victoria that the dogs can enjoy on their return!
• Our clients are also trained about when and how to work with their dogs in hot weather, and advised to travel earlier when it’s cooler or use a long cane instead.