Now what?
Dogs are returned to San Rafael when they are around 14-18 months old. They are tested for physical and mental soundness and pass through eight phases of training. Different dogs take different amounts of time to complete the training. Each level teaches new skills and introduces new situations. A dog can be dropped from the program at any level for a multitude of reasons that would impair their ability to guide. These dogs are called Career Changes. Puppy raisers put an amazing amount of time, dedication, and love into every puppy, and while every raiser knows the destiny of the puppy, it still requires great courage to hand over the dog that has been their life for the past year. Whether the dog graduates or is career changed the raiser did everything they could for the puppy.
Career Changes:
When a dog does not make it as a guide dog, it is considered for other positions such as K9 companions, medical alert work, or even search and rescue! As mentioned earlier, the career changes can happen for a multitude of reasons from personality to medical reasons. If other occupations do not work, then it is available for adoption as a pet. The puppy raiser gets the first option to keep the dog. Otherwise the Career Change department finds it a good home.
Some dogs from Yolo County that have been career changed include:
Nimitz
Nimitz was raised by the Barsotti Family, and was career changed due to Anxiety
Malloy
Malloy was raised by Cassie and Remy, and was career changed due to medical problems
Varsity!
Varsity was raised by Cassie and Tyler, and was career changed due to elbow displasia