Guide dog puppies’ training gets off to a flying start at Bristol Airport

Five guide dog puppies and their volunteer puppy raisers visited the Airport this week, as part of the pups’ preparation to become future guide dogs.

The puppies, aged around a year old, experienced the sights, sounds and smells of a working airport in the run up to Christmas, including the hustle and bustle of passengers coming and going.

Visits such as this are an important part of early training for guide dog puppies, helping them to feel comfortable and confident in the sort of environments that a guide dog owner might choose to go to.

Puppies toured landside areas of the terminal including the arrivals hall, coffee shops and check in desks as well as the new Public Transport Interchange. They were rewarded for behaving calmly and ignoring distractions such as suitcases, loud noises and interesting smells in these unfamiliar settings.

Lisa Gibson, a Puppy Development Advisor for Guide Dogs in Bristol, said:

“Our amazing volunteer puppy raisers look after our puppies in their own homes until the pups are past their first birthday and ready to start their formal training.

“A big part of this is socialisation and getting the puppies used to different environments, so visiting Bristol Airport was a great experience for them.

“Thank you so much to all the Airport staff for welcoming us.”

Phil Sherwood, Airport Duty Manager at Bristol Airport, added:

“It was brilliant to welcome the five guide dog puppies, and their volunteer puppy raisers to the Airport and play a part in their familiarisation training, as we recognise that airports are unusual environments for dogs.

“It was wonderful to see all staff and customers interacting so positively with them. I think it made everyone’s day. It was our pleasure to help, and we look forward to working with Guide Dogs again in the near future.”

Owners of registered assistance dogs flying from Bristol Airport are advised to inform the airline that they intend to travel with their guide dog when booking their flight, and if assistance is required then this can be requested when booking, but should be pre-booked at least 48 hours in advance.

The owner needs to bring their dog’s travel and health certificate and passport. 
Customers and their guide dog should check in as normal. At security, the guide dog will also need to walk through the scanner. Their collar and lead will need to be checked and if wearing a dog jacket that will also need to be screened. 

Customers and their dogs can use all the facilities in the departure lounge including shops and restaurants. They are also welcome to use the lounge area dedicated to special assistance. There are various complimentary water filling stations throughout the Airport and Public Transport Interchange. The guide dogs are welcome to relieve themselves on any of the grassy areas outside of the terminal. There is lots of helpful guidance on the Airport’s website, simply type dog into the search menu.

For more information on volunteering opportunities in and around Bristol, visit www.guidedogs.org.uk/volunteering.