GUIDE DOGS FOR THE BLIND CALIFORNIA CAMPUS TOURS PROVIDE A PEEK INTO HOW A GUIDE DOG IS TRAINED

Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB) offers walking tours of its California campus in San Rafael, to give visitors the opportunity to learn about and observe the training and nurturing required to help these puppies on their journey to become guide dogs for people who are blind or visually impaired. Daily tours can accommodate up to 36 people, and reservations are required at least a week in advance.

The tours, which last a little more than an hour, include a stop at the Learning Lab in GDB's state-of-the art Puppy Center, where all GDB puppies will spend the first critical eight to 10 weeks of life. The Puppy Center also includes areas for puppy birthing and puppy socialization. The Learning Lab is an educational center to expand the public's understanding of what it takes to make a successful guide dog. While the Learning Lab stop is educational, it's been known to melt even the most cynical heart, with its views of puppies playing, rolling, running, and mugging for selfies. The tour also includes outdoor stops in the training courtyard and the residential courtyard, where visitors learn about training and other aspects of GDB's three programs: Guide Dog Mobility Program, Orientation and Mobility (O AND M) Program, and K9 Buddy Program. Visit GDB tours for more information and to book your tour.

Tours run Mondays through Fridays at 10 am, July 1 through December 30, 2024.

Category: Attractions | Attractions and Days Out