Guide Dogs Cymru

Guide Dogs Cymru We will not rest until blind and partially-sighted people can enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else

Local to Neath? Pop down to the Cadno Lounge, where staff are raising money to name a guide dog puppy. Karen Homans visi...
18/06/2026

Local to Neath? Pop down to the Cadno Lounge, where staff are raising money to name a guide dog puppy. Karen Homans visited today with guide dog puppy Nica, and said: "They are selling cakes for people to eat with their coffee. They have raised £700 so far and would like to raise enough to name a puppy Cadno. The team loved Nica - it's all about relationship building." Sounds as if a warm welcome is guaranteed!

pic: Karen Homans sitting outside the Cadno Lounge with golden retriever puppy Nica, who's seven months old and wearing her puppy jacket

Being a life-changer is great fun! Training dogs London and Paris, two yellow labrador cross retrievers, haven't a care ...
18/06/2026

Being a life-changer is great fun! Training dogs London and Paris, two yellow labrador cross retrievers, haven't a care in the world as they enjoy some off-lead exercise in sunny South Wales. Thank you to dog wellbeing technician Stacey for the pictures.

Pic 1: London and Paris sitting on the grass, looking up
pic 2: London in full flight with his mouth open
pic 3: Paris running with her ears flapping in the wind

It's Throwback Thursday, and we've been catching up with Jim Powell, who trained scores of dogs as a GDMI in Cardiff. He...
18/06/2026

It's Throwback Thursday, and we've been catching up with Jim Powell, who trained scores of dogs as a GDMI in Cardiff. He has happy memories of his time at Trevillian House, our very first Welsh training centre, in Cathedral Road. Jim shared a class photo from decades ago, which shows him standing behind three owners who are sitting with their dogs in harness. If you recognise them, or you have memories of Trevillian House, please comment below!

We had some special visitors to our training centre in Cardiff today! Black labrador Caro was delighted to welcome her p...
17/06/2026

We had some special visitors to our training centre in Cardiff today! Black labrador Caro was delighted to welcome her puppy raisers, who travelled from Hampshire to watch her show off her skills. It's a proud moment for our volunteers when they see how the dog they nurtured has progressed, and Caro certainly didn't disappoint! Thank you to trainer Charlie Dale for the photo, which shows Caro lying on the floor of the training centre with the puppy raisers sitting on chairs behind her.

If you'd like to play a part in a guide dog's journey, puppy raising could be the ideal role for you. Find out if there's an opportunity in your area by visiting this link: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering/volunteer-with-our-dogs/puppy-raiser/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_campaign=RegionalComms_Q2_2026

Guide Dogs is about to mark 40 years of on-site training in Wales – and it’s amazing how we’ve grown! We launched our fi...
17/06/2026

Guide Dogs is about to mark 40 years of on-site training in Wales – and it’s amazing how we’ve grown! We launched our first Welsh centre in Cathedral Road in September 1986 with room for just six dogs. This summer, there will be five times that number training to be life-changers at our centre in St Mellons, with each dog needing a temporary home in the community with a volunteer fosterer.

Partnership Operations Manager Louise Freed said: "This summer will see a crossover between dogs at different stages of their life-changing journey. Some have just joined us from puppy raising, advancing into early training. Others are close to the final stage, ready to be matched with someone living with a vision impairment in Wales.

"We will soon be welcoming three new members of staff to the team as part of the Guide Dogs Academy. This involves training and developing new technical staff, the people who train our dogs, our clients, and then the partnership together."

This latest investment in staff will allow the centre to increase the number of dogs being trained, but it also brings a need for more local volunteers to help support the essential training the organisation provides.

Louise continued: "We are so grateful to our volunteer fosterers who open their homes and hearts to our dogs while they complete their training. We are currently seeking more households in the Cardiff area to get involved. Dogs can be dropped off at our training site on weekdays, a bit like doing the school run. On evenings and weekends, the dog enjoys time out from training sessions and can relax and have fun with the volunteer.

"Guide Dogs covers the cost of all the food, veterinary care and equipment required for each dog and provides full training and support. The best part of this role is you get to see the progress your furry companion is making and be a vital part of the dog’s journey, without the cost or commitment of looking after a dog full time."

If you think you could provide a loving, temporary home for a trainee guide dog, please visit this link: https://bit.ly/4cesjGt

Pic: team members outside our Cardiff centre this week with some of the dogs in training

It's Tongue Out Tuesday! Training dog Foster, a German Shepherd cross golden retriever, enjoyed some off-lead exercise r...
16/06/2026

It's Tongue Out Tuesday! Training dog Foster, a German Shepherd cross golden retriever, enjoyed some off-lead exercise recently with dog wellbeing technician Rhy Clarkson. He had a great time and has his tongue out in every photo!

If you'd love the companionship of a trainee guide dog like Foster in the evenings and at weekends, with none of the usual costs of pet ownership, please find out more by following this link: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/volunteering/volunteer-with-our-dogs/fosterer/?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=organicsocial&utm_campaign=RegionalComms_Q2_2026

Pic 1: Foster sitting in a boat filled with sand
pic 2: Foster perched on a wooden table
pic 3: Foster lying on the grass

Training dog London welcomed some special visitors today - his puppy raisers! The yellow labrador cross retriever grew u...
15/06/2026

Training dog London welcomed some special visitors today - his puppy raisers! The yellow labrador cross retriever grew up in Devon and is progressing his guide dog journey at our Cardiff centre. Thank you to guide dog trainer Charlie Dale for the photo, which shows London looking very happy as he sits between his puppy raisers.

A Newport guide dog with top-secret connections has undertaken his latest cross-border mission! Yellow Labrador Bletchle...
15/06/2026

A Newport guide dog with top-secret connections has undertaken his latest cross-border mission! Yellow Labrador Bletchley was given a warm welcome when he visited Bletchley Park in Milton Keynes, famous for its World War 2 code-breaking exploits and recognised as the home of modern computing. He was accompanied by his owner, Rayana Adams, and his puppy raiser Gareth Jones, who enjoyed a guided tour of the mansion.

Bletchley was named as a puppy by staff at intelligence agency GCHQ in Cheltenham and is the only guide dog in the UK to have that name. Now nine years old, he qualified as a guide dog in 2018 and is still working enthusiastically. Rayana said: “Bletchley is a brilliant guide dog and gives me the freedom and confidence to live life to the full.”

Gareth added: “I visit Wales regularly and always get in touch with Rayana and Bletchley. We’ve taken him to visit the staff of GCHQ in Cheltenham a couple of times but we’ve never been to Bletchley Park before. We thoroughly enjoyed the day and it was fascinating to look around. The tour was a particular highlight."

Could your organisation give a guide dog puppy a unique name? Find out more by visiting this link: www.guidedogs.org.uk/nameapuppy

pic: Yellow labrador Bletchley with puppy raiser Gareth Jones in front of the statue of Alan Turing, who helped to crack the Enigma Codes in World War 2

We end the week with news of yet another new Welsh partnership! Diffy, a German Shepherd cross golden retriever raised i...
12/06/2026

We end the week with news of yet another new Welsh partnership! Diffy, a German Shepherd cross golden retriever raised in Swansea, qualified with first-time owner Karen Harris after a fabulous walk. The pair will be working in the Afan valley area.

Karen and Diffy went on class with GDMS Rhiannon Isaac, who paid tribute to everyone involved in Diffy's success. They include puppy development supervisor Mel Wharmby and trainer Charlie Dale, who helped to make Diffy such an amazing guide dog. The puppy raiser and fosterers also deserve praise, and were thrilled with the news of the qualification.

Rhi added: "Karen is absolutely besotted with Diffy and they will continue to walk miles and miles each day. It's the furthest I have walked on class, that’s for sure! Qualification has come just in time for Karen to finish her 102-mile sponsored swim for Guide Dogs. She has just has two miles left!"

pic shows Karen Harris with her arms around Diffy, a German Shepherd cross golden retriever

It's Caption Friday! Training dog Emily looks like she's bitten off more than she can chew with a cuddly toy that's almo...
12/06/2026

It's Caption Friday! Training dog Emily looks like she's bitten off more than she can chew with a cuddly toy that's almost as big as she is. The yellow labrador cross retriever is pictured sitting in her pen at our Cardiff centre with the brown and white toy in her mouth. What do you suppose Emily is thinking? Comment below!

Address

Eastern Business Park, Street Mellons
Cardiff
CF35EA

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Guide Dogs Cymru posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Organisation

Send a message to Guide Dogs Cymru:

Shortcuts

Share

Category