Guide Dogs Cymru

28/05/2026

Calling all guide dog owners - Technical Learning Specialist Jemma Dopson needs your help! She’s gathering feedback to support the learning of some of our newest guide dog trainers, and she’d like you to answer the following question:

Using a few words for each, what are the three behaviours or skills you value most in a guide dog?

Answers can be submitted by following this link: menti.com and entering the code 69257574. This link will remain live until Saturday morning. If you’d prefer to comment below, or send a message, you can do so right up till Tuesday morning.

Pic: Jemma Dopson outside our Cardiff training centre with guide dog Beulah, a dark curly coat retriever cross

28/05/2026

Yellow labrador cross retriever Heron said goodbye to his puppy raisers in the Vale of Glamorgan last week to start big school in Leamington. He's a handsome chap and is winning lots of fans already with his cheerful disposition. He's pictured during a play session in the grass runs, looking happy and alert.

27/05/2026

This stunning photo shows training dog Candie enjoying the cool of the evening as she sits on a low wall near the beach. The sun is setting, the sky is orange and there are still people on the sands. The photo was taken by her fosterers, Gary and Laura, who watched with pride earlier in the day as the black labrador cross retriever demonstrated her skills at our Meet the Guide Dogs event. Candie's trainer, Sian Menai Jones, also featured on LBC and other radio stations, giving advice on keeping dogs cool in the heat by walking them early in the morning or later in the evening. Candie's fosterers seem to have chosen the perfect time!

27/05/2026

Who's a clever girl? The heat has been getting a bit much for us all lately, but guide dog puppy Hetta has found a nice cool spot on the bathroom floor. Puppy raiser Janet said: "I spent a good 10 minutes looking for her! She found the coolest place in the bungalow and isn't moving, the little monkey." We think Hetta has the right idea!

pic: German Shepherd cross retriever Hetta lying on bathroom floor

27/05/2026

Guide Dogs Cymru has been shortlisted by Dylan's, which has restaurants and shops in North Wales, to benefit from a Charity Pizza Fundraiser and allow us to feature on their menu till the end of the year. We are up against tough opposition, so please vote by June 7. If we're selected, Guide Dogs Cymru will receive 50p from every charity pizza sold!

VOTE FOR OUR NEXT CHARITY! 🗳️ PLEIDLEISIWCH AM EIN ELUSEN NESAF!

You responded incredibly to our call for charity pizza nominations, with over 300 submissions made - thank you for all the wonderful causes & reasons shared.

Now it's time to vote from the shortlist, by leaving a comment with the charity of your choice, in the comments below.

🔵 Wales Air Ambulance / Ambiwlans Awyr Cymru

🔵 Dementia Actif Gwynedd

🔵 North Wales Wildlife Trust

🔵 Gisda Cyf

🔵 Guide Dogs Cymru

We worked through each nomination, ensuring that each of the shortlist are brand new to our menu, not having been featured before.

The charity with the most votes by Sunday 7th June will benefit from our charity pizza fundraiser, on our main menu from June 11th to year end!

27/05/2026

Please welcome another new arrival! Victor, a black labrador cross retriever, is 16 months old and joins us from the Wiltshire area. He's pictured sitting on a daisy-strewn lawn alongside trainer Sian Jones, who will be taking him through our STEP programme, teaching him the behaviours he will need as a qualified guide dog. Croeso i Gymru, Victor!

26/05/2026

We were delighted to welcome so many people to our Cardiff training centre today for our Meet the Guide Dogs event. Our young dogs showed off their skills in air-conditioned comfort, but spare a thought for Harry Morgan from Ops Support, who bravely wore the dog suit to welcome some of our visitors! They included reporter Dan from Global News, who came along to interview trainer Sian Menai Jones and get the lowdown about keeping dogs safe in hot weather. Her interview is due to air today or tomorrow on Heart FM, Capital FM and other Global outlets.

pic 1: guide dogs Crompton, Jason and Dane with their owners meet buddy dog Hugo and family

pic 2: Harry Morgan in the giant dog suit with two young helpers

pic 3: Trainer Lucy Wilkins takes part in the dog demonstration with golden retriever Percy

pic 4: Harry Morgan in the dog suit with Global News reporter Dan

26/05/2026

Are you looking forward to meeting the Guide Dogs in Cardiff today? The event is scheduled to take place between 11am-2pm but we're mindful of the hot weather, so the dog demonstrations that we planned will now take place indoors, where the air conditioning will keep everyone cool. We understand that the prospect of travelling to the event may be uncomfortable in the heat, so please take a moment to assess whether attending is the right thing for you to do on this occasion. Safety is paramount, and we want everyone to stay safe.

pic shows golden retriever guide dog enjoying a fuss from a member of the public

26/05/2026

Yellow labrador cross retrievers Captain and Tarka are both in partnership training - Captain with GDMS Sarah Fullstone, and Tarka with GDMS Lisa Short. Our staff are mindful of the recent temperatures, and our dogs' welfare is paramount, so the duo are pictured taking a break from work in a nice cool cafe. Both are making excellent progress with their new owners. Interesting fact - Tarka looks set to join the small number of guide dogs who work on the owner's right-hand side.

pic shows the two yellow labrador cross retrievers lying on the floor of a cafe. Tarka is on the left of the picture and Captain on the right

25/05/2026

Youngsters love a paddling pool, and our training dogs are no exception! Making a splash is a great way to stay cool when the temperatures rise. Dina, Aster and Kyla, all labrador cross retrievers, enjoyed a pool party to wrap up a week of training with GDMS Rachael O'Dwyer.

You can find out more about the way we train our dogs and the opportunities we offer by coming along to our Meet the Guide Dogs event tomorrow (Tuesday May 26). We're throwing open the doors of our training centre on Eastern Business Park, St Mellons, Cardiff CF3 5EA between 11am-2pm. Book your free place by following this link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/meet-the-guide-dogs-open-day-tickets-1988395913704?aff=oddtdtcreator&fbclid=IwY2xjawSA5xNleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE3ZlY4aUxNS2IzTEhSMHF6c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHg8j6aqzhrjJcwavSwq_MileRwNotnLw7KoA7r_VEtDS0wvV2MS-IbFARVsI_aem_VnNgOswG77xGlb9np2ds5Q

pic 1: Dina standing alongside the pool while Aster and Kyla stand in the water
pic 2: Kyla standing in the pool
pic 3: Aster standing in the pool