Guide Dogs for the Blind

Guide Dogs for the Blind GDB is one of the largest guide dog schools in the world. Our passionate community employs innovative practices to create life-changing partnerships.

At Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), we believe that everyone deserves to move through the world safely and confidently—to live the life they want to live. And, we advocate for the policy reforms that change how the world views blindness and disability. Because when everyone is empowered to participate, our communities are stronger. With world-class client services and a robust network of instructor

s, puppy raisers, donors, and volunteers, we prepare highly qualified guide dogs, provide guide dog readiness skills, and offer youth programs to empower individuals who are blind or visually impaired. GDB not only improves mobility for our clients, we further inclusion. More than 16,000 guide teams have graduated from GDB since it was founded in 1942. All of the services for our clients are provided free of charge, including personalized training and extensive post-graduation support, plus financial assistance for veterinary care, if needed. Our work is made possible by the generous support of our donors and volunteers; we receive no government funding. We operate two training facilities (one is headquartered in San Rafael, California—20 miles north of San Francisco, another in Boring, Oregon—25 miles east of Portland), and have more than 2,000 volunteer puppy raising families throughout the Western states. More than 16,000 teams have graduated since our founding, and there are approximately 2,200 active guide dog teams currently in the field. This page is moderated in accordance with the Facebook Community Standards (facebook.com/communitystandards) and we will remove posts and/or ban accounts that violate these standards, or are:
- Abusive or threatening towards any individual;
- Violating any law or individual's rights;
- Fraudulent or deceptive;
- Repetitive postings or spam;
- Off-topic or not relevant;
- Solicitations or advertisements.

09/02/2026

Happy National Guide Dog Month! 🦮

Follow along as we go Mic’d Up with GDB client Kelley and her fluffy yellow Labrador/Golden Retriever guide dog.

This video has clips of GDB client Kelley walking with their guide dog and GDB instructor. They start off at a coffee shop and walk around a residential neighborhood before navigating a downtown area filled with a variety of storefronts.

National Guide Dog Month is coming up in September! This is a time to celebrate the extraordinary partnerships between g...
08/30/2026

National Guide Dog Month is coming up in September! This is a time to celebrate the extraordinary partnerships between guide dogs and their partners who rely on them for increased mobility, greater independence, and confidence in travel.

Here is a list of things that you can do this September to help create more inclusive communities for guide dog users and people who are blind or visually impaired. Because when everyone is empowered to participate, our communities are stronger. guidedogs.com/blog/national-guide-dog-month

Sierra is starting college in the fall with her first guide dog Glenda. 🥳 "She is the most amazing guide dog I could eve...
08/29/2026

Sierra is starting college in the fall with her first guide dog Glenda. 🥳

"She is the most amazing guide dog I could ever ask for... We're just going to be the best partners in crime."

We hope Sierra and Glenda have a fantastic first fall semester together!

Happy 40th anniversary to the Guide Dogs for the Blind - Enumclaw, WA  Puppy Raisers!We're so proud to celebrate and hon...
08/28/2026

Happy 40th anniversary to the Guide Dogs for the Blind - Enumclaw, WA Puppy Raisers!

We're so proud to celebrate and honor the Enumclaw club on this milestone. They've raised more than 300 guide dog puppies, contributed to more than 100 life-changing partnerships, and even raised a guide dog mobility instructor!

Read about their 40th anniversary celebration at guidedogs.com/blog/enumclaw

They grow up so fast 💚Puppy photo by Guide Dogs for the Blind - Poulsbo, WA Puppy Raisers
08/27/2026

They grow up so fast 💚

Puppy photo by Guide Dogs for the Blind - Poulsbo, WA Puppy Raisers

Meet Michael Yu. He's a seasoned dragon boat racer. He's been part of three Team USA crews and has competed both nationa...
08/27/2026

Meet Michael Yu. He's a seasoned dragon boat racer. He's been part of three Team USA crews and has competed both nationally and internationally with great success. Oh, and he's a GDB guide dog handler!

Learn more about Michael, his guide dog journey, and his fiery passion for dragon boat racing at https://www.guidedogs.com/blog/michael-yu

Happy National Dog Day! This one's for all the people behind the camera trying to get their dog's attention for a photo ...
08/26/2026

Happy National Dog Day! This one's for all the people behind the camera trying to get their dog's attention for a photo 😂

What are you doing to celebrate this wondrous day?

GDB client Gina first noticed something was wrong when Thomas, her trusted guide of many years, hesitated on the steps o...
08/25/2026

GDB client Gina first noticed something was wrong when Thomas, her trusted guide of many years, hesitated on the steps of the transit bus they took to work. At just 9 years old, Thomas had been managing arthritis with medication, but lately, even that wasn’t enough. The small stumble on the bus stairs was a signal Gina couldn’t ignore -- so she reached out to our Veterinary Financial Assistance program. Read more about Thomas' journey at https://www.guidedogs.com/blog/thomas-second-chance

At Guide Dogs for the Blind (GDB), we believe that everyone deserves to move through the world safely and confidently—to live the life they want to live.

Maintaining your dog's ideal weight is one of the most effective ways to support their overall health, joint stability, ...
08/25/2026

Maintaining your dog's ideal weight is one of the most effective ways to support their overall health, joint stability, and long-term vitality. While stepping on a scale gives you a single number, it doesn't always reveal whether that weight consists of healthy muscle or excess fat.

That's where Body Condition Scoring (BCS) comes in. BCS is a visual and hands-on assessment tool that allows you to evaluate your dog's body composition at home, no scale required.

Learn more about it and how you can check your dog's BCS at https://www.guidedogs.com/blog/canine-body-condition-scoring

Did you know our Access PSA features a real GDB client (Braden Dashney) and a real guide dog?Though this is not Braden’s...
08/23/2026

Did you know our Access PSA features a real GDB client (Braden Dashney) and a real guide dog?

Though this is not Braden’s actual guide dog, we had an expert guide dog mobility instructor on set with us: VP of Client Programs Susan Armstrong! She helped make sure both human and dog were oriented and comfortable during filming.



Susan shows Braden, who has their white cane in hand, where the restaurant hostess stand is on the film set.

Susan uses clicker training, food reward, and verbal praise to pattern a yellow Lab guide dog up to the hostess stand in the restaurant film set.

Braden and the yellow Lab guide dog sit at a restaurant table on set. Susan sits across from them and checks the dog’s positioning.

Off-duty time! The yellow Lab lies calmly on the floor next to Susan.

Address

350 Los Ranchitos Road
San Rafael, CA
94903

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 5pm
Tuesday 8am - 5pm
Wednesday 8am - 5pm
Thursday 8am - 5pm
Friday 8am - 5pm

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