Training your Dog with David Bailey

David began his career working with dogs when he joined Guide Dogs in 1985, he spent many years as a Guide Dog Mobility Instructor training visually impaired owners with their guide dogs.

 

Spending two years in South Africa working for the South African Guide Dog Association during which time he qualified as an Animal Behaviour Consultant (www.animal-behaviour.org.za) and became an honorary life member of this organisation.

 

When he returned to the UK in 2000 he developed a very successful dog training business running puppy socialising and pet dog training classes.

 

In 2009 David was responsible for training the first guide dog in the UK to guide a visually impaired owner in a wheelchair and also assist her with other tasks around the house.

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This led to a change in career and David went on to work for Canine Partners for 7 years as Director of Operations. This is an organisation that trains dogs to assist people with physical disabilities, most of whom are wheelchair users.

 

He returned to Guide Dogs in 2018 and now leads on their programme for training dual purpose guide dogs for those who are visually impaired but also have additional disabilities.

 

David is also an assessor for Assistance Dogs International and this involves a few trips away each year travelling to other countries to assess and report on their assistance dogs programmes.