UK Guide Dogs Organisation Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cheshire, 1931

The three people responsible were Muriel Crooke, Rosamund Bond and a wealthy American, Dorothy Harrison Eustis. The two English women had heard of the work of Mrs Eustis in Switzerland and America. Muriel Crooke lived in Wallesey, Cheshire and so they chose a piece of land near her home.

Answer: German Shepherd

Both Muriel Crooke and Rosamund Bond were German Shepherd enthusiasts. Mrs Bond was a breeder. Mrs Eustis lent them a trainer, William Debetaz, and he and a man named Elliott Humphrey selected seven German shepherds that they thought would be suitable for training. German shepherds had been used exclusively in Switzerland, possibly because Mrs Eustis has visited a training school in Germany before setting up her own scheme.

She was already an established breeder in her own right as well. The first training experiments in Germany came about after a Doctor noticed how his dog seemed to protect a blind patient in hospital when he left the dog with him.

This happened sometime during World War I.

Answer: Russian

Mrs Eustis was ready to close her Swiss training school to concentrate on the work she had started in the United States, 'The Seeing Eye'. One of her best trainers was a former member of the Russian Imperial Guard called Captain Nicolai Liakhoff. He was given the choice of working in either America or Britain.

He chose Britain because, according to someone close to him, 'it is a Monarchy'. He arrived in 1933 and stayed with the Association until his death in 1962.

Answer: False

The name was not used until 1934. Until then they were called 'The Guide Dog Committee'. To avoid prosecution for illegally raising funds they affiliated themselves to the National Institute for the Blind in 1931, and to help reduce costs, finance and committee work, had been taken on by the 'Tailwaggers Club', an animal charity that had been formed in 1928.

It was at this time the the name 'Guide Dogs for the Blind Association' was formally adopted.

Answer: Leamington Spa

In 1934, they were lent a large house by a local dignitary. Not long after the local council let them rent a large house for a very small amount. For the first time, dogs and their new owners could be housed in the same place. At the outbreak of war, their home was commandeered by the Army and they had to move.

In 1941, Edmondscote Manor in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, was bought as a training centre.

Answer: Entry to air raid shelters

During the war special dispensation was given to allow guide dogs to enter public air raid shelters. In many of them space was restricted and animals were generally not allowed. They also received a special allowance of food per month, but it was cereal and not meat, which was in very short supply and heavily rationed.

Answer: Princess Alexandra

Princess Alexandra's grandfather was King George V. At the time of her birth, Christmas Day 1936, she was sixth in line to the British throne. Royal interest in the association had been growing steadily over the years since, in 1948, the then, Princess Elizabeth personally presented a guide dog to a blind South African soldier, the first guide dog ever in that country.

Answer: Puppy walkers

In the early years, quite a lot of dogs proved to be unsuitable for training. At this time the association was sourcing dogs from a variety of locations. In 1956, some specially selected puppies were placed with 'puppy walkers'. Their job was to accustom the dogs, at a very young age, to get used to the sort of situations they would face on a daily basis once fully trained. Even so, in those early days, quite a few dogs failed at the puppy stage. By 1958, almost 60 puppies were being walked by volunteers.

A solid foundation was being laid.

Answer: German Shepherd

Ever since the beginning, German Shepherds had been the preferred breed. This is, possibly, why Reiner was chosen. Because of this decision fewer and fewer dogs were being brought in from outside sources. In 1970, the breeding programme and the puppy walking side moved into its own premises.

The number of dogs failing the training began to drop steadily. Later, to ease the workload at the new premises, the brood bitches were housed with local families and only taken to the centre for mating.

Answer: Retrained

Dogs that fail their training are, mainly, passed on to other organisations such as the forces, the police or HM Customs. Because of the breeding and training programmes, 'Guide Dogs' have a pass rate of over 80%, and as of December 2007, the association is the largest breeder and trainer of dogs in the world.
And just in case you were wondering, 'The Seeing Eye' comes from Proverbs in The Bible, 'the hearing ear, the seeing eye'. Mrs Eustis used the French translation 'L'Oeil qui Voit ' as the name for her work in Switzerland.