Adopt A Career Changed Leader Dog

Our dogs are bred, raised and trained to be Leader Dogs, guiding people who are blind or low vision to a life of confidence and independence. Our team and volunteers work year-round to prepare these dogs for a life of service and our supporters give generously to make that work possible. However, since Leader Dogs must meet a very high standard to be matched with our clients, some of our dogs eventually go on to other “careers.”

What Makes a Career Changed Leader Dog?

Career changed dogs are not placed as working guide dogs for medical or behavioral reasons. Medical reasons could include allergies, hip or elbow dysplasia. The medical issue may be minor, however, adopting a dog with a health issue may mean more veterinary and health-related costs throughout the dog’s lifetime.

Being career changed for behavioral reasons may mean that the dog had a high level of distraction or excitability, anxiety or lack of initiative. Retired Leader Dogs that have been returned to Leader Dogs for the Blind by their handlers are also occasionally available for adoption.

A yellow lab wears a body harness leash and sits on a pier in front of a stunning mountain and river background.

What You Need to Know Before Adopting

  • Limited Availability

    Only about 100 dogs become available for public adoption per year. Most adoptable dogs are Labrador retrievers or Labrador retriever/golden retriever crosses. Most of the dogs available for adoption are one to two years old.

    Applicants with fewer behavioral and medical preferences will be matched with a dog quicker than those with many preferences.

  • Wait Times

    Typically, public adopters will be able to meet and potentially adopt a career changed dog within three to 12 months from the time they submit their application. Applicants open to a Labrador or lab/golden cross of either gender will be matched more quickly. The wait time for a female is longer than the wait for a male.

  • Expectations

    The dogs available for adoption have varying levels of training depending on what point the dog was career changed. Please note that guide dog training does not guarantee better house manners and these dogs are adopted as pets without public access rights under the ADA.

    All dogs receive thorough medical evaluations, updated vaccines, microchips, neutering, and x-rays to check for early signs of hip and elbow dysplasia before adoption

  • Important Notes

    We work hard to make sure every one of our dogs that goes through a “career change” ends up in the best possible place.

    Adopters must be willing to travel to campus at their own expense — we do not ship dogs.

Our Placement Priorities

We prioritize placement of our career change dogs into alternative careers with organizations that will continue their training in service, detection, veteran and court advocacy dog organizations. Dogs that are not placed in an alternate career are then first offered to their volunteer puppy raiser for adoption, followed by others who have played an important role in the dog’s life, before becoming available to the public.

A yellow lab stands on a rock by a riverside surrounded by colorful trees. The dog is wearing a search and rescue harness.

How to Adopt

  • 01

    Sign Up for Orientation

    All prospective applicants are required to watch the orientation about our career change program. You can register to watch the orientation by clicking the button below.

    Register for the On-Demand Orientation
  • 02

    Submit Application

    If you are interested in adopting a dog after you complete an orientation, applications will be available and may be submitted with a $25 fee.

  • 03

    Wait for Your Match

    We will notify you once a match has been made. Due to the amount of interest in our career change dogs, our team cannot respond to every inquiry about status updates regarding adoption.

  • 04

    Complete Adoption

    A $2,000 tax-deductible donation is expected at the time of adoption. This donation helps offset the cost of breeding, health maintenance, care and training that the dog received while on campus.

A black lab smiles toward the camera while in a grassy field.

Volunteer From Home

While you’re considering bringing a new furry friend into your life, take a minute to explore our volunteer puppy raising and breeding host programs.

Fill your home with the energy of a Leader Dog puppy before they return for guide dog training or help a Leader Dog mom whelp (give birth) the next generation of Leader Dogs before retiring as your pet. Either volunteer opportunity will fill your home with the unconditional love of a dog while also providing a life-changing adventure for you and the gift of a lifetime for someone in need.

Raise a Puppy Host a Breeding Dog