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Photo of the Guide Dogs for the Blind School premises from the outside, with three banners and a dog transporter
A unique complex of buildings is housed on the school’s own land. The buildings are characterised by their functional, plain style of architecture. The simple form of the premises is ordered by the choice of materials and colours. All the buildings are accessible from the central courtyard.

Animal friendly and ecological

The people responsible for this school were extremely keen to build premises in which dogs could be kept in a way that suited their needs. They also strove to respect ecological criteria: the expansive roof surfaces of the training buildings are used to collect water, while the entire facility is heated by a woodchip furnace system. We have produced solar power on the roof since October 2012.

The dogs in a central place

Next to the two L-shaped blocks of kennels, which can house 48 dogs, is the breeding block of six «whelping» kennels, kitted out in line with the very latest findings from research into animal behaviour. All of the kennels are fitted with underfloor heating and drinking troughs that are automatically supplied with fresh water. The dogs can leave their kennels through a swing door whenever they want to spend time in the open play area. The particular design of these kennels allows the dogs to see each other whenever they are in the outdoor run. When they are inside their kennels, they can watch what is happening in the corridors through a glass panel built into their kennel doors. This allows the dogs to feel more integrated and prevents any sense of isolation; this contributes significantly to their wellbeing. As well as the grassy fields outdoors, the school also has a dry exercise yard with a covered area that can be used when the weather is bad.