What makes a good guide dog

Again, not all pups pass the muster, and 50 percent of dogs are cut at this point. Official guide dog training lasts roughly four months.

Like traditional obedience training, guide dogs are trained on a reward system to encourage good behavior. Guide dog trainers focus on praise as a reward instead of treats as these could lead to the dog being distracted around food.

According to Guiding Eyes for the Blind, only 72 percent of dogs that made the initial cut into the training program make it to graduation day. Before a guide dog is placed with a handler, the individual must fill out an application that assesses their lifestyle and needs then meet with an instructor. In order to ensure success, guide dog and handler are then matched up based on needs and personality. At this stage, the handler will then undergo a training program that helps them get acquainted with their new guide dog.

If it is their first dog, handlers will go through a four week training program, and will need to go through another three week program each time they acquire a new guide dog. As you can see, the process of raising, training and acquiring a guide dog is one that is highly extensive.

Back to all articles. Related Categories. Guide dogs must never react aggressively, even if people step on them accidentally or pet them without permission. Dogs trained to be guide dogs must be intelligent.

Guide dogs have to help their owners get through any number of obstacles unscathed. They must also understand and obey commands. The owner must always be in control. However, guide dogs must be intelligent enough to know when to disobey a command that puts the owner in danger. For example, if a dog is asked to cross the street while cars are coming, he must know to disobey. Guide dogs must be large enough to lead their owners while wearing a harness.

They should not be so large that the owner cannot control the guide dog easily. Guide dogs are very carefully paired with their handlers. Do you have other animals in your house? A good dog-handler team has a strong bond that is formed through many hours of training together. Dogs and handlers work with professionals before going off on their own.

German Shepherd Dogs , Labrador Retrievers , and Golden Retrievers are some of the most common kinds of dogs used as guide dogs. Standard Poodles are also used sometimes for people who have allergies. Training and socializing for guide dogs begins when they are very young pups and continues throughout their lives, with many people involved in the process.

Some guide dog organizations have their own breeding programs at their facilities. Once puppies reach a certain age usually around 8 weeks , they go to puppy raisers who are responsible for socializing and teaching basic obedience. When the dogs are tomonths old, they return to the organization to begin formal guide dog training with professional instructors. This training can last months, as the dogs progress through the training levels before ever being paired up with a blind handler.