Guide dogs assist people who are blind or vision impaired to walk safely between destinations they been trained to go. Qualified guide dogs have to be extremely well-behaved, smart, obedient, well socialised, and always able to perform their duties in any given situation.
Labradors, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds are the most common pure breeds for guide dogs. The Guide Dogs for the Blind Association state that they have found a Golden Retriever crossed with a Labrador makes for the best combination for an ideal guide dog.
Duties
While the fundamental duties of a guide dog may seem straight forward, there are many minor but crucial aspects these dogs must perform to keep their owner safe:
- Leading a person from one location to another
- Walking steadily in a straight line on pavements and avoiding obstacles
- Not turning corners unless instructed
- Stopping at kerbs, steps, and any changes in elevation
- Leading a person through doors and guiding them to road crossings
- Safely lead a person in a straight line when crossing a road
- Trained to ignore commands from their owner if the command is unsafe (like crossing a busy road)
Training
Basic guide dog training starts when they are still just puppies. They live with volunteer puppy trainers for around a year who ensure the pups are healthy, well behaved, and obedient to a standard set by qualified Puppy Training Supervisors.
When the dog is between 12 to 15 months old they are given over for full guide dog training at one of the four UK national training schools.
Basic training
Basic training takes 19 weeks. In this initial training stage guide dog trainers develop the dog’s basic skills such as kerbs and avoiding obstacles. Training is robust and is set in a controlled environment to minimise distractions. This allows the dogs to fully focus on the Positive Reinforcement Training (PRT) which encourages and reward correct behaviour.
During basic training the dogs live with a volunteer who are responsible for their welfare, bringing them to training each day, and providing a safe home. This also helps the dog transition to home life when they are eventually paired with their owner.
Advanced training
Once the dog has completed basic training, they start advanced training with one of the 20 mobility teams located across the UK. These teams focus on developing the dog’s skills they learned in basic training and making sure they can perform their duties in everyday situations.
Once the guide dog has proven they can cope in real world environments, they are paired with their new owner. The dog’s individual personality is taken into account to make sure they are matched with a suitable person.
Dog and owner training
Once the guide dog is matched with a suitable owner another stage of training begins. Over a five week period, owner and dog work closely with an instructor who helps them develop a close bond.
Retirement
Guide dogs work until they are eight or ten years old, but this can vary. Once they retire they are assured a home for the rest of their life. They either live with their owner as a pet or are adopted by another family.
If a dog fails to graduate from the training programme they are rehomed, often staying with the volunteers who helped raise them.
If you would like to adopt a retired guide dog, see: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk/how-you-can-help/rehoming-a-guide-dog/
Equipment
A dog guide needs a good quality harness that’s both practical and comfortable to wear over long periods. The harness itself is specifically designed for assistance dogs with a special handle attachment for owners to hold onto.
Here at JULIUS-K9® UK, we have developed the IDC® Guide Dog Harness, which has all the features of our pet owner’s favourite IDC® Powerhanress with an additional straps for the adjustable guide handle.
Guide dogs also commonly wear clearly visible badges or labels informing the public that they are working assistance dogs, and they shouldn’t be disturbed from their duties.
Image source: https://www.guidedogs.org.uk
