How Do They Train Guide Dogs for the Blind?

Have you ever wondered how they train guide dogs for the blind? Before guide dogs ever reach their certified status of becoming mobility tools for their visually impaired handlers, they undergo an intensive amount of assessment, classification, re-classification if necessary, and a very long, tedious period of training if they make it through the strict qualifications process imposed by the guide dogs for the blind programs.

The initial stage of guide dog training starts from birth. Puppies bred for use as potential guide dogs for the blind are first entrusted to families known as Puppy Raisers. Puppy Raisers make a commitment to work through the first stage of training pups, focusing especially on their socialization skills starting when the puppies reach the age of seven weeks. For 12 months, the potential guide dogs for the blind are trained in basic skills like walking correctly on a leash. The young guide dogs are also given social training where they are exposed to shopping centers and other public places.

Puppy Raisers play a crucial role in the development of a potential guide dog. They selflessly and voluntarily commit to providing an atmosphere conducive to molding future guide dogs for the blind. Furthermore, they knowingly face the turmoil of parting with their pups when the time comes to return them to the guide dogs training center.

The young dogs are returned to the guide dogs training center at the age of 12 months to be assessed physically and to determine if their temperament is suitable for guide dog work. The veterinarian conducts an intensive health exam of the potential guide dogs for the blind and afterwards the dogs are tested as to their reactions to different situations in common environments. The guide dogs will also be checked to see if they are prone to distractions that would greatly affect their guide dog tasks.

Dogs that pass the strict assessment and qualify to train as guide dogs for the blind would then be classified to undergo the guide dogs for the blind training regimen for five months. A reclassification could take place for dogs that are not fit to be guide dogs but could be good therapy dogs or pets.
The carefully screened dogs that make it as potential guide dogs for the blind would start the 5-month guide dog training program. There are six to eight dogs under one guide dog instructor for the duration of the training period. Guide dogs for the blind instructors need to understand in detail each of the dogs’ temperamental, physical health and working capacity.

Various training sessions are geared towards training guide dogs in the basics of walking a straight line, maintaining concentration and focus amidst distractions, identifying curbs by halting, and the different meanings of the various vital commands. Guide dogs for the blind are also trained in various environments like rural and urban areas, residential and semi-business locations.

The second half of the guide dog training period introduces the dog to the harness without a handle. This is also the time that guide dog instructors teach the basic commands and improve and correct the behavior of the guide dogs for the blind.

The guide dogs training final phase is dedicated to confirming the guide dogs traffic safety abilities. The guide dog trainer will work with the guide dogs in real-life situations in locations and along routes to assess the guiding ability of the guide dog. The guide dogs will actually experience the real guide work they will eventually be expected to do when they start their partnership with their blind owner.