Who qualifies for a guide dog?: Did you know you don’t need to be totally blind to get a guide dog? A lot of clients who receive guide dogs still have some remaining vision. In order to qualify for a guide dog, you must be legally blind (meet the requirements of being legally blind), have completed orientation and mobility training, and be physically and financially able to care for a guide dog. Each guide dog school has different requirements, but those are the most important/common qualifications. The age range for guide dog recipients can range from age 16 & up. Once accepted, the waiting list can be from 6 months to 2 years. It can be less or more depending on circumstances.
What does a guide dog do?: Guide dogs are a huge source of independence, confidence, security, freedom, and friendship for people who are blind or visually impaired. Guide dogs enable a blind/visually impaired individual to navigate safely, quickly, and independently throughout their environment. A guide dog navigates their owner around obstacles. They can find inside/outside of buildings, follow people when needed, target/find certain objects such as a seat, counter, elevator, stairs, etc., alert their owner to changes in elevation such as a ramp, curb, stairs, etc., and maneuver their owner safely around hazardous objects above/by head level and on the ground. A common misconception is that guide dogs can read street crossings and know when to cross. A dog cannot see the colors of the traffic light nor are they able to indicate when the crosswalk light changes. It is the handler’s job to listen to traffic patterns and determine when they feel it is safe to cross. Guide dogs wait for their owner to listen to traffic patterns and will move forward once cued if they feel it is safe. If a guide dog feels it is unsafe to cross, they will refuse the forward command or if a car is approaching too close and causing potential danger, the dog will move the handler out of the way, this is called intelligent disobedience.
Do guide dogs get to play & have fun?: Yes, absolutely! Lots of people seem to think guide dogs are all work and no fun, but when they are off duty/out of harness, they get to play like regular dogs.
About Guide Dog schools/programs/organizations:
Max guiding Korrine
Most guide dog schools have on-campus training where the client stays for the amount of time of training which can range from 2 weeks to 1 month depending on the client’s needs and progress as a guide dog team. Team training is typically adapted to working in areas in which the client typically travels (rural, urban, suburban), but in some other areas for practice as well. Some guide dog schools offer in-home training (the trainer & dog come to the client’s hometown to train typically 1-on-1 in their familiar environment. This may be helpful to someone who can’t leave their work schedule, have other commitments they can’t travel away for, have other medical conditions that make traveling difficult, etc.) such as Guide Dogs of The Desert, Fidelco, Guiding Eyes for the Blind, Freedom Guide Dogs, Leader Dogs for the Blind, Custom Canines Service Dog Academy, & more.
Another option that some people do is owner training. This is very difficult for someone who is legally blind/has limited vision. Most people who owner train a guide dog seek help from professional trainers. Having resources helps a lot but having a professional guide dog trainer is a huge help/must for making it a smoother and safer training process. When I trained my dog, Max, for guide tasks, my vision was deteriorating, but I had some remaining and I had help from professionals. I did not do it all on my own. I started the process of targeting/finding things, following, the basic guide steps, etc. I had professional help with the more formal stages of guide training. It is not easy.
The most common breeds used as guide dogs are labs, goldens, lab/golden crosses, German shepherds, & occasionally poodles if a client has allergies. Some other breeds used are vizslas, Dobermans, poodle mixes, collies, barbets, and more. Most guide dog schools have their own breeding program or get dogs from highly recommended/qualified breeders. Occasionally, some schools may receive a donated dog under special circumstances depending on certain needs of a client. Guide dog schools may offer other programs such as summer camps, orientation & mobility training, independent living skills, in home training (hometown training), cross training for service dog tasks in addition to guide work, & more. The average cost to breed, raise, care for and train a guide dog is $50,000. Guide dogs from guide dog schools are provided with necessary equipment to blind/visually impaired clients at no cost/for free. It is the client’s responsibility to take care of the dog financially for food, vet bills, grooming, etc. Some guide dog schools will cover vet bills & food in certain situations.
Korrine and Max
What is the training process like?: At around 8 weeks, puppies get placed with puppy raisers whose purpose is to socialize & expose the puppies to everything, such as different materials they can walk on, noises, smells, different types of people, etc. Puppy raisers take the puppies out with them to many places to get them acclimated to different surroundings. They also go to puppy classes to learn basic obedience and train around their doggy classmates. The pups stay with their raisers for many months before going on to formal training. Pups return for formal training at around 16-18 months and work with a trainer for about 4 months before being matched. 70% of guide dog puppies don’t make the cut when first assessed. When they return for formal training, typically another 20% or 25% get cut from formal training. Not every dog has what it takes to be a guide dog. They become career change dogs and can either can switch careers or be adopted out as a pet depending on why they get cut from training. A guide dog’s working career with their handler typically lasts between 7-10 years but can be shorter or longer depending on the circumstances. After the dog retires, they can stay with the client or client’s family as a pet or be placed with the puppy raisers as a pet or be adopted out by the school.
How is a guide dog matched?: A guide dog is carefully selected to match their owner’s walking speed/style, lifestyle, physical needs, and personality. When a client has their interview, a trainer will take them on a Juno walk. Juno is a simulated walk with a guide dog. The trainer/instructor will hold the empty harness piece that would be the guide dog while the candidate holds the handle piece. They will walk around for a while. Sometimes they will introduce guiding principles. The candidate will be assessed mainly by their grip, as well as their gait, and speed.
Korrine and Mi
The Do’s & Don’ts of interacting with a guide dog team:
Do ask questions
Do ask before petting
Do ask if they need help
Do ignore the guide dog
Do treat the team with respect
Do talk directly to the handler, not the dog
Do keep your pets leashed and away from the guide dog when nearby
Do offer your arm/elbow if the handler would prefer help by sighted guide (the dog goes in a heel)
Do give clear directions such as left, right, directly in front of you, or use clock reference like 12’oclock (in front of you), distance (feet, inches, etc.) instead of “over there” or pointing
Don’t grab the blind person
Don’t yell or honk your horn
Don’t grab the guide dog’s handle
Don’t let your dog approach and interact with a guide dog
Don’t interfere when a handler is correcting their guide dog
Don’t assume a dog is off duty if it is laying down or napping
Don’t pet, feed, talk to, make noises at, or otherwise distract the dog
Don’t talk to or interact with a team while they are at a crosswalk or crossing
Korrine Herlth (HKHS ’16) owner-trained Max, who is now retired. Korrine recently received Milo from Freedom Guide Dogs. All photos provided by Korrine Herlth.
