Puppy Training At Guide Dogs

This week at Guide Dogs we thought that you might like to know a lttle bit more about puppy training.

You can see the whole article and find out more by clicking here.

The article focusses on the first 24 months of the guide dog training, taking you through all of the key stages. Below are some of the key points;

So, how do you make a guide dog?

It doesn’t happen overnight. And it takes patience, time… and money. Did you know, for instance, that each guide dog partnership involves 20 months of training, seven years of support – and costs around £50,000? You’ll find out more about how it all works if you sponsor your own guide dog puppy, but for now, here are two interesting features of guide dog puppy training:

Negotiating obstacles

We introduce the dogs to obstacles gradually, and teach them to navigate their way round. It can take a while to master, but when the dogs get it right the trainer gives them lots of encouragement and maybe even a little treat!

They can't check the traffic lights!

It’s a popular misconception that a guide dog will know when to cross the road by waiting for the green light. In reality, it’ is a team effort –and not an easy task. On a standard kerb-to-kerb crossing known to the owner, the guide dog is trained to stop at the edge, to indicate it has reached a crossing. The owner will listen for traffic, then, when he or she decides it’s safe, give the command ‘Forward!’ However, the guide dog’s training teaches them NOT to obey the command if a car’s coming.