Go Back

Training a guide dog

The dogs are taught by very experienced dog trainers, and have to learn a lot of complex skills. One thing they must do, is learn to avoid obstacles. On the left you can see the dog taking its handler around the lamp post, when he walks straight at it. The dog also has to avoid things that are not a problem for a small dog, but are a problem for a person, who stands a lot taller. A guide dog cannot walk its handler into a branch of a tree sticking out that would hit the person, even though the dog would pass by safely underneath the branch. This is quite difficult to teach the dog. Guide dogs also must be able to sit quietly when they are working, and to ignore distractions. They learn that when they are wearing their harness, they are working. When it is taken off, then they know that they can play around like a normal dog, and have fun.

Training a dog for guide work is a team effort. Guide dog instructors, dog trainers, kennel attendants and volunteer puppy raisers all help to give a dog the best job a dog could have.

At 7am every day the dogs are taken outside and toileted. Afterwards they are fed. Meals are a balanced diet and carefully measured. Dogs are taught to wait until the O.K. to eat is given. They are also taught to toilet on command. This is important as a working dog travels on public transport, enters shopping centres and goes to work with its owner.

After a day's training it's back to the centre for some relaxation time. Dogs are kept indoors in kennels overnight.   Dogs have Saturday and Sunday off to relax, have a bath, a bone, a free run and a bit of pampering from the kennel staff. And it's back to work on Monday.