Guide Dog training
It takes nearly two years to develop a playful pup into a responsible Guide Dog. This thorough process ensures we get the right dog for the job.
1. Puppy Raising
The first stage of training is Puppy Raising, which provides basic social skills, obedience and a lot of fun. You can learn more about becoming a Puppy Raiser here.
Our young recruits are carefully selected. They must be confident, responsive and healthy - the qualities of a successful Guide Dog. We work with purebred Labradors, Golden Retrievers and Labrador/Golden Retriever crosses, because they're calm, loyal and intelligent breeds with a proven track record as Guide Dogs. And just like our clients, they come in all shapes and sizes.
Over twelve months, these puppies visit places they will later encounter as Guide Dogs, walking among the sights, sounds and - most importantly for any dog - smells of the outside world. They also visit the Guide Dogs Centre regularly, where they begin introductory training and become familiar with their next home.
2. Guide Dog Training
When the pups are about 14 months old, they return to the Guide Dogs Centre. Over two weeks, our Instructors carefully assess every puppy on several long walks. Prospective Guide Dogs must be eager to work, with good concentration and initiative, and must control the temptation to be distracted by other animals.
With such stringent standards, not all puppies are suitable for the responsibility of being a Guide Dog. Puppies who are unsuitable become Pets As Therapy dogs, much-loved companions for people who may be disadvantaged because of age, illness or disability. A dog that is unsuitable for either role is offered to its Puppy Raisers as a pet.
Puppies that are selected to become Guide Dogs undergo an intensive five month program to learn the complex skills required for their new job. They begin with simple commands and progress to more challenging tasks. These skills include:
- Walking in a straight line without sniffing
- Walking on the left-hand side slightly ahead of the trainer
- Stopping at all kerbs
- Waiting for a command before crossing roads
- Stopping at the top and bottom of stairs
- Avoiding obstacles at head height
- Avoiding spaces too narrow for a person and a dog to walk through side by side
- Boarding and travelling on all forms of public transport
- Taking the trainer to a lift
- Laying quietly for some time, particularly at work or in restaurants
- Refuse commands that may lead the trainer into danger, for example, if the trainer instructs the Guide Dog to walk them into a hole, the dog may refuse to walk forward when commanded.
Some tasks, like stopping at all kerbs and staircases, are taught through repetition. Other tasks require intensive training, like safely crossing the road. And it takes a well-trained dog to handle the unexpected, like a car reversing from a driveway.
As training progresses, Guide Dogs learn to travel through confusing and crowded areas, such as shopping centres and busy city streets. In fact, experienced Guide Dogs can lead their users to a list of destinations under the person's direction. As you can imagine, this requires careful teaching so the dog learns each command in a complex sequence of events.
Despite the hard work involved, Guide Dogs have a rewarding job indeed. These intelligent dogs lead an interesting life - and they certainly show that they enjoy the challenge.
3. Training the Guide Dog Team
Dogs are selected to carefully match each client's lifestyle and travel needs. For example, Darren Fittler is an advocate working for People With Disabilities in Sydney. With the demands of his busy and varied job, Darren needs an alert, energetic Guide Dog. His dog Kalan is comfortable in stressful environments and loves their busy life, yet he can also wait patiently for Darren over many hours. And that's a rather tall order sometimes for humans and dogs alike.
After Darren and Kalan were successfully matched, they were trained to travel together both around the home and outdoors. Over four weeks, Darren learnt to give commands to Kalan and to orient himself in the local environment. And he quickly discovered the responsibilities of caring for a dog, including diet, grooming and health checks.
As with Darren and Kalan, training programs are tailored to the needs of each client, and continue throughout the Guide Dogs' working life. Guide Dogs NSW/ACT provide ongoing support and training, such as when the person is faced with new areas of travel. By maintaining this high standard of mobility, we ensure each client lives as independantly as possible.