


No matter how cute they look, they should not be petted while working. Crosses such as Golden Retriever/Labrador and Labradoodles are frequently used as well, with the most popular breed used today being the Labrador Retriever. These breeds have a good range of size, are generally healthy and have a gentle but willing temperament. Today, Golden Retrievers, Labradors, and German Shepherds are most likely to be chosen by service animals facilities. Guide dog breeds are chosen for temperament and trainability. Each client undergoes a personal interview and screening process before being paired with a dog that suits their mobility, personality, lifestyle, and physical needs. Matching a blind or visually impaired person with the right dog for them is a fine art that involves a great deal of thought. They are subject to a meticulous matching program. At about 18 months, the guide dog meets its intended partner and they train together for a few weeks, before becoming long-term companions. Next, the dog must go through its formal guide dog training, which is conducted by professionals and lasts about 4-6 months. This environment helps nurture the puppy and teaches it house training and obedience. First, the puppy lives for about a year in a verified household, which has volunteered to raise the puppy under specific guidelines. It takes approximately 18 months to train a guide dog from birth.

Despite that, it was only really in the early-mid 1900’s that guide dog training institutions became more prevalent, enabling far greater accessibility. However, the first systematic attempt to train dogs to aid blind people came around 1780 at ‘Les Quinze-Vingts’ hospital for the blind in Paris. Literature, artwork, engravings and woodcuts have led historians to believe that service animals date back at least to the mid-16 th century. So here are 12 things you might not know about guide dogs: 1. Guide dogs enable a life of independence, mobility and companionship for blind and partially sighted people. However, they are a lot more than a pretty face. Guide dogs can elicit an almost irresistible temptation to be played with.
