How To Train A Seeing Eye Dog

Training a seeing eye dog is a rather difficult process. Most people who witness seeing eye dogs who are working with their owner are in awe of these dogs but also sometimes assume these well behaved dogs were easy to train. This assumption could not be further from the truth. In fact many seeing eye dogs begin the training process when they are merely eight weeks old and are not completely trained and ready to be assigned to a sight impaired partner until they are at least two years old. Another misconception which stems from witnessing seeing eye dogs in action is the fact that dogs of this breed are all capable of becoming the well behaved citizens seen assisting those who are visually impaired. The Labrador Retriever is one of the breeds which is most commonly used to do seeing eye work. While Labrador Retrievers can be excellent companion dogs, they are also highly active dogs which remain immature for quite some time. Many members of this breed are considered to still be puppies until just after the age of three. Therefore, those who are considering adopting or purchasing this type of dog should understand they should not expect their own dog to behave as maturely as dogs which have been specially trained to assist the visually impaired.

Training for seeing eye dogs may begin as early as seven or eight weeks of age. There are a number of different programs available around the world to train these young puppies specifically for the purpose of assisting the visually impaired in their daily activities. The young puppies in this program may have been bred specifically for the purpose of participation in the seeing eye dog program or may have wound up in the program via a shelter or rescue group. Regardless of the way in which the potential seeing eye dog wound up at the training center, he is typically placed in a foster home for approximately one year. These foster homes may include both adults and children who have been trained to foster these puppies with a great deal of love. They are also trained to teach the puppy basic obedience according to the program’s specifications and to expose the puppy to a wide variety of situations.

This type of training is different from the way an average family would normally train a puppy. Most dog owners realize the importance of training a puppy in basic obedience but they make the mistake of conducting most of the training exercises at home instead of exposing the puppy to other situations. This may include taking the puppy to crowded areas, areas with high traffic and even areas with strange and unusual noises. This type of training may not exactly be necessary fore the average companion dog but it is essential for a seeing eye dog. This is because a seeing eye dog will have to accompany his visually impaired owner wherever the owner needs to go during the course of the day. This may include both work and leisure activities as well as errands such as grocery shopping, going to doctor’s appointments, waiting in line at the bank and other mundane activities. Puppies that are in training to become seeing eye dogs should learn how to behave in these situations without being distracted.

Another primary training goal of foster homes who are preparing a puppy for life as a seeing eye dog is to teach the puppy to obey the owner out of love. This requires the exclusive use of training techniques which are positive in nature. The puppies may be trained with positive reinforcement or through other respectful training techniques. However, negative reinforcement techniques or other training methods which involve intimidation are not recommended for puppies who are preparing to become seeing eye dogs. This is critical because it is essential for the seeing eye dog to want to assist the owner out of love instead of fear. This type of loving relationship is best fostered through training which is highly positive in nature.

Dogs typically leave their foster home when they are 1-1.5 years old and return to a training center where more complex skills are taught to the dogs. During this time the dogs will work with an instructor in the program. The instructor will begin the new phase of the training process by working with the dog on the basic obedience commands taught to the dog by the foster home. Although the dog already knows these skills, it is important for the trainer to begin this phase of the training with the skills already learned because it teaches the dog the ability to transfer skills learned from one owner to a new owner. This skill will be necessary once the dog is placed with a visually impaired owner. This is also a skill which many dogs do not naturally possess so it is necessary to teach this ability. My own dogs are an excellent example of this tendency in dogs. My dogs will perform all of their basic commands on a verbal cue from me but are not likely to respond when given the same command from someone they do not know. Another person can tell my dog to sit repeatedly and they will refuse to comply. However, I can give the same command once and they will sit immediately. This is because I have trained my dog to listen to my cues but have not taught them the skill of listening to others the way seeing eye dogs are trained to follow the commands regardless of who gives the command.

Once the trainer has reinforced the basic obedience commands and the dog has learned to follow the commands of a new owner, the trainer may begin working on more advanced commands. Some of these commands may include teaching the dog to walk forward, turn to the left or turn to the right. Another common command is stopping at curbs. The dogs are taught to stop at a curb because failure to do so can result in harm to the owner. This may be accomplished by having the trainer pretend to trip and get hurt when the dog does not stop at the curb and praising and rewarding the dog when he does stop at the curb.

Dogs are also taught to clear both moving and stationary objects in a manner which will not only prevent the dog from walking into the object but will also prevent the instructor, and ultimately the visually impaired owner, from walking into the object as well. Again a technique of pretending to be hurt when the dog fails to navigate these objects correct can be used to during this training.

There are a number of other skills which are also important for a dog to learn during this phase of training. These include navigating traffic carefully, avoiding distractions, guiding the owner on public transportation and navigating many of the other obstacles a visually impaired individual will encounter during the course of a day. Once the dog has been trained extensively the trainer will don a blindfold to ensure he is not inadvertently giving the dog signals which a visually impaired individual would not be able to give to the dog. This step is necessary and will ideally be completed a number of times without a problem before the dog is deemed to be ready for placement with a permanent owner.