dog.
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Special delivery. Most guide-dog schools breed puppies for their programsâusually German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, or golden retrievers. When a new litter of guide-dog puppies is born, the school contacts a family from its list of puppy raisers and places the pups in a home. Then itâs up to the raisers to turn the eight- to twelve-week-old pups into mature, well-behaved dogs ready for guide-dog school.
Â
Raise with praise. Puppy raisers teach their dogs basic commands and good manners. A guide-dog puppy must be trained with love and affection. Praise, not punishment, is the way to a dogâs heart. Her raisers always praise her with hugs and kisses. They donât reward her with food. A guide dogâs favorite reward is making her companion happy. When she goes back to school, her instructors will focus on what she does right, not what she does wrong.
Â
On the town. The most important part of puppy raising is socializing the dog. That means exposing her to as many people and situations as possible. She needs to be comfortable wherever she goes. Her raisers walk her down busy sidewalks, past noisy construction sites, on city or school buses, up and down escalators, and through airports. Guide-dog puppies wear special vests to let people know they are in training. They are usually allowed to go places that other dogs canât. Some guide-dog puppies even accompany their raisers to school or work.
Â
Check up. The guide-dog school will have someone check on the puppyâs progress every month or so to make sure sheâs on track. And puppy raisers are required to take their pups to the vet for frequent exams. Puppy raisers may also attend âpuppy clubâ meetings to learn tips and talk to other raisers.
Â
Saying good-bye. This is the hard part. After a year of love and play, the raisers must return the dog to the guide-dog school. It is time to let her go. Sheâs old enough now to learn the skills she needs for her job. On the turn-in day, the raisers drive back to the school and hand her over.
Â
It can be very hard for raisers to give up the dog they love. She has become part of the family. But knowing that the dog will change a blind personâs life by giving him independence and dignity helps ease the pain of good-bye.
Â
Back to school. At the school, the young dog goes through a number of medical tests. Sheâll also be tested to see if she can follow basic commands. If she passes her medical exam and obedience test, itâs time to start special training to be a guide dog.
Â
Sheâll spend four months learning how to guide a blind person safely through streets and buildings. At the end of the four months, she will be paired with her blind companion. They will spend another month at the school learning how to work together. Then theyâll go home to start their new life.
Â
Career change. Not all trained puppies become guide dogs. The demands on a guide dog are heavy, and not all dogs can cope with them. Some dogs are trained for other kinds of work, such as drug detection for police departments or therapy visits to the elderly. If the school decides that the dog isnât right for any kind of work, she is adopted by a loving family. Her puppy-raising family is given the first chance to adopt her.
Â
Retirement. Guide dogs work with their blind companions for an average of ten years. They retire when they start to slow down and show signs of age. Sometimes the blind companion keeps his old dog as a pet. If not, the dog goes back to the school. There are long lists of families eager to share their homes with retired guide dogs.
DO YOU HAVE PUPPY-RAISER POTENTIAL?
Answer these questions with your family.
1. Can someone stay home with the pup all day?
2. Can someone walk and socialize the pup every day?
3. Will the pup have time to sleep during the day?
4. Will the pup be allowed to spend time inside?
5. Will
Â
Special delivery. Most guide-dog schools breed puppies for their programsâusually German shepherds, Labrador retrievers, or golden retrievers. When a new litter of guide-dog puppies is born, the school contacts a family from its list of puppy raisers and places the pups in a home. Then itâs up to the raisers to turn the eight- to twelve-week-old pups into mature, well-behaved dogs ready for guide-dog school.
Â
Raise with praise. Puppy raisers teach their dogs basic commands and good manners. A guide-dog puppy must be trained with love and affection. Praise, not punishment, is the way to a dogâs heart. Her raisers always praise her with hugs and kisses. They donât reward her with food. A guide dogâs favorite reward is making her companion happy. When she goes back to school, her instructors will focus on what she does right, not what she does wrong.
Â
On the town. The most important part of puppy raising is socializing the dog. That means exposing her to as many people and situations as possible. She needs to be comfortable wherever she goes. Her raisers walk her down busy sidewalks, past noisy construction sites, on city or school buses, up and down escalators, and through airports. Guide-dog puppies wear special vests to let people know they are in training. They are usually allowed to go places that other dogs canât. Some guide-dog puppies even accompany their raisers to school or work.
Â
Check up. The guide-dog school will have someone check on the puppyâs progress every month or so to make sure sheâs on track. And puppy raisers are required to take their pups to the vet for frequent exams. Puppy raisers may also attend âpuppy clubâ meetings to learn tips and talk to other raisers.
Â
Saying good-bye. This is the hard part. After a year of love and play, the raisers must return the dog to the guide-dog school. It is time to let her go. Sheâs old enough now to learn the skills she needs for her job. On the turn-in day, the raisers drive back to the school and hand her over.
Â
It can be very hard for raisers to give up the dog they love. She has become part of the family. But knowing that the dog will change a blind personâs life by giving him independence and dignity helps ease the pain of good-bye.
Â
Back to school. At the school, the young dog goes through a number of medical tests. Sheâll also be tested to see if she can follow basic commands. If she passes her medical exam and obedience test, itâs time to start special training to be a guide dog.
Â
Sheâll spend four months learning how to guide a blind person safely through streets and buildings. At the end of the four months, she will be paired with her blind companion. They will spend another month at the school learning how to work together. Then theyâll go home to start their new life.
Â
Career change. Not all trained puppies become guide dogs. The demands on a guide dog are heavy, and not all dogs can cope with them. Some dogs are trained for other kinds of work, such as drug detection for police departments or therapy visits to the elderly. If the school decides that the dog isnât right for any kind of work, she is adopted by a loving family. Her puppy-raising family is given the first chance to adopt her.
Â
Retirement. Guide dogs work with their blind companions for an average of ten years. They retire when they start to slow down and show signs of age. Sometimes the blind companion keeps his old dog as a pet. If not, the dog goes back to the school. There are long lists of families eager to share their homes with retired guide dogs.
DO YOU HAVE PUPPY-RAISER POTENTIAL?
Answer these questions with your family.
1. Can someone stay home with the pup all day?
2. Can someone walk and socialize the pup every day?
3. Will the pup have time to sleep during the day?
4. Will the pup be allowed to spend time inside?
5. Will
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