Guide Dogs

Service dogs for blind navigation

Overview

Guide dogs are assistance dogs trained to lead people who are blind or have low vision around obstacles and hazards. The dog works in a harness with a rigid handle, through which the handler senses its movements, while the handler gives directional commands and remains responsible for navigation. Guide dogs are taught intelligent disobedience, refusing a command that would put the team in danger, such as stepping into traffic. Organized guide dog training began in Germany during and after the First World War to assist blinded soldiers, and the American Dorothy Harrison Eustis, after writing about the German program, helped found The Seeing Eye in the United States in 1929. Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, crosses between them, and German Shepherds are commonly used breeds. Puppies are typically raised by volunteer families before formal training with professional instructors, after which dogs are matched to handlers and trained together as a team. Many countries grant guide dog teams legal rights of access to public places, and working dogs are generally retired after several years of service.