Tasks of a guide dog
Guide dogs support their owners in many areas of life. They are specially trained to recognize dangers, avoid obstacles, and provide orientation. The most important tasks of a guide dog are:
- Safe driving on roads, sidewalks and in public transport
- Recognize and skillfully circumvent obstacles
- Providing orientation in new or unfamiliar environments
- Emotional support and security in everyday life
Guide dogs typically know between 40 and 70 commands. Did you know, for example, that a guide dog can find an empty seat on a bus or knows the way to the doctor's office?
In addition to these tasks, the guide dog is always focused on its assigned person. It does not respond to instructions from strangers and should never be distracted or touched while working. It is important that the owner consistently separates work and leisure time for the guide dog. When the dog is wearing its guide dog harness, it is on duty. During its well-deserved breaks, however, it should simply be a dog and romp around with other dogs.
How is a guide dog trained?
Training a guide dog is demanding and requires extensive expertise and patience. While the training period at a guide dog school can vary, it typically lasts no longer than 18 months and is divided into several phases. Beyond this initial period, the guide dog continues to learn so that it can safely guide its handler to new locations, for example.
1. Puppyhood and godparent family
The dog is first tested for temperament and health while still a puppy. Some guide dog schools even breed their own guide dogs.
If the puppy meets all the requirements, it usually spends about a year with a foster family where it undergoes intensive socialization. There, it learns how to interact with people, other dogs, loud noises, and public transportation. Basic behaviors such as housebreaking and peaceful behavior are also trained.
2. Intensive training at the guide dog school
Here, the dogs learn to walk safely in a harness, recognize obstacles, and execute commands such as "Go," "Find the traffic light," "Sit," or "Down." The training usually takes place with sighted people who supervise the exercises and reinforce successes with praise or rewards.
3. Getting-to-know-you phase
After training, the familiarization phase between the dog and its future owner begins. This starts at the training facility and continues in the visually impaired person's neighborhood. This phase lasts two to four weeks and is designed to determine whether the dog and person work well together as a team.
4. Team test
The training concludes with the team test. Here, dog and handler must demonstrate that they can work together safely, understand commands, and reliably avoid drops.
Anyone wishing to train a guide dog should always contact professional organizations. The training is complex and requires experienced trainers and consistent practice. For this reason, guide dogs are correspondingly expensive and can cost up to €30,000.
Which breeds are suitable as guide dogs?
Not every dog is suitable for the demanding work of a guide dog. The dog's shoulder height should be between 50 and 65 cm to ensure the guide dog harness fits properly. Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German Shepherds are particularly common. These breeds are characterized by their calm nature, high trainability, and excellent social skills.
Besides these classic breeds, there are also mixed breeds that, due to their personality and character, can take on the tasks of a guide dog. Crucially, the dog must be patient, attentive, and resilient.
Important information for dealing with guide dogs in everyday life
Guide dogs are highly focused while working. To ensure they can perform their tasks safely, the following applies:
- Do not touch or distract the dog while it is working in a harness.
- Keep your distance and don't demand attention
- Conversations or play offers only outside of the dog's working hours.
Guide dogs are cute, no doubt. But these rules are essential to ensure human safety and allow the dog to concentrate properly.
