1. Puppy Raising: The process begins with selecting and raising suitable puppies that show potential for guide dog work. These puppies are often raised by volunteer puppy raisers who provide basic obedience and socialization training.
2. Formal Training: Once the puppies are around 18 months old, they enter a formal guide dog training program. Accredited guide dog training organizations conduct this training, which can last several months to a year.
3. Basic Obedience and Behavior Training: The dogs are taught basic obedience commands, such as sit, stay, come, and heel, to ensure they can be reliably controlled by their handler.
4. Navigation and Obstacle Avoidance: Trainers work with the dogs to develop their navigation skills and the ability to safely guide their handlers around various obstacles, such as curbs, stairs, and intersections.
5. Traffic and Safety Awareness: The dogs are trained to be attentive to traffic signals, sounds, and other cues to navigate safely in different environments, including busy streets.
6. Socialization: Guide dogs are exposed to various social situations to ensure they remain calm and well-behaved in public settings.
7. Commands and Techniques: The dogs learn specific commands and techniques to assist their handlers, such as guiding them to a specific location, finding chairs, locating entrances and exits, and avoiding hazards.
8. Certification: Upon completion of the training, the guide dogs undergo comprehensive evaluations and certification. Certified guide dogs meet strict standards for safety, reliability, and obedience.
9. Partnership with the Handler: Once certified, the dogs are paired with individuals who are blind or visually impaired. The handlers receive training alongside the dogs to learn how to effectively work with and communicate with their new guide dogs.
10. Ongoing Support: Guide dog organizations typically provide ongoing support and assistance to the handler-guide dog teams throughout their partnership.
It's worth noting that the specific training methods and approaches may vary slightly between different guide dog organizations. However, the overall objective is to ensure that guide dogs are capable of providing safe, reliable, and independent mobility for individuals with visual impairments.