Why Do Guide Dogs Are So Important for Us?

Have you ever been in a difficult situation alone? If so, we feel sorry for you, if not - you have to remember that it's better when somebody is always by your side. If not a person, but a dog.

Our four legged friends will help us whatever the circumstances. They willingly carry us in a sled, hunt with us and guard our families.

A guide dog is a great helper by no means. Guide dog is a specially trained dog, the main goal of which is to help asistless people. Guide dogs give the most useful support and help blind people.

Guide dogs appeared long ago, not nowadays. From olden times they have been helping blind people to moove about. F.e., there is an information about Johan Klein, a wise man, who established the society of guide dogs training. Far in 1819 he published a book, where he described how to use guide dogs to help blind people.

Guide dogs professional training had been started in 1915. French and German training centres were the first. Guide dogs became indispensable helpers for soldiers with eye injuries as they couldn't moove without exterior help. These soldiers needed guide people, but guide dogs replaced them. Guide dogs have been started to be trained in many other countries with time.

In USSR dog trainers began to prepare guide dogs after the Second World War. Many soldiers lost their sight in the war and they needed to be recalled to life, to get a hope for the best and freedom of movement. It were guide dogs who brought them back to life.

Nowadays guide dogs rank high in a long list of helpers for blind people. They are compared with technical devices of particular accuracy, identify these animals with gages of temperature and pressure. There is also a law in some countries, which says that special allowance is set and paid for guide dogs keeping (f.e. in Russia).

Guide dogs should be trained within 10 months. Not every cynologist can cope with this task at once.

Border Collie with Nylon Guide Dog Harness

After all the dog must remember not only many different nuances, but also how to respond to signals and commands during the coure of training. The dog should let the handler know about problems on the road, beginning with a small pool to the cut-down tree and a deep pit.

Guide dogs can even warn the owner against blow of a branch or a low ceiling. Additionally, they response to basic commands ("Down", "Come" etc.) accurately. Guide dogs don't pay attention to all foreign objects, such as flying birds, cats passing by, other people. These dogs are also friendly, they can't attack, and they also don't know "Attack" dog command.

Rigid requirements are applied to guide dogs. They should be hardy, have steady mind morally and physically. Guide dogs should never be afraid of public and any other transport, to feel well during a trip without being sick.

German Shepherds are considered to be the most skilful. They are smart, easy-going and devoted. Labradors and Belgian Shepherds are also good guides. They will become the eyes of those who need the help in a literal sense.

It appears that guide dogs are trained to perform special commands, but only being with special equipment (guide dog harness). It is strictly forbidden to feed and especially to pet guide dogs during training, and furthermore during work. These trained dogs behave themselves as domestic pets without a leash at the same time.

Collies are the most reliable guide dogs. This dog is a prop and stay of the person. Collie can become a true faithful friend even for a child.

Female dogs are better for guide work, they are more kind-hearted, peaceful and complaisant.

The best guide dog harnesses, click on the pictures!

Read also who is a guide dog?

Learn about guide dogs training.