If not all, most golden retrievers are used as guide dogs and mobility assistance dogs because of their sociability towards people, calmness and willingness to learn. Young puppies that are confident, friendly, healthy and responsive are then picked to be placed in volunteer families called puppy raisers. Puppy raisers are responsible for socialization and developing the pup’s social behavior in general Dog training Houston. Socialization is a requirement to proceed to next step which is the golden retriever training for guide dogs.
While being with them, it is the family’s responsibility to socialize the pups until they are around 12 to 14 months of age. Just like with other breeds, socializing pups intended as guide dogs must include activities such as visiting various places, especially those they will encounter later in the hopes of getting them used to the sight, sound and smell of the much bigger world outside. They must also be regularly brought to guide dog centers in order to familiarize them to their next abode.
Being a puppy raiser is a happy and sad experience. For about a year, you will get to experience the joys of spending time and caring for these adorable creatures, and will surely break your heart when the time has come for you to return them for their formal golden retriever training for guide dogs.
Dogs reliably trained with basic commands such as sit, down, stay, come, stand and heel and are qualified after assessment has been done will then undergo intensive guide dog training which usually lasts for five months. During the intensive training, the dog will learn how to walk in a straight line without sniffing at the same time learn to ignore distractions like cats, birds, vehicles and others. They will also learn to stop and avoid obstacles at head height, top and bottom of stairs and spaces too narrow for them to walk through. Also, included in their training are travelling on all forms of public transport, finding its way to destination, behaving properly in public places such restaurants and park and the most challenging of all, to ignore or disobey the handler’s command to walk into a hole, overhangs and other obstacles.
If not all, most of these tasks are mastered through consistency, repetition and lavish praise and encouragement. It is also equally important that other people are informed to cooperate with the guide dog and the person he is guiding. How to do this? Simple… not to succumb into the desire to pet, distract, whistle or give food to the dog while he is working as this may pose danger.