Guide Dog Training For The Disabled

A guide dog proves the fact that a dog is man's best friend. A dog undergoes rigorous training and assessment sessions to become a guide dog so that it can help physically impaired people (especially blind people) lead better lives. Training of a guide dog starts when it is 12 months old. It is at this age that they are brought to the guide dog training centers. At this time they go through vigorous assessment for their health, temperament and physical strength and endurance.

The instructors keep a note of the dog's reactions to various common-place situations. They assess if the dogs are distracted by cats, food, noise, other dogs or any other circumstances likely to produce anxious reactions in general pet dogs. Based upon these reactions only a selected few dogs are chosen for guide dog training. Then they have to undergo rigorous training sessions that last 4-6 months.

One dog is assigned to each of the visually impaired person and a separate trainer is assigned to train both of them. This is because as a dog needs to be trained to work according to instructions and situations, similarly, the disabled person also needs to be trained to how to keep the dog under control, always. Every person gets a guide dog that suits his/her personal requirements. This is usually found out by a questionnaire filled in by the person in need of a guide dog. The training program is also based on the same questionnaire.

During the training session a dog is taught many things like straight line walking, obeying commands (stop, left, right, forward, slow), ignoring distractions (cats, food, other dogs). Also the dogs are trained to stay in suburbs, rural areas or city centers. A dog is also trained to do certain work independently like walking past obstacles, maneuvering its way in crowd, notice obstacles that are hanging in it handlers way (like tree branches). Lot of encouragement and praise makes them work harder and attain perfection.

During the final stages of the training program a dog is taken for trips to public places like suburban railway stations and other places for access to public transport, banks, post office, shops, etc. A guide is also checked for traffic safety before being declared as one. A dog is even taught to refuse to obey a command of its handler for safety reasons. Thus a dog is trained to take sensible decisions to the extent possible.

At the end of the training the instructor walk in light proof glasses so that he can't see and the dog is meant to act like a guide dog for a person who is visually impaired. After a dog passes this final test it is passed over to the handler. This is the most crucial part of the training as after this period the dog and the handler have to be each other's mutual support without any intervention or support from the trainer.

At the end of the program the dog and the handler have to go through a test together to prove that they can work together as a team. Post that, the handler receives a veterinary certificate, a passport (for the dog) and special dog equipment.

Crating Your Puppy

A crate is an important tool in housebreaking a new dog. It is nothing but a movable bed in the form of a flat basket. Most have soft bedding inside them to make the puppy comfortable. Crating will help your puppy know his own space inside the house. Dogs generally do not like to soil the place they sleep in. Hence they will avoid "accidents" near the crate. Thus crates are a great tool in potty training new puppies. Most dogs prefer to sleep in den-like spaces. This explains why your puppy crawls under the bed or the table. Positioning the crate in such a space will coax the puppy to use it. If your puppy is in his safe place, he will naturally not have destructive tendencies as seen in puppies who feel insecure in their environment. Puppies get anxious when left alone. They have just been separated from their mother and look at you for security and love. When you are not there, a properly crated puppy turns to his crate for comfort. When introducing your puppy to the crate for the first time, praise him and gently coax him into it. Place the crate next to your bed at night to give the puppy a sense of security.For him to do this, you have to first let him 'know' his crate. Make the puppy stay in his crate for small periods and then longer periods extending up to a few hours when you are home with him. Do not force him to get inside the crate. You may even have to "bribe" him by putting in some treat. You could even feed your puppy in the crate. Let him know that this is his safe place to rest. Make sure that your puppy has done his job before you put him in the crate. Just like you would with a child, ensure that he empties his bladder before putting him to bed. Smaller puppies have less bladder control and need to urinate frequently. It is advised not to crate puppies below 4 months for over 3 hours at a stretch. At night, older animals can be crated for up to 5 hours.While buying a crate for your puppy, it is important to buy one that is appropriate for his size. Remember to buy one according to his breed too, so that the crate is neither too big nor too small for him later. If you have bought a bigger crate for your puppy considering his future growth, block one section of the crate so that the puppy does not feel insecure. Always remove the dog's collar before crating so that he can be comfortable. Dogs that have been properly crated will be secure and happy. You can use the crate while traveling or if you need to leave your dog with friends, if you go out of station.