Each of us treats dogs differently: someone is afraid of them, and someone has been dreaming since childhood about a furry friend. However, there is a category of people whose life is simply impossible without this four-legged helper. These are people with disabilities. They give themselves guide dogs, which drive them along the street and are generally around the clock. These are their ears or eyes.
What is their importance
Such a profession in dogs appeared several centuries ago. And this happened on the territory of modern England. But the first school for the training of guide dogs was opened in Germany after the First World War. Then veterans of these terrible events were in dire need of them.
Then such schools began to appear in America and England. Now in every country there are institutions in this area where dogs are trained, and their skills are improved every year. In Russia, such a practice began to be mastered only in 1960.
The laws state that a guide dog can accompany a person almost everywhere: in public transport, in a store, cafe or restaurant, and even on an airplane. After all, this is not just a favorite, but the second pair of eyes for a blind person. And a person who does not let such a couple into a restaurant or a store will face criminal liability.
And in Germany they even erected a monument to such a dog. Indeed, many cases have been recorded in the world when a guide saved his master’s life: he pulled him out of the fire or from a building that is collapsing.
Most often, guide dogs for the blind are brought in because these people cannot normally walk along the street, and this causes a lot of problems. When a guide appears in the life of a blind person, he seems to find a second pair of eyes. With this dog, he can go to various places where he has not been before and can be sure that he will definitely return home. And also you can not worry that someone will steal a wallet or attack it.
If before the appearance of this pet, a blind person could not leave even the open spaces of the apartment, then after buying such a puppy he begins to live a new life. After all, now you can go out, chat with people, visit new places and experience joy. It is as if a person comes back to life, begins to feel, love, feel again.
Not every puppy can become a guide. Dog handlers already in two months begin to choose the most calm and complaisant doggie. In addition, it is preferable if it is a bitch. Since males can not help but pay attention to the flowing bitch, which can lead to unforeseen consequences.
There are a number of requirements that canine dogs put forward to these dogs:
- The average size is not less than 68 centimeters at the withers.
- Hearing and vision should be excellent.
- It must be a very friendly and friendly dog.
- And most importantly, he must be able to restrain any instinct.
Among the variety of breeds are the best guide dogs: German Shepherd, Collie, Labrador.
German shepherd dogs
This breed shows excellent results in many areas of life and also successfully acts among the breeds of guide dogs for the blind. Still, they are very brave and funny, quickly learn various teams and show incredible devotion to the owner.
Often you can meet this breed in the police service, they can become lifeguards. Many cases were recorded when a German shepherd pulled people out of fire and water. If you train such a puppy, then a high-class guide dog will come out of it, the photo of which is presented below.
Collie
Another kind and smart breed. The main task for a collie is to protect the owner, especially if it is a child. She puts human safety first and only then thinks about her own health. In ancient times, it was the helpers of the shepherds who guarded the cattle. And now they are used as watchmen. And here's how a collie guide dog can be seen more often with young children.
Labrador
There are several varieties of this breed, but for a guide dog the name sounds like a Labrador Retriever. Why exactly them? Because it is the most friendly and faithful look. Over the years of training, it is they who exhibit incredible intelligence and quick wit, they are able to control any of their emotions.
Retrievers are brought in to help the disabled and the blind around the world. They are constantly nearby and become one with their master. Over time, the retriever can learn almost everything. He knows how to turn off the light, bring various items for the owner and even medicine. Therefore, they can be safely put in first place among guide dogs.
Guide Dog Training
An important point in the maintenance of the guide dog breed is training. After all, the health, and sometimes even the life of a sick person, depends on how trained the dog is. The pet must study all the routes of the owner to the smallest detail. He must bring him from home to the store, hospital, to work and to other places where people are used to going.
To go out with a guide dog, no matter what breed she had, is possible only with full confidence that he is trained in all routes and knows how to restrain his instincts. There is a whole list of teams that are required to be studied by guide dogs whose names were given above.
Movements and turns
For training these teams, dog handlers have special training grounds on which there are many paths. Dogs are led along them and taught to walk with absolutely calm steps, as well as stop on time. The dog must stop moving at the very first request of the owner. To this end, the cynologist pronounces the phrase "Stand" and abruptly freezes in place. Assignment Assistant immediately complete the assignment.
The development of such an instinct occurs over time. The dog stops under any circumstances, even if it does not see it as necessary.
Obstacles and their bypass
It seems impossible to train this dog. After all, the task of the guide is to inspect the entire space around the blind and warn him in time of danger. Moreover, there are obstacles that are absolutely not significant for the dog, but important for humans. It can be various branches, wires, peaks or small dimples. The dog’s task is to prevent the collision of any obstacle with the blind.
Training is carried out in ordinary courtyards or streets, where there are a variety of obstacles at various heights. Here, the dog handler will take advantage of the already familiar commands - "Stand" and "Fu." How to explain everything to a pet? The dog handler takes a cane with which the blind usually go, and moves around the site. When an obstacle is detected, the already learned command sounds, requiring a stop. And then the trainer taps the obstacle with a stick, explaining to the dog why there was a stop.
A guide must respond to these movements. If there is no reaction, then the person forcibly turns the dog. And the dog, which coped with the task and led the owner through the obstacles safe and sound, must be rewarded with delicacy and praise.
Narrow aisles
Training is possible only after mastering the previous paragraph. Everything here is similar to training with obstacles. After tapping, the dog should go around objects that are too close and lead the owner so that he does not catch anything.
Stairs
Here the main words will be: “Forward” and “Quiet”. When the dog steps to the first step, the command “Quiet” sounds and a light tapping of the stick is heard, then “Forward” and the guide rises one more step, and then again “Quiet” and tapping. Thus, the dog must go through all the steps.
Similarly, pets are trained to overcome various pits, ravines and other irregularities.
City streets
This skill must be possessed by a guide who works with a blind person. All previously studied teams are used here, and in addition to this, the dog must remember the names of all places where the owner and the road to them can go. But this is not the most difficult.
The dog handler’s task is to teach the dog all the skills that a person possesses, namely:
- distinguish between traffic signals;
- walk on the right side of the street;
- teach the rules of crossing the road where there is no traffic light.
Having heard the word "Park", the guide should immediately orient and bring the owner to the destination.
Acquaintance and getting used to the owner
When the animal goes through all the above stages of training, it is time to get acquainted with the owner. After all, he was taught the routes along which he would walk, acquainted with his habits and characteristics. But in this matter, much depends on the person, on his behavior and reaction to the dog.
You must constantly be in contact with the pet. Feed him, praise for completing tasks, talk more so that he gets used to the voice of the owner and can immediately respond to any of his commands. At this stage, the trainer accompanies new acquaintances in order to control the process of their movement along the street. However, he follows a little distance and just observes.
In some schools, not only dogs are taught, but also people. There is a special two-week course in which the future owner is taught to give commands correctly, look after the pet, move correctly and react to the actions of the dog. For this period, a person is lodged in a special room, which is located right at the school and introduced to the future roommate and assistant.
Within a few days, the pet moves to its new owner’s room, where they learn to live together. Cases of dog abandonment are minimized. Almost always, man and animal get along well with each other.
Trainers mistakes
Some dog handlers allow themselves to be rude to animals and require them to execute commands through violence.
It is impossible to praise a pet if he is aggressive towards various animals and people he meets. And some trainers practice such incentives.
Many people want to train one dog as soon as possible in order to start working with another. This cannot be done. All teams need to be taught consistently and efficiently. Work out every movement and every sound, because someone’s health and even life depends on it.
During training, you must use clearly visible barriers that would immediately attract the attention of the guide.
What should a dog be able to
These skills are considered mandatory for a dog that has been chosen as a guide for a blind person:
- The dog should focus on a specific task and not respond to his own desires and instincts.
- He must be able to overcome any obstacles in his path and warn the owner about them in advance so that he can react in time.
- To be able to direct the blind to any ascents and descents.
- The dog must skillfully drive a person along the city streets so that he does not collide with people and other obstacles. He must know the basic rules of crossing the street, and also respond to traffic signals.
- Memorize all the routes of the owner and accurately bring him to his destination, and then return to his home address just as accurately.
Helping the Blind of Russia
Statistics show that now in the Russian Federation there are approximately 240 thousand people who cannot see. But, unfortunately, even half do not have a guide dog. This is a shame to say, because in Europe, almost every blind person has such a pet.
Perhaps this is due to the fact that in our country there are not many schools that teach animals such skills. Is it possible to get such a pet in Russia at all? Can. But for this you need to collect a lot of certificates, first of all, the disability of the first group of vision. And also you need to visit a rehabilitation center where the doctor can give a direction in which it is indicated that the blind person needs a guide dog. But that is far from all. If you have the indicated certificates, a survey of living conditions will be carried out.
Based on this inspection, a commission from the social service will be able to conclude whether a person needs such a pet. If the conclusion is positive, then a request will be sent to the school for the training of such dogs, and only then canine dogs begin training the dog.
To learn one such dog, the school needs 250 thousand rubles and eight months of time. Here they can train not only a guide for the blind, but also a dog-therapist, who will be next to children who have mental or physical disabilities.