Service Dog Breeds Guiding the Blind
According to the World Health Organization, there are an estimated 39 million people that
are blind worldwide.
Of that, an estimated 1.5 million children under the age of 15 are irreversibly blind.
Throughout human history, when man had a need, there’s been a dog there to offer a solution.
In many cases, guide dogs offer a life changing experience for the sightless among us.
I was eighteen, and that was my first kinda voyage of independence.
You know a seeing eye dog when you see him.
Of all the service dogs, the Seeing-Eye Dog or Guide Dog is probably the most prevalent
in the modern lexicon.
The guide dog has been a benchmark for service dogs of all types since the foundation of
The Seeing Eye school in Nashville, Tennessee in 1929.
Since then, a number of breeds have risen to the top of the class, let’s have a look
at them.
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Let’s get started.
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Here’s a Trivia Question: How much money does it take to breed, train and support a
guide dog throughout his working life?
See how you do by commenting below ad we’ll give you the answer later in this video.
Well, get to the top guide dogs breeds in a moment, but first, let’s look at how a
service dog helps his handler maintain independence despite losing one of our most treasured senses.
Studies show owning a pet or therapy animal offer many positive effects.
The guide dog especially comes with a variety of benefits and helps in many ways.
He gives a blind person more confidence, friendship, and security.
Blind people who use service animals have increased confidence in going about day-to-day
life and are comforted by a constant, consistent friend.
Companionship offered by a service dog helps reduce anxiety, depression, and loneliness.
Guide dogs make it easier to get around.
As a result, people are more willing to go places and feel a sense of independence.
Meeting new people and socializing is easier, and people are more likely to offer a blind
person help when there is a service animal present.
As a bonus, the animals may also lead to increased interaction with other people.
Guide dogs make the experience of the unknown more relaxing.
Owners of guide dogs share a special bond with their animal.
Many reports claim that the dog is a member of the family, and go to their guide for comfort
and support.
To them, the dog isn’t seen as a working animal, but more as a loyal friend.
Sammy and I are inseparable now. We do everything together and
Even if I'm away from her too long, she just knows if I'm upset.
She comes over to me and sticks her nose in my face.
Now let’s get to our top 5 service dog breeds guiding the blind.
1.
Labrador Retriever
Across the range of service dogs, the Labrador has emerged as the top contender for most
service dog jobs.
A Labrador Retriever is a highly versatile dog, with the smarts and curiosity to do a
wide variety of things.
He is hard-working with an extraordinary intelligence that makes him a good candidate for training.
A Lab is also known for his friendliness and sociability.
The Labrador sticks close and remains loyal, but doesn’t have the protective instinct
of many other breeds that can make it risky to take them into public areas.
In fact, he is friendly with everyone, including strangers, children, and other animals.
As with all service dogs, it is important to remember that these guide dogs are working
animals and shouldn’t be distracted, while they are working.
You have to remember that no matter how cute and friendly a service dog is that there is
a human being who’s life literally depends on him remaining focused.
2.
Golden Retriever
Like the Lab, the Golden Retriever is also highly intelligent and easy to train for a
wide variety of commands and tasks, he is particularly obedient, he enjoys having a
job and loves completing challenges.
He is also noted for getting along well with children and other animals.
An attribute that is often cited as making the Golden Retriever stand out from the pack
is his outstanding ability to tune into the needs of his two-legged companion, correcting
his guiding style to accommodate even the slightest discomfort, such as his handler
flinching when rubbing against a branch.
But, the dog saw the bus and sensing danger his protective instincts kicked in.
And this dog literally jumped in front of a bus for his owner.
What traits are we looking for in a guide dog?
A guide dog must remain focused on his tasks, must be intelligent and obey commands, must
be large enough to lead his companion while wearing a harness, and should ideally fit
comfortably on public transportation and beneath tables in restaurants and must be healthy
with enough stamina to do his job, all this while remaining social and friendly.
3.
Goldador
The Goldador is a Golden Retriever-Labrador Retriever Mix.
He is currently one of the most used breeds for guide dog work.
If you have one great dog and mix it with another great dog, chances are you’ll get
an even greater dog.
And in the case of the Goldador, that’s exactly what you get.
According to the UK-based Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, “Historically the Golden
Retriever crossed with the Labrador has produced the most successful guide dog of all, combining
many of the great traits of both breeds.”
4.
German Shepherd Dog
Originally guide dogs were primarily German Shepherds.
They were selected because they were widely available after World War I, they were being
very well bred to work, could work very long hours, were easy to train, and were good at
working out problems or situations for which they were not trained.
Later most programs switched to Labrador Retrievers because the German Shepherds were not suited
for many clients.
Shepherds require confident owners with some skill at training and handling dogs.
This is not to say he’s still not in use.
He is still one of the most highly intelligent breeds around and for the right person is
one of the best breeds for the job of a guide dog.
Here’s the answer to your trivia question: It costs around $64,000 US to breed, train
and support a guide dog throughout the working life of these highly trained dogs, according
to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.
It can take up to two years of training for each dog, says the Guide Dogs of America.
5.
Labradoodle
We are quite fond of the Labradoodle.
You take all the great qualities that make the Lab an excellent service dog, add the
intelligence and hypoallergenic nature of the Poodle and you get an A-Class Guide dog
that won’t leave his sightless companion with watery eyes and sneezing fits.
Originally developed to be hypoallergenic guide dogs, the first planned crosses of Poodles
and Labrador Retrievers were arranged by the Royal Guide Dogs Association of Australia.
The result was a smart and sociable dog who not only possessed a nature appropriate for
a guide dog but also had a low-shedding coat.
Why is he down here at number 5?
As a hybrid, the breed has not yet achieved consistent results in coat or temperament,
but he’s getting there.
In the future, it’s highly likely that he’ll become the de facto
Guide Dog.
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