A guide dog is above all a service and working dog for a visually impaired or blind person. He has only one master and dedicates his life to him as a companion.

Guide dogs help their owners avoid accidents by guiding them safely to pedestrian crossings and alerting them to other potential dangers such as sidewalks, stairs or escalators. Well educated, he can learn to fetch specific objects or open doors on command.

As you have probably already noticed, guide dogs are often purebred Labrador ou golden retriever. Indeed, these rather gentle and devoted dogs have the additional advantage of being at the right height for most adults and of not frightening passers-by with their jovial air. Other breeds can be chosen, such as the German shepherd or Royal poodle.

Guide dogs change the life of their master by making it safer but also by providing real company to feel less isolated. They can also create social bonds and that is why we choose cute dogs with a friendly air. However, if you come across a guide dog with its owner, don’t disturb them without permission from its owner. The dog is in labor and, distracted, he cannot adequately protect his master.

Guide dogs are selected when they are just puppies. Although they belong to breeds known to be gentle and docile, individual variability can exist and a blind guide dog cannot be fearful or unsociable. We follow them from birth until they are around 2 months old and we make sure that they are sociable, that their mother has a good character and that they are free from congenital disease. The selected puppies are generally courageous and rather docile.

They are then entrusted to a host family who will take care of making him discover life … the metro, the car, other dogs, men, women, children, the elderly, the elevator, the trucks- garbage cans, postmen on bicycles … The puppy must see everything and know as much of everyday life as possible (these rules actually apply to everyone puppies) to never be afraid of them when they start working with their owners. The foster family also regularly takes him to the guide dog school to take lessons and meet other puppies. Indeed, these families are not necessarily dog ​​professionals and the school does not leave them abandoned in the education of these precious future guide dogs. You can recognize the guide dog students by their blue vests edged in yellow.

During his stay with a foster family, then thereafter, the future guide dog will be tested several times to find out if he is ready and suitable for his future life as a helper dog. If this is not the case (fearful dog, dog who does not like other dogs, distracted dog, who does not listen…), he is reformed. That is to say that he is excluded from this career and that he is entrusted to a family that can offer him the best living conditions for his development as a companion dog.

If they are selected, they will continue their training more intensively for 6 months and become real blind guide dogs (learn to walk with a harness…).

If you want to do a good deed while testing whether you are ready to adopt a large dog, becoming a foster family is ideal. It is a real but temporary commitment. Dry food is provided during the education period and veterinary expenses are reimbursed. Likewise, the association takes care of the dog when necessary.

You will be able to show your teenagers if they are able to take a dog out morning and evening and you will be able to learn how to train a dog. You will also be able to realize what it means to have a large dog at home, to take it everywhere with you and what it costs in particular the first year.

Please note, this is a real commitment and you will be responsible for the success of the education of this young dog who is already precious to a person who needs him.

You are blind and wish to adopt a guide dog. The dogs are allocated on file by the associations in charge of educating guide dogs. They are allocated to you free of charge and a follow-up by the educators and member of the association is made for life.. Contact associations in your area by following the links at the bottom of this article.