Assistance dogs are not just for blind or visually impaired people. Today, these dogs help people with a range of conditions enjoy full lives.
Guide Dogs
Guide dogs, also known as Seeing Eye dogs, help blind and visually impaired people live independent lives. These dogs "see" for their owners and help them travel safely to work, school and other destinations. Guide dogs are trained to stop to alert their owners if there are changes in elevation ahead, such as curb or stairs, of if there are overhead obstacles, such as low-hanging tree branches.
German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are usually chosen to serve as guide dogs. Puppies live with volunteer families until they are 1 year old and then spend the next four to six months learning how to assist blind and visually impaired owners. Once they meet training requirements, they are matched with an owner.
Hearing Dogs
It's not easy to be deaf or hard of hearing in a world full of sounds. Hearing dogs offer a valuable service by alerting their owners to important sounds, including ringing telephones, crying babies, doorbells or buzzing smoke alarms. These mixed breed dogs are typically a little smaller than guide dogs and are often rescued from animal shelters. They receive specialized training that allows them to make sure that deaf and hard of hearing people do not miss important auditory cues.
Guide Dogs
Guide dogs, also known as Seeing Eye dogs, help blind and visually impaired people live independent lives. These dogs "see" for their owners and help them travel safely to work, school and other destinations. Guide dogs are trained to stop to alert their owners if there are changes in elevation ahead, such as curb or stairs, of if there are overhead obstacles, such as low-hanging tree branches.
German Shepherds, Golden Retrievers and Labrador Retrievers are usually chosen to serve as guide dogs. Puppies live with volunteer families until they are 1 year old and then spend the next four to six months learning how to assist blind and visually impaired owners. Once they meet training requirements, they are matched with an owner.
Hearing Dogs
It's not easy to be deaf or hard of hearing in a world full of sounds. Hearing dogs offer a valuable service by alerting their owners to important sounds, including ringing telephones, crying babies, doorbells or buzzing smoke alarms. These mixed breed dogs are typically a little smaller than guide dogs and are often rescued from animal shelters. They receive specialized training that allows them to make sure that deaf and hard of hearing people do not miss important auditory cues.
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