How many puppies are being raised by families at any given time?
Approximately 75-120 pups.
Approximately 75-120 pups.
There is no difference. The first guide dog school in America is called The Seeing Eye. They trademarked the term “Seeing Eye Dog”, but there is no significant difference between the training of a Guide Dog in Israel, and a Seeing Eye Dog from Morristown, New Jersey.
It varies depending on factors such as the number of breeding dogs and size of litters, and the number of dogs that are required to enter guide dog training.
No. A guide dog’s job is to lead a person who is blind safely. The breeds that are used for guide dogs are calm and non-aggressive, and they do not attack strangers or bite. It is extremely important that the dogs remain calm when they are working in crowded or noisy public places.
There is no difference.
All of the dogs we breed and raise assist someone in need. About half become guide dogs, and the rest that don’t meet our high standards are offered to people with Special Needs—such as a child who is blind or on the autism spectrum, IDF soldiers suffering from PTSD, or to those with other physical, emotional or psychological needs.
The average working life for a Guide Dog is 8 years. Retired Guide Dogs may be kept as pets by their blind partner, or adopted by a loving home such as the original puppy-raising family. We have a long waiting list of loving families who want to adopt retired dogs.
Labradors and Golden Retrievers (and first-crosses) have proven to be best suited to be guide dogs because they are highly trainable, responsive, intelligent, not easily distracted, and have calm temperaments. Occasionally, we provide German Shepherds if a student requests it, and we have provided Standard Poodles to students who are allergic to long-hair dogs.