Raising a future guide dog is a rewarding and challenging experience. With your help, a puppy will learn all the basics to help them succeed in formal training. While future guide dog is a big name to live up to, we do things in small steps with a focus on three important goals:
- Good house manners
- Clean in the house.
- Trustworthy loose in house for up to 3 hours.
- Does not use furniture or counter surf.
- Ability to entertain themselves without constant engagement.
- Calm greetings.
- Ability to settle in and out of the home
- No separation anxiety when left alone.
- Settles quietly in any environment.
- Settles until released.
- Reliable relief routine
- Clean on walks.
- Relieves on cue, on any surface.
With your Puppy Development Trainer’s approval, some nice to have skills that will further help them to succeed are:
- Good leash skills
- Successful, clean 40 minute walk around busy park and all environments.
- Ability to work past a dog park or dogs barking with minimal support.
- Loose leash walking or minimal tension.
- Not pulling left, right or cutting you off on leash.
- Continuously walking without stopping or needing to be lured.
- Good understanding of obedience cues.
- Respond to verbal cues indoors in a busy spot and hold until released.
- Respond to cues within 5-10 feet of another dog.
- Respond to verbal cues from any handler.