It requires enormous efforts and interests to train a guide dog. The great endeavors and participations of both trainers and many volunteers enable to deliver the superb guide dogs

Guide Dog's Lifetime

1. breding - 2. puppy walking - 3. training

번식 (Breeding): Dogs raised at guide dog schools are born of selected father dogs and mother dogs. Guide dog parents are chosen from among the dogs of the best character and lineage. Mating breeding is common, but artificial insemination techniques are sometimes used. The cultivaion of excellent guide dogs starts with breeding, and the acquisition and management of good parents is very important.

퍼피워킹 (Puppy Walking): A 8~9 week-old puppy born at a guide dog school is taken care of and goes through the process of socialization. These volunteers are unpaid volunteers called "Puppywalkers". During puppy walking , vaccinations and basic breeding supplies are supported by guide dog schools and trainers visit their homes regularly to help with socialization training and breeding control. During this period, the dog will be checked regularly and castrated if it is not a potential breeding dog.

안내견 훈련 (Guide Dog Training): After a year of Puppy Walking, the dogs will undergo a comprehensive evaluation to test their suiability as guide dogs, and only successful dogs will be trained to become guide dogs. The training period is six to eight months, and varies slightly depending on the country and training institutions. The training will be conducted in various environments such as roads, shopping malls, and transportation. The training process consists of basic training such as dog toilets and meals, obedience training, intellectual disobedience(training to recognize obstacles and dangerous situations and act safely regardless of the owner's order), walking training, transprotation training in various situations, ets. Dogs that are judged ineligible as guide dogs will be welcomed into ordinary households as pets.

시각장애인과의 만남 (Matching): The process of finding the most suitable guide dog for the visually impaired people is called "Matching". The procedure includes considering the person's personality, occupation, walking stride/speed, health condition and the living environment. This requires a thorough understanding of the characteristics of the object and provides detailed information through several interviews with prospective partners. Matching is a very important process, and it has a significant impact on the successful performance of guide dogs with sufficient ability.

파트너 교육 (Client Training): Once the suitable guide dog is selected, the prospective partner will go through a four-week curriculum with the guide dog. During the two-week training period, the partner will stay at the guide dog school lodging and receive basic education for general management of guide dogs, and for the remaining two weeks, local education will be conducted mainly in the homes and major walking areas of partner. During this time, the partner and the guide dog have already built a close relationships based on mutual trust.

사후 관리 (Follow-Up): Even after the dogs are matched, the trainers regularly visit their homes to closely check the health of guide dogs and take measures accordingly, along with its walking conditions with the partner. The trainers visit them twice a year for follow up and conduct occasional visits as needed.

은퇴견 관리 (Home-care for Retired Guide dogs): Retired guide dogs are consigned to volunteer homes (retired dog home care) or returned to guide dogs school for the rest of their lives. A new guide dog will be given to the partners as a replacement. Also, they will go through the curriculum.