1. History

The history of guide dogs can be traced back to the early 19th century. In 1819, a man named Hale John founded the world's first guide dog training institution in Vienna. The textbook "Guide Dog Training Guidelines" also came out later. However, it did not receive widespread attention at the time. It was almost a hundred years later that people began to pay attention to guide dogs, because after World War I, many German soldiers lost their eyesight. Doctor Jahad opened the world's first guide dog training school in Germany.

In 1928, an American Ms. Just established a blind training institution in Switzerland called "Sight". Guide dogs and their training became known to other countries around the world thanks to her introduction. In 1931, Ms. Yost officially opened a guide dog training school in the UK. Over the next few years, guide dogs were introduced to Australia and other parts of the world.

Currently, there are 60 countries in the world using guide dogs, and there are a total of 110 guide dog associations. Most of these institutions are private non-profit charities.

2. Breeds

There are many dog ​​breeds that can actually be trained to become guide dogs, but the common breeds are Labradors, golden retrievers, German wolfhounds, poodles, etc. Like little Q is a Labrador. There are also some that are bred through planned breeding, such as the guide dog Ohara and the golden Labrador. The vast majority of guide dogs are puppies born in guide dog schools with excellent pedigrees. This is not vanity, but because as a working dog, for human safety and training cost considerations, its pedigree must be clearly understood. There must be no record of attacking humans, and no history of any genetic diseases. In China, the puppies that generally receive guide training belong to two dog breeds—golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers. According to reports, "these two types of dogs are moderate in size and easy to pull; they have gentle and peaceful personalities, are not easily affected by external stimuli, and will not leave their owners casually."

Three and four don’t ask questions

If we encounter guide dogs on the road, we should follow the following principles.

Four don’ts:

No feeding: Never feed guide dogs! Prevent guide dogs from being easily distracted by food after coming into contact with human food, putting their owners in danger!< /p>

No petting: Please do not pet the dog without informing the owner, as this will distract the guide dog in motion.

Do not call: Do not deliberately make any noise to attract the attention of the guide dog to prevent the guide dog from being distracted and causing danger to the visually impaired.

No rejection: Guide dogs are the eyes for the visually impaired. Refusal to accompany a guide dog will cause significant inconvenience. The "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Disabled Persons" has been amended to stipulate that guide dogs can freely enter and exit public transportation and public places, and guide dogs must not be refused entryor impose additional conditions.

One question:

Ask proactively: If you encounter a visually impaired person with a guide dog, regardless of whether there is someone accompanying you, please take the initiative to ask if you need help, and provide assistance after obtaining consent.