Assistance Dogs

AnSci 200 Final Exam

What are other names for the “seeing eye” dog?

• Guide dogs

• Pilot dogs

True or False: Seeing Eye dogs are considered the ultimate companion animal

True

How many people in the U.S. are blind or visually impaired?

20 million people

What is the origin of guide dogs?

100 BC Germanic King

When did the German Shepherd Society open the first training school?

In 1916

Why did the first training school for guide dogs open in 1916?

Because dogs were intended to lead Germany’s blind war veterans after WWI

When and where did the “Seeing Eye” open?

In 1929, located in Morristown, NJ

• America’s first guide dog school

When is international guide dog day?

The last Wednesday in April

True or False: Guide dogs ARE NOT trained to distinguish red and green traffic lights

TRUE: dogs are red/green color blind

How many guide dog schools are there in the U.S.

~ 17 schools

How many guide dog schools are in Wisconsin?

2

How many new dog graduates are there each year?

~ 2,500

What is IDGF?

The International Guide Dog Federation

Who pays for guide dog training?

All schools are non-profit and run from donations, bequests, grants, wills, trusts, memorial, and honor donations

How much does it cost to breed, raise, train, and place a guide dog?

About $50,000+

True or False: Most schools charge nothing (or a very nominal fee) for their dogs

True

What are the 3 seeing eye breeds?

1. Golden Retrievers

2. German Shepherds

3. Labrador Retrievers

What percentage of dogs do schools obtain from their own breeding programs or contract breeding?

95% of their dogs

Why choose these 3 breeds?

• Grooming: shorter hair is easier to take care of

• Height: with harness, it’s easy to walk with them

• Walking Pace: not too fast or slow

When are puppies normally given to the families to be trained?

At 7-8 weeks old

What is the most important factor when raising puppies to be guide dogs?

Make sure they are exposed to social situations (restaurants, schools, buses, etc)

When are the puppies returned to start formal training at the schools?

Between 14-18 months

What happens during the first few weeks of school training

• Dogs are spayed/neutered

• Dogs are introduced to an unusual kennel experience

What do guide dogs have to be checked for (health-wise) during formal training

• Hip dysplasia

• Eye checks

• General soundness

True or False: from the first day of formal training, dogs are introduced to harness

True

5 Stages of Training

1. Preliminary Training

2. Later Training

3. Advanced Training

4. Final Test

5. Training with a Blind Person

What happens during preliminary training

• Introduction to distractions

• Most of training done on campus and quiet residential areas

What happens during later training

• Harness training in busier areas of town

• Curb checks and street crossing introduced

• Introduction to “intelligent disobedience”

• Preliminary blind fold and obedience test

What is intelligent disobedience

A trained skill where a dog uses its own judgement to refuse a cue if it’s unsafe or detrimental to its handler

What happens during advanced training

• Training on buses, trains, and subways

• Introduction to low overhead clearances

• Advanced off leash

• Final test 

What might be the hardest thing to train?

Low overhead clearances

How long does advanced training last?

Around 4 months

What happens during the final test?

• Dog must lead instructor blindfolded

• Off leash obedience 

• Distraction response

• Traffic training and intelligent disobedience

• Can the dog detect dips, doors, trees, signs, or fire hydrants?

What happens if a dog passes the final test along with all medical exams?

They are matched with a blind person

How long does student training last?

Between 28-40 days

Who is eligible for a seeing eye dog?

• If you are legally blind

• If you are physically and mentally healthy

  • Willing to walk a couple miles each day

• Over 16 years of age

• Physically able to walk several miles at a brisk pace every day

• Be able to provide a safe, stable, loving, and healthy home for your dog

What happens during student training?

• The students and dog are matched the first day

  • Dog stays with the student at all times: during meals, in the room, and during the day

• Students are taught basic commands and care

• Look at medical history

• Students work through many situations with their guide dogs from easy to hard

• Once skills are mastered the dogs will graduate 

How long do seeing eye dogs serve before they retire?

8-10 years

What happens once a seeing eye dog retires?

They can be kept or put up for adoption

True or False: During training, a dog may be rejected for temperament, inability to keep up with the rest of the group, or medical problems

True

Other examples of service dogs

1. Hearing Dogs

2. Seizure Alert Dogs

3. Physical Service Dogs

4. Psychiatric Service Animals

5. Therapy Animals, Emotional Support Animals

Where do hearing dogs mostly work?

In the home

How long does it take to train a hearing dog?

4-6 months

How much does training a hearing dog cost?

$25,000

What is the success rate for hearing dogs completing the program?

Only 1 in 4 dogs completes the program

Name at least three sounds hearing dogs are trained to recognize

• Fire and smoke alarms

• Telephone

• Oven timer

• Alarm clock

• Doorbell/knock

• Name call

• Baby cry

Can hearing dogs learn new sounds beyond the standard ones?

Yes, they can learn and respond to any repetitive sound

What is the main function of seizure alert dogs?

To alert owners several minutes before a seizure occurs

How do seizure alert dogs alert their owners?

Through vocalization or physical contact

Why must seizure dogs be trained with the epileptic owner?

To learn and respond to that specific individual’s seizure activity

What are two benefits of having a seizure alert dog?

Reduces risk of injury from falling and provides time to get help

Who do physical service dogs assist?

People with physical disabilities

List four tasks physical service dogs can perform

• Retrieve objects

• Pull wheelchairs

• Open/close doors

• Turn light switches on/off

What breeds are most commonly used as physical service dogs?

Labradors and Golden Retrievers

Can physical service dogs provide balance for walking?

Yes

Who are psychiatric service animals for?

People with psychiatric disabilities

List 2 tasks psychiatric service animals may perform

1. Stop damaging behaviors

2. Guide person to safety

3. Notice alarms or smoke

Are psychiatric service animals considered more than just pets?

Yes

Are therapy animals and emotional support animals considered service animals under the ADA?

No

Are therapy and emotional support animals still important?

Yes, but they are not in the same category as service animals

ADA definition for service animal

"“Any animal individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including, but not limited to, guiding individuals with impaired vision, alerting individuals who are hearing impaired to intruders or pulling a wheelchair, or fetching dropped items”

• Any animal: limited to: dogs, horses (with some limitations)

True or False: Dogs can be trained to detect diseases

True: possibly smell out cancer or diabetes