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Guide Dogs Teach Unexpected Education Lessons To Students

(Photo Credit: Thinkstock)


This article is presented in partnership with CA Lottery.

What lessons can man's best friend teach children? How about the lessons of responsibility, awareness and following directions.

Students around the Los Angeles area have the opportunity to be exposed to the work of guide dogs in training. While at first young people are fascinated by the puppies' cuteness, they soon learn that these dogs are preparing for a real job, as "guide dogs" fall under the umbrella of service dogs. Students discover that guide dogs help people who are blind get around and regain their independence. They also learn that nothing of value comes without hard work.

When speakers from the philanthropic organization of Guide Dogs of America (GDA) visit area schools, they bring their adorable puppies-in-training and answer the questions of eager and excited students.

GDA provides guide dogs and instruction in their use, free of charge to blind and visually impaired men and women across the United States and Canada.

What students begin to recognize is just like themselves, these guide dogs are gaining an education. They understand the concept of training and why it's essential that it begins while the dogs are young. Students walk away valuing this "puppy education" and how the abilities to serve as human eyes can save human lives.

 

Value In Awareness

Introducing students to the fact that there are people who are blind or have very limited use of their eyes is very important life awareness knowledge. Lorri Bernson, Media & Community Liaison for Guide Dogs of America, said when talking with young people, their curiosity really kicks in when they find out that she is blind.

By her side is Carter, a Labrador Retriever who was trained from a pup to become a guide dog.

"Students want to learn how he helps me, how does he know when to cross streets? Teaching children about guide dogs allow us to teach them something that they may not be exposed to anywhere else," Bernson said.

For some students they have never really talked to a person who is blind. This experience help them learn to not take their own senses for granted. Bernson hopes this type of interactions with students helps to instill the fact that these puppies are being trained to have real "dog jobs." She also believes that once students equate the guide dogs to the safety and assistance of people who are blind, they can better value the guide dog's training.

Students are also able to see that in order for the dogs to be good at their jobs they must practice and study. As students learn the value of a guide dog's job, they also learn the value of practicing and studying for their own future success.

Bernson says the program speakers talk to students starting in the third grade. GDA can send a puppy raiser to speak at a local school, depending on scheduling and availability. There are many departments at Guide Dogs of America, some which include: The Breeding Program, Puppy Raising Program and Training Program. GDA also provides free advocacy service and follow-up for their dog graduates. The free public education programs include web site videos, facility tours and speaker programs that also educate business or individuals about access laws and guide dogs.

 

The Road To Graduation

Students learn that the discipline required to become a guide dog is not a skill every dog can be taught. The journey dogs take to learn this job starts at Guide Dogs of America in Sylmar, California where puppies are bred and live in a nursery until they are 8-weeks old.

They then are temporarily adopted by individuals and families known as Puppy Raisers. For one year and a half, the puppies are socialized and taught obedience and basic commands. They become part of a family, loved and trained as the Puppy Raisers themselves have received the skills needed to property prepare the dogs for higher education.

College for these dogs happens when they leave the Puppy Raisers and return to the GDA facility to train as guide dogs with licensed trainers.

Students learn that Puppy Raisers, much like parents, say good bye to the family members they took care of, and many start over with a new puppy-in-training.

It's on Graduation Day that the trained guide dogs reunite with their Puppy Raisers to celebrate completion of their training.

Then man's best friend proves his or her development success when introduced to a blind person to start working. The lessons of intelligence training, obedience and socialization makes it possible for these special dog to go to work.

Learning this knowledge helps young children grow not only in awareness of the needs of people who are blind, but also in the rewards of hard work. Students often go on to set up "Pennies for Puppies" donation programs at their schools to raise money for Guide Dogs of America. Some students even become interested in puppy raising with their families in order to help give the gift of a guide dog to someone in need.

 

Nicole Bailey-Covin is an education writer for Examiner.com.

 

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