Guide Dog Breeds and Prices Explained, and How Do They Distinguish Traffic Lights?

Everyone is both familiar with and unfamiliar with guide dogs. The little Q in the classic film "Quill: The Life of a Guide Dog" won many people's tears, letting people feel warmth while also understanding the hardships of the guide dog profession. So what kind of dog is a guide dog? How much does one cost? What breeds are there? How do they distinguish traffic lights?

What kind of dog is a guide dog?

A guide dog is a gentle, intelligent, well-trained working dog that can help visually impaired people travel normally, and is their eyes and guardian. A guide dog is a rigorously trained dog and is a type of working dog. After training, guide dogs can help blind people go to school, shops, laundries, neighborhood parks and so on. They are accustomed to the constraints of collars, guide harnesses and other accessories, understand many commands, and can lead blind people to walk safely. When they encounter obstacles or need to turn, they will guide their owner to stop to avoid danger.

How much does a guide dog cost?

The price of a guide dog is at least around 10,000 yuan, and the price of a well-trained guide dog is as high as more than 100,000 yuan. Moreover, the training time for guide dogs is also very long and the requirements are relatively high. Usually it takes about a year and a half to train a guide dog well, and the combined cost is also quite high, reaching around 100,000 yuan.

What breeds of guide dogs are there?

First of all, not all dogs can be used for guide dog training. Dogs suitable for use as guide dogs are usually limited to a few particular breeds, such as the Golden Retriever, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd, Poodle (non-miniature variety), and some other breeds. These dogs are medium in size and easy to lead; more importantly, they have a stable temperament, are loyal, love to work, are easy to train, are intelligent, obedient, and are friendly to both adults and children.

But this does not mean that dogs of these breeds can all become guide dogs. The screening requirements for guide dogs are very strict and are based on physiological conditions, genetic conditions, disease conditions, personality traits and many other factors. Only dogs that meet certain conditions can begin guide dog training.

How are guide dogs trained?

The training process for guide dogs lasts as long as 18 months, with a combined cost of 25,000-30,000 US dollars. The working life of a guide dog can reach 8-10 years. Training begins when the puppy is 2 months old, and the first stage lasts 12 months. In this stage, the main focus is to familiarize the puppy with the human living environment, such as houses, cars, roads, and other small animals such as cats and dogs, and small children, all of which guide dogs will come into contact with in their work in the future. They become familiar with various public places, such as shops, restaurants, amusement parks, schools, elevators, pedestrian crossings, traffic lights, buses, trains, and even airplanes; they are trained in some basic obedience commands, such as sit, wait, stand, walk, and so on. Training a dog to walk is a basic task. This is because these dogs' future work is to lead their visually impaired owner to any place they need to go.

The training work of the first stage is usually undertaken by volunteer families that raise guide dog puppies. Of course, in addition to training tasks, the most important thing is to give the puppies good food and health care so that they grow up healthily. After 12 months, these special puppies are sent to a guide dog training school for 5 months of concentrated professional training. The work at this stage is undertaken by professional trainers.

Why can't you touch a guide dog?

A guide dog is not an ordinary pet dog. Once it puts on its work harness, it immediately enters a working state and is extremely service-oriented. However, many people cannot resist touching it or feeding it when they see how obedient a guide dog is. This is actually very inappropriate, as it easily distracts the guide dog and also brings hidden dangers to the owner's personal safety. 

When we see a guide dog, we should follow the “three don'ts and one ask” principle, namely do not disturb, do not feed, do not refuse, and then ask whether the blind person needs help. According to relevant regulations, blind people may bring guide dogs on national trains, subways, buses and other public transportation and enter public places. However, in real life, there are still many people who do not understand this or even refuse it.

How do guide dogs distinguish traffic lights?

In fact, guide dogs can distinguish traffic lights not because they judge color, but because they rely on the difference in brightness of the two lights. Although dogs cannot see red and green, they can judge different shades of gray in their eyes. Dogs are very good at discerning subtle changes in the shades of gray. Relying on this ability, they can distinguish changes in light and dark on objects and produce a three-dimensional visual impression. Guide dogs rely on the difference in brightness of the two lights to form a conditioned reflex and decide whether to walk or stop. In this sense, they can “recognize” traffic lights.

Dogs are humanity's best friend. Seeing the work of guide dogs and their contributions to visually impaired people will make you love these working dogs even more.