Q. How long can a guide dog work?

A. About eight years. But the longevity of a guide dog varies with the dog and the life it leads. Some dogs have guided until they are 12 years old.

Q. How does a guide dog know where its partner wants to go?

A. The dog doesn’t. It is the blind person who must know how to reach a destination by knowing how many blocks to go, in which direction to turn, etc. The person gives the dog commands that will enable the dog to guide them safely to their destinations.

Q. How does the blind person know when there is a curb ahead?

A. The dog is trained to stop at all curbs and wait for its partner’s command to go forward or to turn.

Q. When does the dog and blind person know when to proceed across a street?

A. The person is given instruction in assessing, through hearing, the flow of traffic. When, in the person’s opinion, the road is clear, or they have the right of way (as with traffic lights), they will give the command “forward” to the dog. Should there be a vehicle moving around the corner or if the person does not hear the approach of the vehicle, the dog may refuse the command but will proceed without further instruction when the road is clear. Dogs are color blind and cannot tell “red” from “green”.

Q. What other duties must the dog perform?

A. A guide dog must learn to sit, stay and turn right or left on command. It must learn to ignore any distractions, including other animals and birds while working and must guide the blind person safely around pedestrians and obstacles including overhead obstructions.

Q. How long does it take for a person and dog to function as a coordinated team?

A. A dog and person can operate safely at the completion of the instruction period. However, the dog must get adjusted to its new home and to its partner’s routine. It takes about 6 months before the pair can function smoothly as a team.

Q. Is a charge made for the guide dog?

A. There is no charge to the blind person for the school’s services which include the dog, the in-residence training in the effective use of the dog, dog handling equipment and follow-up or after-care services.

Q. When did the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind begin training dogs and blind people.

A. The center was started in January of 1991, just prior to the Gulf War with Tillie, a Yellow Lab from England. Our first graduate was Haim Tsur, a concert violinist from Jerusalem who graduated in June.

Q. What happens to dogs which are unsuitable to train as guide dogs?

A. The dogs are offered to blind youngsters to familiarize them with a dog so that when they are old enough, they will not have a reticence to apply for a guide dog. Sometimes, the puppy-raiser asks if they could have the dog returned to them.

Q. Are male or female dogs better for guiding?

A. There is no difference.

Q. Can the dog judge width and height?

A. Yes. The dog is taught to judge its handler’s width as well as its own. This enables the dog to safely guide the blind person around other people, parked cars on sidewalks, telephone or electric poles, etc. While more difficult, the dog is also taught to judge height which enables it to guide the person safely to avoid overhead obstacles such as over-hanging branches.

Q. Are guide dogs allowed to travel on buses or trains?

A. Guide dogs are allowed to travel free on buses, trains, taxis and in the passenger section of aircraft. Guide dogs are also allowed to enter any public place including restaurants, theaters and hotels. It is an offense to refuse entry to a person accompanied by a guide dog.

Q. Is it possible to receive guide dog instruction at home?

A. Yes. The instructors, in some cases, will provide domiciliary training or at-home instruction, usually to more experienced guide dog users but also in such situations where the person is needed at home and cannot leave a spouse for three weeks of instruction at the Center.

Q. How is the organization supported?

A. From individuals, foundations, organizations, synagogues and bequests. Approximately 10% of the annual operating budget is paid by the Israel Ministries of Defense and Labor and Social Affairs. Funds are also raised by the British and Canadian Friends of the Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind. In addition, there are many Bar and Bat Mitzvah students who raise $500 or more to sponsor puppies as their Mitzvah Project. In addition, there are many Bar and Bat Mitzvah students in the United States who raise $500 to sponsor a puppy as their mitzvah project.