Training Process

At Liberty Guide Dogs, we value the training process as it is the most important aspect of building a relationship between the operator and the guide dog. The training process is an intensive two-week program during which the operator is taught how to work with the guide dog under the supervision of an instructor. It takes place according to the operator’s needs and desires, usually in their home environment. Following the completion of the training period, the dog and his/her new owner start their common life and their education continues in order to learn how to manage each other. Every operator of a guide dog can still rely on the continued support from Liberty Guide Dogs.

Training our instructors

The trainers of Liberty Guide Dogs have been trained for over three years, focusing on the training process of the dogs, guiding people with vision problems as well as on how they work with their dogs effectively and safely.
Our instructors have been involved in issues such as the orientation and mobility of visually impaired people, as well as the causes and consequences of various ophthalmic diseases, psychology and first aid. It is self-evident, therefore, that the behavior and training of guide dogs is the most important chapter of an instructor’s training process.

More than just a “puppy”

Most dogs trained by Liberty Guide Dogs come from local kennels, as their reproduction program gives the best dogs for training as guide dogs. We value the importance of the combination of skills required for these dogs, which must be smart, willing to work and, at the same time, have a stable character. The breeds most commonly used as guide dogs are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and German Shepherds.

It takes a great team

Once the dog has all the skills required by a trusted guide dog, the last stage of the training process is to match the right dog to the right operator. For example, if the operator lives in the city, more attention is paid to public transport and complex routes in the final stage of training. If the operator lives in the countryside, more attention will be paid to how the guide dog will guide him on roads that have no delineated path.

Experienced trainers ensure that all the needs of deaf/blind people as well as people with multiple disabilities will be met. Although it is not always possible for a person with multiple disabilities to handle a guide dog or an assistant dog, we commit ourselves to do the best we can to provide as many people as we can with a trained dog that suits their needs. The right combination between a dog and his/her prospective operator is of great importance because they should be able to work together as a team for a long time. By this way, and based on the characteristics of the operator, such as their personality and degree of activity,

Liberty Guide Dogs aims to create the best possible combination of dog and owner.