A future seeing eye dog spends 18 months to  two years of it’s life with a puppy raiser. He teaches the pup basic obedience. Following this period, he’s introduced to a certified trainer. The trainer first reviews the dogs basic skills, then goes on to teach the three important commands a seeing eye dog must know.

• forward
• left
• right

In the formal training phase, the dog learns other important skills such as how to manage curbs, how to maneuver around objects and how to deal with street noise and traffic. Once he’s master these skills, the dog is paired up with someone who’s blind. With the help of the trainer, the seeing eye dog and his new blind friend learn to navigate the world together.

Remember, your pets count!