Animal Friends and Helpers [ 145 



The French poodle, for example, one of the outstandingly in- 

 telligent dogs, has a keen memory and is remarkably quick. The 

 poodle could learn the routine of guiding a blind person in con- 

 siderably shorter time than it takes the German shepherd. But 

 the poodle would then probably carry out any command given 

 by his master, regardless of consequences. The shepherd, on the 

 other hand, makes his own decision to hold back if a "forward" 

 command means trouble. 



How Seeing Eye Dogs Are Trained: Another almost inevitable 

 question is, "How are the dogs taught to do their work?" This 

 query is constantly being put to the members of The Seeing Eye 

 staff. A complete answer would literally fill volumes, but we can 

 get some idea of the thoroughness of the program from a knowl- 

 edge of the work and study required to become a teacher in the 

 organization. 



The apprenticeship is a lengthy one. First the newcomer must 

 spend several months working as a kennel assistant, feeding and 

 cleaning the dogs and turning them out to exercise. Only then 

 is he ready to start primary work in obedience training. He studies 

 voice culture in order to learn the best inflections to use in 

 speaking to the dogs; he learns hand and body movements that 

 supplement spoken commands in the early training stages. 



Only after the student teacher has mastered the technique of 

 command does he start actual work with dogs some of them 

 partly trained, others completely undisciplined. His next step is 

 to experience the actual sensations of a sightless person: For a 

 month he constantly wears a lightproof shield over his eyes. He 

 is then ready to work with human pupils. 



A blind person who is eligible for a dog-guide must live at 

 the headquarters of The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey, 

 during the period of training with the dog that is to become his 

 guide. 



As for the training of the dogs, members of The Seeing Eye 

 staff will tell you that their method stresses kindness. The prin- 

 ciple is sound for training any kind of dog; for kindness and 

 patience are the basic ingredients that spell success with a German 

 shepherd pup just as much as with your faithful old Rover. 



