Mackenzie Jacobs wakes up each morning to feed her puppy, Korlette. Together, they work on commands such as “sit” and “lie down.”

This 10-year-old finds joy in being an official puppy raiser, helping to train charming 8-week-old Labradors destined to become guide dogs for those with visual challenges.

Families across the U.S. receive puppies, including Labrador and golden retrievers as well as German shepherds, from nonprofit organizations. These puppies are later trained to master complex tasks that assist visually impaired individuals. It’s essential for these puppies to be raised in home settings, giving them real-world experiences before they start their official training at around 16 months old.

Families who raise these guide dog puppies often cite a desire to support a noble cause. Additionally, the experience helps children, along with their parents, learn about responsibility.

“I know I’m making a difference in a visually impaired person’s life,” said Mackenzie. Her mother, Rachel Jacobs, confirmed her daughter’s commitment during a recent video call, stating, “she takes care of most of the responsibilities related to that dog.”

Puppies meant for guide work are distinct from regular pets as they are specifically bred for this purpose. By the age of seven weeks, they must exhibit good behavior consistently, laying the groundwork for manners that will assist a visually-impaired handler in navigating busy places like crosswalks, malls, and airports.

“They are like superheroes,” remarked Thomas Panek, CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind, who himself has a guide dog after losing his vision at 25 due to a genetic issue known as retinitis pigmentosa.

To ensure that guide dogs are easily accepted in public spaces, nonprofits have successfully recruited families at “that phase of life where parents feel like they’re constantly driving their kids around,” explained Peggy Gibbon, director of canine development at The Seeing Eye in Morristown, New Jersey, which provided Korlette to the Jacobs family earlier this fall.

Families must ensure puppies are well-mannered

Puppies are not allowed on any furniture, including couches, and they must not bark or jump on people. While these behaviors may be acceptable in non-working dogs, they are considered “disruptive” for service dogs in training, Gibbon noted.

“It’s crucial they act as good citizens and maintain a positive reputation for service dogs, so businesses are motivated to allow them access as dictated by law,” Gibbon emphasized.

To train guide dog puppies, families focus on positive reinforcement for good behavior and obedience, often using treats as motivation, according to sources who spoke with YSL News.

“We teach families how to appropriately respond to their puppy’s actions without overreacting,” Panek said. “They should stay calm and provide the necessary positive reinforcement for the puppy’s success.”

Puppies also must learn to sit still for extended periods, such as in a doctor’s office or during a slow checkout line, explained Jenn Escaravage, who has raised three puppies in Upstate New York.

“Settling,” or the ability to lie quietly and patiently, is a significant aspect of puppy manners, noted Vijay Joshi, manager of raiser and host experience at Leader Dogs for the Blind in Rochester Hills, Michigan.

Guide Dogs

In addition to being polite, puppies must be introduced to various environments they will later navigate as guide dogs. It is essential to note that the raiser families are not responsible for training their dogs to guide in these settings, as that skill is cultivated during official training programs provided by nonprofits.

For instance, the Jacobs family took their puppy, Korlette, to a Virginia Tech football game, teaching her to stay calm amidst the crowd’s noise. She also attended a ballet recital, where she had to remain silent in the dark auditorium. When families take their puppies out, the dogs wear a distinctive bandana or vest indicating that they are guide dogs in training.

In Carmel, New York, the Escaravage family has successfully integrated their puppy training into their daily life. Escaravage, who works at a public library and runs a photography business while raising three teenage daughters, involves their three puppies in various activities, including visits to colleges and Renegades minor league baseball games.

According to Gibbon, “Puppies require plenty of exposure to different environments, sounds, and experiences. By familiarizing themselves with the world as young pups, they only need to learn their specific guiding duties during formal training.”

Once they graduate from training, guide dogs learn how to maneuver escalators, navigate damaged sidewalks, and avoid low-hanging branches. Jacobs emphasizes that by this time, these dogs are confident and focused enough to perform “the most challenging task in the guide dog field,” which involves a behavior known as intelligent disobedience, as highlighted by Joshi.

Mackenzie elaborated on this: “These dogs are so intelligent; they know when to disobey their handler. For example, when a visually impaired person cannot hear an approaching electric car. If the handler commands ‘forward’ and the dog spots the car, they’ll stop.”

The culmination of proper house manners, social interactions, and formal training is that blind individuals can navigate their surroundings confidently, according to Panek, who has had guide dogs for over 30 years.

“The role of puppy raising is invaluable to us, and I personally know the names of my puppy raisers,” said Panek. “Having this dog dramatically enhances your life; it helps you regain mobility, motivation, and independence.”