Did you know that there are service dogs specifically for the blind? Amazingly, there are! These handy animals can help those who experience blindness or vision impairment in a number of ways. As you can probably guess, this type of training is important and shouldn't be left up to chance. Instead, you want to be sure that your furry friend is up to the task! Let's read on to find out more about service dogs for the blind and how Regis Regal's service dog training program can help you.

What is a Service Dog?

A service dog is an animal specifically trained to provide assistance and support to those with physical disabilities, including vision impairment or blindness. Service dogs are trained to assist their human by helping them navigate public spaces safely, pick up objects from the floor, alert people to potential obstacles, and even help their humans during medical emergencies. Isn't that amazing?

Service Dogs for the Blind

When it comes to service dogs specifically for those who are blind or visually impaired, the level of training is often more intensive. As you can imagine, the ability to sense and comprehend changes in surroundings is essential when navigating using only a cane or guide dog. To help ensure that a service dog has the necessary skills, Regis Regal's specialized training program for German Shepherds is designed for optimal skill development.

Why German Shepherds for Service Dogs?

You may be wondering why we don't use Golden Retrievers, Border Collies, or other types of dogs for service dog training. The answer is simple! While there are several fine dog breeds that do well as service dogs, German Shepherds have been specially bred as working dogs and are known to be loyal, intelligent, obedient, and protective. These traits make them the perfect choice for service dog training as they can quickly learn commands, understand their human's needs, follow directions easily and even alert their handler to potential danger.

Regis Regal Service Dog Training

At Regis Regal, we have developed an extensive training program specifically for service dogs and those with vision impairment. Our program is designed to ensure that each dog has the necessary skills and behaviors required to be successful in its role as a guide or assistance dog. The program consists of a variety of tasks such as obstacle avoidance, directions training, retrieving dropped items, and alerting its handler to potential hazards.

Other service dog training programs we provide include:

Service Dogs for Children and Teens with Emotional or Physical Special Needs. We help support children and teens with a range of disabilities and emotional and special needs through our specially trained German Shepherd service and assistance dogs.

Service dogs for Veterans with PTSD.  We provide specialized training for German Shepherds to assist veterans suffering from PTSD to help with a variety of tasks such as recognizing triggers, providing comfort and emotional support, and assisting with daily tasks.

Service dogs for emotional needs. We also provide service dogs for those with emotional needs, such as anxiety and depression. Our trained service dogs can help their human partners manage and cope with daily stressors in a safe and supportive manner.

Mobility service dogs. Our mobility service dogs are specifically trained to help those with physical impairments and disabilities, such as spinal cord injuries. These amazing animals can be a great source of support and assistance for their handlers in navigating daily life.