September is National Guide Dog Month! Now that the month is in full swing, we want to shed some light on these furry friends that work so hard for people worldwide. Like all hard workers, guide dogs have a rich history of helping their human counterparts with blindness and visual impairments. Today, we’ll take a trip over two millennia in the past and discover how these pups earned an entire month in their honor!
Early Seeing Eye Dogs
The working canines we think of today differ slightly from the early pups. Some evidence suggests guide dogs have been used for over 2000 years! However, organized attempts at guide dog training appeared near the end of the 18th century. In 1780, attempts were made in France to train dogs to guide patients in a Paris hospital. But it was only successfully done in 1788 in Vienna.
Then, in 1819, Johann Wilhelm Klein pioneered his method for training dogs. Klein worked closely with people who were blind. He was so well respected in the community that he was called “The Father of the Blind.” He did work thoroughly with dogs in Europe; however, training fluctuated in popularity. From the late 19th century to the early 20th century, the popularity of guide dogs stayed steady and stagnant.
World War I Ignites Guide Dog Popularity
After World War I, the need for guide dogs skyrocketed. Dogs had already been heavily used on the battlefield, so the transition to post-war life was no issue for them. Many soldiers struggled with blindness, sight loss, and other injuries, all while trying to reintegrate back into daily life. This boom in demand for guide dogs led Dr. Gerhard Stalling to open the first seeing-eye school in Oldenburg with the help of the German Red Cross and Ambulance Dog Association.
Shortly, Germany trained nearly 600 dogs annually to help those in need. Dr. Stalling’s school eventually had to be shut down because of a lack of clients, and WWII was on its way. However, it was replaced with a more successful school just outside of Berlin.
Guide Dogs Cross the Atlantic
After observing success in Germany, dog trainers in the United States began taking a similar approach to their training techniques. Morris Frank, an essential player in popularizing guide dog use in the U.S. and someone who struggled with the challenges of blindness, heard about the extraordinary work being done in Europe.
Taking inspiration from Swiss trainer Dorthy Eustis, Frank imagined all the good these service animals could do to help those with visual impairments. He wrote to Eustis and asked if he could work with and learn from her. Frank wanted to bring her techniques back to the States, so he traveled to Switzerland and trained with Buddy, one of Dorthy’s pups.
Upon returning, Morris Frank and Buddy were met with fame and popularity. Their media coverage established this type of dog training as legitimate and caused many schools to pop up throughout the United States.
Modern Guide Dogs
Over 20,000 guide dogs work globally today, proving they’re no one-hit wonder. The United States has 14 guide dog schools accredited by The International Guide Dog Federation. This organization ensures guide dog schools provide you and your pup with the best care and training. There are also hundreds of organizations globally that work to honor these pups as they work hard.
Check out these great organizations for more information on how to support guide dogs and their handlers during National Guide Dog Month.