The training of seeing eye dogs

The other day I was on the E line and struck up a conversation with a woman who was training an 18 month old dog to be a guide dog. She told me that she made a mistake when she trained him. Apparently the last time he had been on the train was when he was six months old. She realized when she took him on an elevator that she had not trained him to be in moving vehicles. So she was doing intensive training so that he was comfortable on elevators, trains and other moving objects. He would not be able to be used as a seeing-eye dog if he couldn't handle moving vehicles.

I also learned from this woman that they also have to train them to walk on glossy white tile. Apparently most dogs see glossy white tile like water and won't walk on it.

I didn't realize the standards for these guides dogs are really high. That's a good thing, of course. Who knew that the training for these animals was so intense? This dog was doing o.k. but clearly needed more time to get used to the Green line's jerky movement. I hope she's able to correct his deficiencies so that someone can get the companion they need.

I've decided that if we ever get a dog it will be a guide dog that failed his/her training. At least the dog will have been potty trained.