Celebrate Guide Dogs Day with the Galaxy S21
April 27, 2021The International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF) celebrates International Guide Dog Day every year on the last Wednesday of April. This is to pay tribute to the dogs who provide visual assistance to handicapped owners, and strive to break down prevailing social biases about those types of impairments.
The dedicated efforts of not just one, but a whole team of people involved in training a single guide dog from birth through their first encounters with their owners and up until they reach retirement. In many countries, guide dogs must undergo socialization training.
Samsung Newsroom visited the Samsung Guide Dog School in September to commemorate the efforts guide dogs make and the people who work with them. The school has trained dogs since 1993. Check out the stories below for more information about these special companions.
Birth
Currently, over 90% of guide dogs are retrievers, dogs well-known for their health, disposition, and affinity for people. There are several breeds of guide dogs, but the Labrador retrievers make up the largest number of them because of their adaptability, gentleness, and loyalty.
The Galaxy S21 Ultra was used to film three-week-old puppies and soon-to-be guide dogs. Photographs captured by the 108MP camera of the device are vividly colored, revealing the soft fur of these adorable puppies. It is almost like watching them breathe right from their photos. Food and sleep are crucial needs of these animals at this stage of their lives.
Puppy Walking
Once the pups have grown a little, then they begin their next stage of life: puppy walking. Puppy socialization activities begin at seven weeks of age, when puppies are assigned to a volunteer for support.
Walkers take care of the puppies for around a year, and help with training procedures in the house, in nearby parks, and in places like local restaurants and cafes.
“Puppy training usually occurs between the ages of three to fifteen weeks, said Taejin Park, Director of the Samsung Guide Dog School. It is important for them to gain new experiences during this time in order to develop their lifelong personalities”.
Guide Dog Training
Guide dogs in training return to the School for formal training once they have gone through the year-long puppy walking phase of the program. They are taught skills like sitting, waiting, and toileting, as well as behavioral traits like avoiding obstacles, and walking to their destination.
When the puppies have completed their training process, a test will determine if the puppies are suitable to serve as guide dogs. Not to worry though – dogs that fail the test eventually become regular companions or work as demonstrators within the guide school.
First Encounter with a New Family
Getting to know the family they are to serve in the first place is a significant milestone in the dog’s life, which is why the dog-to-owner matching process is extensive and rigorous. A guide dog owner’s personality, vocation, walking pace, and health are all taken into consideration when matching guide dogs to potential owners.
After seven to eight years in service, guide dogs retire and then are rehomed by volunteers, where they live the rest of their lives to the fullest. One of the greatest gifts God has allowed us to experience is the unconditonal love of a dog. It never wavers, regardless of the circumstances.
