Many, unable to comply with these criteria, could not participate and simply never received a guide dog. The Israel Guide Dog Center for the Blind was established to fill this need. The dogs are trained to respond to Hebrew commands and the applicants are instructed in Hebrew. The applicants find the instruction course much less stressful, because during the three weeks of instruction at the Center's Beit Oved campus, may receive visits by family and friends. An additional part of the instruction course involves time spent helping each applicant acquaint his new guide dog with the home and work place environments.
Aftercare assistance is just a phone call away.
Any questions the guide dog user may have about his dog's performance can easily be answered, as the instructor is readily available. Visits are made every six months or more often when requested. We begin with puppies, most of which are bred by the Center's twelve brood bitches. At two months of age, the puppies are placed with foster families who raise the pups during their first year. The puppy raisers receive instruction during regular visits by the Puppy Raising Supervisor.