After the dog returns to The Seeing Eye from its puppy raiser's home, it enters a four-month course of training with a sighted Instructor. The dog is first introduced to the harness and is taught to pull its handler forward in harness.
Dogs learn the elements of guiding through repetition and abundant praise.
After a dog is shown behavior or a response that elicits praise, Instructors give the dogs opportunities to repeat this good behavior, then praise the dogs for it. After a period of time, Instructors hold the dogs responsible for actions that they have mastered, and verbal reprimands let the dogs know when they have performed a task incorrectly.