Their parents are carefully selected and a lengthy background check is performed on all moms and dads before they are even allowed into the program. Things like temperament, health, social skills, etc. are examined. Puppies are born usually at the Guide Dog Foundation in the new nursery where they stay, under the care of a veterinarian and kennel staff, with their mothers until they are around eight to nine weeks old. During this time, their health is monitored closely and they are selected for temperament and personality. If they make it past this first set of test on the road to becoming a guide dog, the puppies go on to a puppy walker family.
Puppies remain with their foster families for around fourteen months as they grow and mature.
Puppy walkers teach basic obedience and socialization. They take their furry charges to malls and offices. They give the puppies experiences riding in cars, buses and sometimes planes. Puppy walkers do not teach potential guide dogs to heel though as this might discourage them from being able to lead their blind handler later on. During all the exposure a puppy gets, it must also meet many different kinds of people including children, men with beards, people who use wheelchairs and people of different races.