Leash Guiding

One of the techniques we offer as a part of our training program is “leash guiding,” in which a guide dog handler relies on their dog’s leash, not the harness, to help them navigate short distances.  The use of this technique has been helpful to our graduate community in informal scenarios such as maneuvering indoors in offices and other work environments, and moving from vehicles to buildings in inclement weather, etc.

For those students who are interested, instruction on leash guiding will take place during the customized second week of all guide dog classes, given the team’s time and ability and understanding of the foundations of guide dog handling.  This will allow all students and graduates to make an informed decision as to how this technique might fit into their daily routines.  We’ll cover appropriate uses of this technique, considerations based on environment, and typical scenarios where graduates have found leash guiding to be useful.