Phase 3: Preliminary Testing

Notable Accomplishment - Preliminary Obedience Testing 
Focus and responses of the following are assessed. Experienced guide dog mobility instructors (GDMIs) will assess these areas independently, while apprentice GDMIs will complete a formal test.

• Dogs are expected to understand and respond to “sit”, “down”, “heel”, “come”, and “stay” amid mild distractions with consistency and a single verbal cue.
• Demonstration of food refusal.
• General ease of body handling.

Obedience and Distraction Training 
Collar and praise responses continue to develop. Reliable responses and focus continue to develop in various environments (formal, informal, and during guidework). Dogs generally require minimal repeat verbal or leash cues. Instructor starts to mimic client handling more.

Notable Accomplishment - Preliminary Blindfold Testing 
Dogs must demonstrate an understanding of safe guidework skills and focus on work and handler. Experienced GDMIs will assess these skills independently during daily workouts, while apprentice GDMIs will complete a formal test. The instructor works a dog under blindfold on an urban/suburban area route, a distance of approximately 8-10 blocks.

Dogs that pass preliminary blindfold testing progress to advanced guidework training. Dogs that do not pass or demonstrate major weaknesses in the basic fundamentals are given additional training time and are re-tested when ready.

Difficult Distractions 
Continues as in Phase 2.

Body Handling Acceptance 
Continues as in Phase 2.

Guidework Training 
The dogs are comfortable wearing and working in the harness. Individual dogs that still have problems wearing a harness would be a concern, but are still kept on socialization programs to improve behavior. The dogs are first introduced to wearing booties on a relaxing walk or in a play session, followed by an introduction to guidework while wearing the booties. Individual dogs that are less comfortable or adept at wearing booties may have a specialized program to build comfort and agility.

Pattern Training 
Most dogs assume the majority of the basic responsibilities of guidework at this point and no longer need patterning. The dogs generally respond to “forward,” and lead out and maintain drive on their own or with an occasional leash or verbal prompt as needed. They respond to turn cues; pivot and drive out of turns; and they maintain line during movement. Responsibility in work responses is gradually increased and tested.

Responsible Lead Session 
In order to reinforce what the dog has learned, responsible lead lessons for each dog occur at the end of pattern training. This session occurs on a long straight path. As in the planned distraction route, responsible lead involves “set-ups” as a means to reinforce a dog’s good focus past distractions or remind a dog how to achieve the same.

Up Curb Exercise #3 
The third up curb exercise is incorporated into a route in town.

Physical Agility Programs 
Continues as in Phase 2.

Sidewalkless Technique Introduction 
Dogs learn how to work in areas without sidewalks or a reasonable shoulder on which to walk. The travel line is the left side of the street facing oncoming traffic. Dogs learn how to respond to intersecting streets and parked cars along their travel line.

Intelligent Disobedience Training Begins
Intelligent disobedience is when a guide dog purposely does not respond to a handler’s guidework verbal cue because it is either unsafe or impossible to follow through with the response. Intelligent disobedience responses are introduced after successful preliminary testing. 
 

All dogs guide in harness through a challenging obstacle clearance course with leash cues as necessary to move as a finished guide. Course design becomes increasingly more difficult, requiring problem solving skills and more angled clearance moves. Some clearances require a stop. Addressing errors is now introduced for basic clearance work. Dogs are given an opportunity to re-do the area (“re-work”) after being shown the error.

Enrichment
Canine welfare training technicians (CWTTs) continue to focus on kennel enrichment, relaxing time in community run, grooming, and campus walks.