In the early 1900’s, the first guide dog schools were started in Europe.  Guide dog schools came to the U.S. in 1929.  Morris Frank started the first one in Nashville, Tennessee with the help of Dorothy Harrison Eustis.

German shepherds make great guide dogs. They were the first breed to be trained as guide dogs. The first guide dog in the U .S. was a German shepherd named Buddy.

Guide dogs have been used for hundreds of years, dating back to at least the 13^th century, China.  Many artists like Rembrandt and Gainsborough have painted pictures of guide dogs with their owners.

In 1916, Germany started using and training guide dogs.  They were mostly used, however, to lead soldiers.  Organizations in the U.S. believed that German shepherds were too vicious to lead the blind.

A guide dog must have many unique qualities.  First, they must be alert, dependable, and intelligent.  These qualities are found in many breeds of dog.  The most important trait in a guide dog, and the one that is the hardest to find, is the “ability to disobey.”  This means that the dog can think for itself before reacting to a command.  If they are given a command that will threaten the life of their master, they should either not respond, or wait until it is safe.

Guide dogs also need to be the perfect height for their master to be able to hold the special harness comfortably.  Their strength must also be marginal.  They must be strong enough to be able to pull their master to safety, but if they are too strong, they will knock their master over. A guide dog's paws and legs must be very strong because they must walk long distances with their masters.   

The breeds of dogs used as guide dogs have coats that withstand all types of weather.  Their fur must be easily maintained, so that their masters can take care of them alone.  Guide dogs can not be skittish, or afraid of loud noises, either.  They must always be alert for danger and, again, be very independent and quick-thinking.    

Many dog breeds have been used over the years to lead the blind.  The most common and the best suited breeds for leading the blind are Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers, and German shepherds.

     Today, there are eleven guide dog training schools in the U.S.  Though their bases are the same, they all differ in the way they train the dogs.  The dogs should be trained early in life so that it is at its best learning capability.