What is the history of seeing eye dogs?

[mrandrei]

No one really knows when the concept of using assistance animals for the blind first came into our lives. Some have suggested that dogs have been used in this way in various cultures for a quite a while. One thing we do know is that no formal guide dog program existed until after the First World War.

[lil mutt]

I didnt know that guide dogs have been around that long...

Yeah but I think animals have been assisting people for ages.

Originally Posted by DogLoverCanada

Yeah but I think animals have been assisting people for ages.

I guess that too...I saw some blinds which was assisted by their dogs but I don't think that was hundred percent accurate...because dogs are still dogs...

I was just wondering what the smallest guide dog has been.

[Yogi]

seeing eye dogs have been in existence for about the last 90 years.
Here is a couple links denoting their history.
Guide dog - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Seeing Eye - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Here is an article that I've found:"Long before there was ever an established guide dog program was developed, dogs have been aiding the blind. A wooden plaque from the Middle Ages portrays a dog leading a blind man with a leash. The first actual attempt to train dogs to aid the blind was made in 1780 at Les Quinze-Vingts hospital for the blind, in Paris. In 1788, Josef Riesinger of Vienna was able to train a dog so well that people often doubted that he was blind!..."

Originally Posted by jakesdog

I was just wondering what the smallest guide dog has been.

I could be wrong here, but I can't imagine them being too small as they need the mass to ground a bumbling human.

[wishbone]

Although surprisingly that long and been great, I will never doubt it cause dogs been the greatest human companion.