Guide dogs strengthen mobility, safety for Türkiye’s visually impaired

ISTANBUL

Guide dogs, trained over a rigorous two-year program, are becoming indispensable companions for people with visual impairments in Türkiye, supporting their safe, independent and uninterrupted mobility.

Starting as young puppies, they undergo a comprehensive curriculum that spans early socialization, adapting to traffic, recognizing obstacles and learning to navigate complex environments.

By the time they are ready for service, these dogs can detect curbs, stairs, doors, route changes and various physical barriers, guiding users with a level of precision that enhances both safety and confidence.

The Guide Dogs Association plays a central role in this effort, selecting suitable candidates at a young age based on health, temperament and adaptability. Puppies join the program about eight weeks old and are first placed with volunteer families, where they learn social behavior, house routines, communication with people, public transport use and adjusting to crowded settings.

After this phase, dogs move on to professional training, where they are taught route-tracking, obstacle detection, safe starts and stops and awareness of traffic flow.

Matching each dog with the right user is a meticulous process. Trainers compare the dog’s character with the applicant’s lifestyle and mobility needs, followed by a joint training period that begşns on basic routes and continues in the user’s own home, workplace and daily surroundings.

After the dog is placed, follow-up checks ensure continued support, with all food, care and veterinary costs covered by the program.

Association Chair and guide dog user Nurdeniz Tunçer said that only 11 guide dogs are currently active in Türkiye, but public awareness has significantly increased.

“We can now enter public spaces, transportation, cinemas and courthouses much more easily. Awareness has risen considerably,” she said, though she noted that some taxi drivers still refuse guide dogs.

Tuçer described how her dog, Kara, supports her every day. “Being able to go to the market, my office or use public transport independently is a great luxury. A guide dog is life-saving. They are our eyes, our companions,” she said, calling for expanded training facilities to increase the number of guide dogs in the country.

Guide-dog mobility instructor Burcu Bora explained that the training begins at birth, and each dog serves for about 8-10 years. Matching is also selective. “Not every dog suits every person. The dog must choose the person, too,” she said.

Guide dogs, she added, minimize environmental obstacles and enable users to move freely, safely and with dignity.