A visually impaired participant held the harness and signaled to start, prompting the guide dog 'Gori' to begin walking. When stairs appeared ahead, Gori stopped to indicate caution. The dog skillfully navigated around obstacles at head height before returning to the original path. After successfully completing the guidance, Gori looked up at the participant, awaiting praise.
On August 27, Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance held a ceremony at its guide dog school in Yongin, South Korea, themed 'Steps Together, Future Ahead,' to celebrate its 33rd anniversary. The guide dog school was established in 1993 in accordance with the wishes of the late Lee Kun-hee, former chairman of Samsung, who had a deep affection for dogs. It is the only guide dog school operated by a corporation in the world and has provided a total of 320 guide dogs to visually impaired individuals free of charge since the first guide dog, 'Bada,' was trained in 1994.
Guide Dogs at Work, Pets at Home
After completing a walking demonstration, Gori resembled a pet that had just finished a stroll with its owner rather than a working dog under stress. This challenges the misconception that guide dogs suppress their instincts and sacrifice for the visually impaired.
Yoo Seok-jong, a professional at the Samsung guide dog school, explained, "Guide dogs do not guide with a self-sacrificial mindset of 'I must refrain from what I want to eat.' They are excited to go out and walk with people, anticipating good experiences."
The average lifespan of a guide dog is 13.9 years, about a year longer than that of a typical retriever. Guide dogs are cared for throughout their lives, starting from birth with puppy walkers, trainers, visually impaired partners, and home care families after retirement.
Yoo added, "The retriever breed, which guide dogs belong to, thrives on being close to people, which contributes to their longer lifespan as they spend nearly 24 hours a day with their handlers."
Puppy Walking to Professional Training: 35% Pass Rate for Guide Dogs
It takes about two years for a puppy to become a guide dog. In their early days, they exhibit typical puppy behavior, such as tearing curtains or chewing slippers. At around 8 to 9 weeks old, they are placed in volunteer homes for a year of 'puppy walking,' where they receive basic care training and experience various daily environments, including buses, subways, and shopping areas, to develop their social skills.
Nam Na-rae, who cared for a prospective guide dog named 'Gachi' for the past year, shared her experience in an interview, stating, "Guide dogs are not just about guiding; they walk through life alongside their partners. Even though they are trained not to bark, I found great comfort in seeing my dog react in dangerous situations." After completing puppy walking, the dogs undergo a comprehensive evaluation and 6 to 8 months of professional training, with a final pass rate of around 35%.
Gachi has now passed training and is paired with a new partner. During the ceremony, Gachi and five other guide dogs—Uyu, Peach, Noru, Nobel, Naran, and Danbam—met their new visually impaired partners. For puppy walkers, it is a bittersweet day of saying goodbye to the dogs they raised, while for the guide dogs and their new partners, it marks the beginning of a new journey together.
Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance's guide dog initiative is also influencing social awareness and policy improvements. In April of last year, the so-called 'Joy Law' was passed, clarifying the scope of 'justifiable reasons' for restricting guide dog access. Kim Ye-ji, a lawmaker from the People Power Party who attended the event with her guide dog 'Taebaek,' stated, "I will continue to work in the National Assembly to ensure that visually impaired individuals can move freely and safely with their guide dogs."
Lee Mun-ho, president of Samsung Fire & Marine Insurance, remarked, "The guide dog initiative is about improving the lives of visually impaired individuals and transforming our society for the better. We will continue to uphold the value of companionship that has been sustained through the interest and dedication of our entire society."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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