# Can mix-breed dogs be trained as guide dogs or police dogs?

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [June 3, 2006, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278 "2006-06-03T12:11:10Z")
**Posts on this page:** 6
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![BluePitbull](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e9bcb4/32.png) [@BluePitbull](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BluePitbull)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/1 "2006-06-03T12:11:10Z")

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Has this ever been done?

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### Author: ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 12:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/2 "2006-06-03T12:42:00Z")

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Sure – why not?

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### Author: ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 12:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/3 "2006-06-03T12:57:04Z")

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The first dog in what was to become the [Vachss’s Dog Program](http://www.vachss.com/dogs/av_dogs/sheba.html) was Sheba, a German shepard/wolf mix who was a retired Seeing Eye Dog.

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### Author: ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/4 "2006-06-03T14:57:25Z")

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Sure they can. The prison in which my husband works has a pound rescue program. The inmates train the dogs and the ones who show potential are sent on to the service dog training academy. Most of these dogs are 100% mutt.

The reason you see a lot of pure-breds is because some training academies breed and raise their own puppies.

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### Author: ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/5 "2006-06-03T15:01:47Z")

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And [The Seeing Eye](http://www.seeingeye.org/AboutUs.asp?sc=fq) says:

1. Where do you get the dogs?

The Seeing Eye breeds its own German shepherds, Labrador retrievers and Golden retrievers. Occasionally, boxers and mixed breeds are used.

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### Author: ![hawksgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ed655f/32.png) [@hawksgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawksgirl)
#### Post date: [June 3, 2006, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-mix-breed-dogs-be-trained-as-guide-dogs-or-police-dogs/359278/6 "2006-06-03T15:04:47Z")

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Guide Dogs for the Blind uses a few Lab/Golden Retriever crosses in their program, but their dogs are specially bred, so just any old mutt isn’t used if that’s what you mean.