06/18/2026
From Observation to Confidence 🦮
This guide dog team navigates an escalator with confidence, but getting to this point begins long before formal training.
One question we often receive from puppy raisers is, “Why aren’t we allowed to take our puppies on escalators?”
The answer is simple: safety. Escalators can pose risks to young dogs, as paws, nails, fur, or equipment can become caught in the moving steps. For that reason, riding escalators is reserved for formal training and, ultimately, for guide dog teams who have been properly trained to navigate them safely.
That doesn’t mean puppies avoid escalators altogether. During puppy raising, we encourage positive exposure by allowing puppies to:
✔️ Observe the movement of the escalator
✔️ Hear the sounds of the machinery
✔️ Experience the different flooring surfaces nearby
✔️ Remain calm and confident in a busy environment
These experiences help puppies become comfortable with escalators and other unfamiliar sights and sounds without placing them at risk.
By the time a dog enters formal training, those early positive experiences help create a confident foundation. During formal training our qualified Guide Dog Mobility Instructors can teach the dog the skills needed to safely navigate escalators as part of guide work.
Every guide dog team begins with small moments of learning and exposure. What starts as watching from the sidelines can eventually become a skill that supports a handler’s independence and mobility.
❤️ Thank you to our dedicated puppy raisers who help lay the foundation for future guide dog success.
