[Cagdu] Me and My Guide Dog: What You've Always Wanted to Know

Thu Mar 8 15:33:50 PST 2007

Tina, Nina and Sicily

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Subject: Me and My Guide Dog: What You've Always Wanted to Know

A good article about guide dogs. And etiquette.

AssociatedContent.com (USA)
Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Me and My Guide Dog: What You've Always Wanted to Know

By Angela Kimball

Takeaways
Dogs cannot see the color of traffic lights to know when to cross the 
street.
My guide does not instinctively know where I want to go.
Handlers do not pay extra to travel with their guide on a bus, plane, etc.

Traveling around town, I have been known to become a spectacle. Well, it 
isn't me the locals are staring at; their gaze is actually on my guide dog.
I am a guide dog handler. I am partnered with a yellow lab from Pilot Dogs, 
Inc. We have been a team for three years now. Elton, now 4 years old, has 
traveled many places with me. On a typical day we can be seen taking a 
stroll in Ohio, but together we have visited numerous states. Walking the 
Las Vegas strip and a trip to The Statue of Liberty are a couple of my 
favorite trips with my guide.

During our travels, numerous people have stopped to chat about guide dogs. 
Often certain questions arise during the course of our conversation. I will 
answer some of the most common questions to the best of my knowledge based 
on my personal experiences.

Traffic Safety

One of the biggest myths about traveling with a guide dog is the 
misunderstanding that the dog can see colors and tell by the traffic light 
when to cross the street. Dogs cannot see colors and gauge a traffic light. 
In fact, my guide doesn't tell me when it is safe to cross the street. It is

my job to tell the dog when to move forward.

During orientation and mobility training, a blind or visually impaired 
individual learns how to listen to patterns of traffic to determine when it 
is safe to cross a street. We learn to travel with our parallel traffic.

A dog has no desire to become road pizza so it will undoubtedly try to keep 
himself and the handler out of the way of traffic, but as a handler, the 
blind person must have good orientation and mobility skills.

A Dog's Intuition

Many people know that a dog and a human have an unbreakable bond. Some even 
believe that a dog and its master begin to know each other so well that the 
dog knows what the owner wants before the handler asks.

In my experience, this is not true. Elton does not instinctively know where 
I want to go. We do not head out on a Monday morning and just coincidentally

end up at the bank.

A handler needs to tell the guide dog where to go. For example, I use 
commands such as "right", "left", or "forward". The blind person needs to 
know to travel three blocks then turn right. Go four blocks then make a 
left. The third driveway is the bank.

Training

Guide dog training can vary greatly from school to school or person to 
person. Each school or trainer does things a tiny bit different from 
another, but all have the same goal in mind. The safety of both dog and 
handler is of utmost importance.

Most guide dog schools begin socialization of puppies when they are just a 
few weeks old. Potential guides go through formal training after they are 
about a year old. Again, this varies greatly from one dog to another. Formal

training takes several months.

The guide dog handler usually spends about one month at a guide dog school 
before going home with their first guide. Handlers are trained to take care 
of nearly every aspect of their guide's care. Feeding, bathing, grooming, 
and even bathroom cleanup is covered in class.

My guide was not trained to pick up things for me. So often, I am asked if 
he will pick up a dropped object. Although at times this would be handy, it 
is not necessary. We handlers are taught to pick up after our dogs, maybe 
they could pick up things for us, too.

Doggy Etiquette

The public frequently questions me about what to do when approaching me and 
my guide. Let me begin by explaining what is inappropriate. Never call the 
dog or whistle for a guide. This or similar actions will get the handler 
hurt! It is unsafe for you to have a conversation by yelling out the window 
with your buddy while traveling down the highway at 65 mph. It is unsafe for

me to be crossing a street when my guide chooses to glance in the direction 
of a caller and trips me into a manhole or over a curb.

Although we probably all agree that my guide is a good dog and deserves a 
treat every now and again, please allow the handler to take care of feeding 
the animal. Avoid giving a dog a treat of any kind. Some dogs are on 
specific diets for health reasons. All guides are fed when the handler 
dictates. A treat can cause problems for both the guide dog and the handler.

If you must pass a treat along for the hard working animal, give it to the 
handler for when they get home.

When approaching a blind person with a guide dog, do not reach down and 
start petting the dog. If you would like to pet the animal, always ask 
first. Some handlers do not mind their guide getting the occasional pet and 
other handlers do. There are times when petting a guide dog is just not safe

for the handler, so be certain to ask and respect the handler's answer.

Accessibility

A guide dog is a service animal. For that reason, I can travel with my guide

dog anywhere the public is permitted. Yes, Elton and I have traveled on 
buses, planes, and in taxis. We have ventured to hotels, grocery stores, 
restaurants and the like.

I am not required to pay extra fares or fees because I choose to take my 
guide dog with me. That would be like asking a person in a wheelchair to pay

extra for the wheelchair to ride the bus.

I do try to be courteous when I travel to other's homes. This is a private 
home. The person can request that my guide not come with me. I know there 
are certain circumstances when it may not be appropriate to bring Elton with

me, but my general philosophy is if Elton can't come with me, then I 
probably don't want to be there.

What is in a name?

My guide was named before he and I were partnered as a team. I had no 
influence on his name at all. We are introduced to each other in our rooms 
at school. This is when I learn the breed and color of the dog. The guide's 
name is then revealed to us at that time.

Breed Preference

Guide dog schools often use more than one breed of dog. The most common 
breeds are German Shepherds, Labs, and Golden Retrievers. Other breeds used 
may be Dobermans, Standard Poodles, Boxers, or a cross. So many varieties 
are available. Each school or individual trainer will take into 
consideration of what breed a person prefers, but a good working team is of 
utmost importance.

As Elton and I travel together, we will enjoy our conversations with curious

and interested parties. My goal is to someday venture to all the states in 
the U.S. with Elton by my side. Maybe we will pass you along the way. If our

paths should meet, do say hello.

(Thanks to Shelley K for telling us about this article)

http://www.associat
<http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/157524/me_and_my_guide_dog_what_yo
uve_always.html>
edcontent.com/article/157524/me_and_my_guide_dog_what_youve_always.html

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