FAQs: Dog Guides and Public Perceptions

Good Dog, Bad Dog</h2

Are dog guides supposed to work without any errors?

This question sometimes comes across as, “Isn’t that dog trained?” after a dog has made a mistake. It is probably the most common question asked of blind people I know.

My best answer to this question is to ask, “Are you supposed to work without making any errors?” And then to ask, “Do you work at all times the way that your employer expects you to work?”

Many things affect a dog’s performance from one day to another. New dogs tend to feel less confident, and as they get older and more experienced with their person they will appear more “trained”. In truth, training exposes a person/dog team to a few basic situations so that they learn how to work together and communicate with each other. There are still many new situations that they have never encountered together; and it can take as long as a year to feel that they are working well together. Sometimes during that time, person and dog learn that they don’t work as well as it seemed. A dog that is “mismatched” but still able to work can return to the training school for reevaluation and reassignment. The person can train with another dog.

Other things can also affect a dog’s work. Sometimes dogs just feel a little frisky–fall and the first days of winter can bring this on. A couple of my dogs loved to play in the leaves when they were very young; and it took a few days and corrections to break them of trying to play while in harness. Dogs can also become frustrated if a particular task is challenging and they fail repeatedly. Hmm… I know a few humans who have that problem.

Medical problems can also affect a dog’s work. This is not something to make assumptions about unless you are well acquainted with a person/dog team and observe them over time. I mention it here so that readers have a general awareness. Dogs that experience medical problems can often continue to work if the problem can be treated. Dogs that experience more serious problems may retire early.

What should I do if I notice that a dog is behaving badly?

If you meet a person with a dog guide in public and the dog appears distracted, it is best to assume that the person is aware and has a way of monitoring the situation. Some types of distraction tendencies are common and must be addressed using special training techniques over a long period of time. Most distractions do not pose a serious threat to a blind person’s safety. In 23 years of work with dogs, I have been in more danger from interference by people who did not understand how aware I was of my surroundings (e.g. people who grabbed me suddenly at the top of stairways and nearly caused me to topple down the very stairway they tried to safe me from) than I have ever been in danger from my dog’s distracted behavior. The experiences we have in training are designed to teach us to identify signs of dog distraction and to respond appropriately. Please understand that a blind person’s failure to respond may mean something other than lack of awareness or concern.

That Dog Really Likes People!

Is the dog supposed to ignore people?

This is a great question, and interestingly someone asked me recently why my dog didn not get up and greet them to let me know they were there. I wanted to exclaim, “Are you kidding? If you only knew how happy I am that she didn’t!”

Dog guides, unlike hearing dogs, are not trained to alert their person to the presence or actions of people or to things going on around them. If there is one message that I could get across in this paragraph, it is the absolute necessity of understanding the different lives and worlds of a person who is blind and a person who is deaf. The loss of sight and the loss of hearing affect a person in different ways. Blindness does not keep me from knowing that a person has approached me. It only means that I must ask who the person is.

It is very important to me that my dog not interact with people. Having said that, I must also say that since dogs are about as successful at avoiding humans who stare at them as most humans are at avoiding a nice, freshly baked chocolate cookie held under their nose, many dogs struggle to conquer their social tendencies. This is why I ask people not to pet, speak to, or feed my dog.

What a Pretty Dog!</h2

The good news is that you can help. When admiring a dog guide, please do not linger or make eye contact. The longer you look, the harder it is for the dog to lie still and remain calm. Also, please do not raise the pitch of your voice and begin cooing, “Puppy!” or “good girl!” “Puppy!” seems to be a universal invitation to dogs to socialize whether one means it to be or not. Dogs will lift their heads from deepest slumber in response to this word, and some will even arise from where they sleep. If that pretty dog you are admiring latches on to you and departs from a course already set while she and her person are already in motion, you have contributed unwittingly to disorienting the blind person.

“Good girl” is special language that people use to reward guide dogs for a job well done. When you speak it while admiring the dog, you have rewarded the dog–and the person may at the same time be correcting the dog for rising to greet you. Please do not speak these words to a strange dog, even if you think it is well behaved.

The best way to admire the dog is to simply say as you pass by, “My name is so-and-so, and I think your dog is [beautiful, well-behaved, etc.]” Then continue on your way. However much you want to talk about your dog who looks just like the guide, remember that the person may or may not wish to enter a lengthy conversation. In particular, if you see that the person with the dog is already in another conversation or is correcting the dog, it may not be the best time to speak. But you will go home with a nice memory.

One final note: please do not take pictures of a person who is blind with their dog without the person’s consent. I cannot express the degree of personal invasion this would be. Imagine having your personal conversation recorded and played over a PA system without your consent. Please do not do this.