Elli
Training Journal 1999
Dori
Dori's Homecoming
Dori At Three
Cane or Dog Guide?
The First Seeing Eye Dogs
Dog Guides and Stereotypes
The Battle for Access
Development of content for this site is supported by your contributions, the sale of products through various affiliate programs, and Sarah's work as a writer, speaker, and in other areas listed on her services page. If the material on this site has been helpful or encouraging to you, please consider shopping using the sites linked here--and return to do your shopping anytime using these links to continue supporting this site--or making a contribution using the Amazon Honor System.
I often speak to school and community groups about blindness and dog guides; as well as other disability-related topics; and at the end of my presentations I leave time for questions. I have kept many of those questions on file because they help me to understand the things that people most want to know about how to interact with service dogs and people with disabilities. This article is based on those questions and on my experiences working with dog guides for twenty years. My hope is that it will not only provide you with information about "dog guide etiquette" but also that it will help you to understand the great variety in dog personalities and the reason for some of the suggestions I make. I use some personal examples to illustrate my points, and I hope that these will give a little more warmth to a presentation that can seem dry and even hostile at times.
The most embarrassing moments that happen to me as a dog guide user are moments when my dog makes a mistake or does something doog-ish and someone says, "Is that dog still in training?" or, "I thought she was trained!" Some of the things my dogs have done are quite funny later, like the time when Elli leapt off a stage while I was singing because she saw my mom in the audience and thought it would be a good time to visit. I was mortified, but it sure gave me a good opportunity to practice what my voice teacher had been trying to teach me about singing through distraction! I have begun challenging my adult audiences to think about this question in new ways: when at work, how often do you check Facebook, read a personal email, look up a web site of personal interest, go to the vending machine when it is not breaktime...? Those are distractions--you are not doing your job. But you are still well trained. My current dog is very social and often seeks out attention from people as we pass them by. A good friend from church and I refer to this simply as "Loretta's Facebooking."
It is important to remember that while they are extremely intelligent, devoted, and highly trained, service dogs are still capable of acting upon natural instincts and may display the same behaviors as other dogs from time to time. Dog guides sometimes scavenge for food, get distracted by other animals, experience fear, and forget about their work when tempted by things they like. People's attention can be especially alluring. Praise is a reward for service animals, and people who work with the dogs provide is when it is appropriate. Sometimes it is given quietly in small doses; and at other times it is given lavishly. If another person says, "What a good dog," in passing, the person may have just rewarded the dog, without knowing it, for something the dog did just before the person arrived that was dangerous to the user. When admiring a service dog, it is best to keep eyes averted, comments directed to the user, and voice modulated appropriately (e.g. do not speak as if addressing a child or use an especially sweet-sounding voice, as this will draw the dog's attention).
One of the most common questions people ask me is whether they can offer my dog food or water. Usually these questions are well-meant: people have seen me sitting somewhere for a long time and think the dog will need something; or people think the dog will not be able to handle being tempted while I eat and should have her own food. I always understand these offers; but it is immportant for people to understand that my dog is fed on a strict schedule and I will request or locate water if needed.
Service dogs need to be in excellent health in order to perform their jobs. Their weight must be within a normal range, and they must be able to control their relieving habits. Since dogs must be able to lie still while people perform their job duties and interact in numerous public places, they relieve on schedule unless they are ill, in which case they indicate the need to relieve using a signal. Dogs' work in public settings also means that they must maintain good behavior, not jumping or begging for food in a professional or social setting, as this can interfere with the blind person's relationships and personal interactions. Feeding a dog table scraps or extra food can have a negative impact on health, relieving habits, and behavior.
Food is also occasionally used as part of a training regimen. Because of this, it should only be offered by the owner or other authorized person. Please do not offer treats to a service dog.
One of the most common questions people ask when I speak to groups, both young and old, concerns service dogs and play or exercise. Service dogs are bred and trained to tolerate variations in lifestyle change. Dogs also have great variety in personality: some need great amounts of exercise while others are "couch potatoes." My first dog, Elli, would not run and play, even when let out into a big yard. My second dog, Dori, could play catch with a tennis ball for up to two or three hours. Meghan would not play in yards or with toys; but she loved to swim and had to be physically carried from the water and locked away from the pool area so that she would stop swimming when she showed signs of fatiguing. Loretta's favorite play method has still to be discovered--she ignores groups of dogs who romp nearby, body slam her, growl over her,etc. She is perfectly happy to come in, get a head massage, run in the other room, and do a few laps around the house with her bone; and occasionally she enjoys a few minutes of tug.
People with service dogs have a wide variety of lifestyles and physical abilities. Some are very active and walk several miles a day. Some are only able to walk short distances at a time, and their dogs are capable of tolerating a less active lifestyle. Less active dogs' weight can be managed nutritionally; and their emotional needs are met via the bond with the person. Matches are made very carefully so that a person who is less active is not matches with a dog that requires a great deal of walking.
Service dog users are often hesitant to take their dogs to public dog parks or to allow their dogs to runfree in public or in other people's yards. This has more to do with concern for the dog's safety than with unwillingness to give the dog freedom or exercise. Public spaces where unknown dogs roam or play are breeding grounds for diseases; and avoidance of these places is wise. Other people's back yards can also contain unknown toxins, even when the person is a close family member. Most of these toxins are plants. Even common flowers and fruit trees can kill a dog if ingested, and it may not take much. It can be impossible to determine the safety of a yard until it is too late. A final safety hazard concerns the dog who bolts in response to a distraction. This dog will not respond to a recall command--she is too busy with her distraction. An incident like this can endanger a dog's life it it takes the dog in front of oncoming traffic. If your friend or family member seems overly protective of their service dog, please respect their concern for the dog's safety. The dog is precious to them.
The most important matter of service dog etiquette somehow always gets left until the end of presentations. Many people often want to be helpful; but the service dog owner's top concern often is not getting help. It is the formation of positive relationships. Most of us are friendly people, and we like to talk. When you meet a person with a service dog, please talk with the person as you would talk with any other person. Start with your name; and assume that we might appreciate a generic compliment. Many of us have been listening to stories about Fifi the lap dog all day long, and we would welcome a different line of conversation.
There are, of course, times when we do need a little help. If you are helping a person with a dog guide to get somewhere, give the person directions or talk with the person as she follows you. She will give the dog the correct commands for following you. Please do not call the dog. The dog is used to working for the blind person. If it is responding to you, it is no longer focused on the blind person's needs but on you. This can place the blind person in danger if the dog does not avoid obstacles. Furthermore, it is important for the blind person to become familiar with the environment so that she can travel independently with the dog if necessary. A blind person who is trying to keep up with an excited dog who is not paying attention and guiding effectively cannot concentrate on organizing observations that would help her to familiarize herself with the environment.
People's preferences for allowing their dogs to bond with others vary. I allow my dogs to acquaint themselves with close friends and family members after an initial bonding period has passed--for each dog the time needed for this period must be based on the dog's individual needs. Whether or not I allow my dog to interact with members of the general public depends on numerous factors: the dog's personality, stress level, my ability to supervise the interaction, and sometimes other factors too difficult to explain. Some people prefer to avoid these challenes bybdisallowing contact between the dog and public.
In the dog training world, we often talk about the dog/human team being a 50/50 partnership. In reality, it is more of a blend between the dog, human, and the world they live in. Much of that world involves you, the people who interact with us every day. We need your help and respect in order to make life as smooth as it can be--and we know that it won't always be smooth. During those times, we need to know that we can talk to you and that you will help us weather the storms.
Sarah Blake has been working with dog guides since 1991. She provides seminars for churches and community groups about disability awareness, chronic illness, and related topics. She also provides biblical teaching, music ministry, and motivational messages for retreats, church services, and other special events. For more information about booking Sarah to speak at your church or community event, visit her services page.
If the content on this site has been helpful to you, please consider supporting the site. If you shop online, your purchases at any of the sites below will provide a small income that supports this site as long as you use the links from this page. Please bookmark this page and return here to do your shopping.
Shop at Amazon.com
Sarah J. Blake