Use it or lose it: Dog guides must perform their mobility tasks every day.They must be fed, relieved, groomed, and given regular exercise and affection. High maintenance: Dog guides require daily care.Two things to keep in mind if you’re considering a dog guide are: All reputable dog guide schools require that applicants demonstrate that they have the skills necessary to travel independently with a cane, including walking safely and efficiently in familiar areas, crossing streets, finding destinations, and being able to problem-solve when disoriented or lost.īe aware, however, that dog guides are not for everyone. To obtain a guide dog, you must attend a special guide dog school that will assign you a dog and train you to take care of the dog and use it to guide you. Although the dog does not know when it is safe to cross the street, if it sees a car approaching too close, it has been trained to stop or attempt to move the person out of the way. It is the person who determines when it is safe to cross the street and which way to go the dog then guides the person across the street to reach the other side. For example, at a traffic signal, the guide dog does not know when the light changes from green to amber to red. The person who is blind or has low vision directs the dog the function and purpose of the dog is to merely guide the person around obstacles and indicate the location of steps and curbs.Īnother misconception is that guide dogs indicate when it is safe to cross the street. One common misconception is that people who are blind or have low vision and don’t have orientation and mobility (O&M) travel skills can use a guide dog to travel safely and independently people mistakenly assume that it is the dog that shows the person where to go. Some Common Misconceptions About Guide Dogs Guide dogs can guide people around obstacles and through crowds, stop at curbs and stairs, and sometimes even be trained to find a limited number of objects that are within sight when given orders such as “Find the chair,” “Find the door,” or “Find the elevator.” The guide dog user can also train (or “pattern”) the dog to find frequently used landmarks, such as a bus stop pole or a mailbox. The guide dog is a “mobility aid” that can enable people who are blind or have low vision to travel safely. But unless you’ve actually benefited from one of these specially trained animals, you probably have no idea what wonderful mobility tools and loving companions they can be. We’re all familiar with the image of dogs guiding people with vision loss along streets and through public spaces. Dog Guides for People with Vision Loss Guide Dogs: Perception and Reality
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