Overview
The stories in this course are designed to make you think about becoming a guide dog user. If you are living or working with individuals who are considering a guide dog, this course will provide you with insight into the decision-making process so that you can better empathize with them. As you progress through the lessons, imagine yourself living and interacting with a dog as the characters in the stories do. Their stories and the accompanying explanations in each lesson describe the people who handle the dogs, the dogs and their history, guide dog and handler training, and lifestyle issues related to guide dogs.
The course is divided into five lessons. Lesson 1 describes the guide dog lifestyle and dispels some common misconceptions about it. Lesson 2 lists the characteristics and behaviors that contribute to a successful guide dog, and describes its training. Lesson 3 discusses issues related to applying to a school. Lesson 4 deals with the special relationship between handler and dog. Lesson 5 is about daily life with a guide dog, including practical daily and wider-community considerations. The Appendix has a self-assessment that can be used to further help a person in the decision-making process.
Newspaper and magazine articles about guide dogs and their handlers can be very inspiring. If you are interested in real-life stories, go to the Supplement that accompanies this course. It offers articles to further enhance your knowledge about life with a guide dog.
The review sections are for your personal development only. Do not send responses to your Hadley instructor. Rather, check your comprehension by comparing your responses with those provided. You can always contact your instructor, however, to clarify concepts.
You are required to submit five assignments, one at the end of each lesson. These assignments enable your instructor to measure your ability to use the information presented in the lessons. Refer to your instructor's Welcome Letter for information about submitting assignments.
This course is not intended as a training course for guide dog use. The Hadley School does not advocate or support the use of guide dogs over any other type of travel assistance.
If you're ready to learn about guide dogs, start Lesson 1: The Guide Dog Lifestyle.
Overview i
Lesson 1: The Guide Dog Lifestyle
A young tandem cyclist who is blind said this about what it is like to have a guide dog:
Tandem cycling involves teamwork and so does working with a guide dog. You have a sighted pilot that steers the bike and the follower or stoker who stays in sync with the cues. It's similar to the relationship I have with my dog, Scully. In guidework, I'm the one with the mental map; I give Scully the command to go forward. It's his job to steer me around obstacles. I stay in sync with the cues he communicates through the harness handle. (National Council for Support of Disability Issues, 2006)
What is the guide dog lifestyle? This lesson presents fictional stories about people and their guide dogs. It also dispels some myths about life with a guide dog. If you need mobility assistance and currently use a white cane, the information in this lesson will help you decide whether the guide dog lifestyle is right for you. If you are associated with someone who is considering a guide dog, the information will enable you to support and empathize with that person.
Objectives
After completing this lesson, you will be able to
a. describe some aspects of the guide dog lifestyle
b. dispel some myths about guide dogs and their use
Key Terms
The following terms appear in this lesson. Familiarize yourself with their meanings so you can use them in your course work.
access laws: laws that protect the rights of persons who use guide dogs to enter public establishments accompanied by such dogs
command: a verbal instruction to a dog
guidework: training that enables a dog and a person who is blind to travel safely as a team
handler: a person who uses a guide dog
harness: an arrangement of straps the dog wears when it is working (It supports the handle that enables communication between the dog and the handler.)
intelligent disobedience: disobeying a command for safety reasons
The Guide Dog Lifestyle
Learn about the guide dog lifestyle as you read four fictional stories about handlers and their dogs.
Julia and Ruby
Julia descends the commuter train, on her way to work at the university. Her guide dog, Ruby, indicates each step down to the platform. They walk confidently, Julia's head is held high, her hand lightly grasping the handle of the dog's harness. Ruby looks alertly in all directions.
The sky is overcast, with the threat of rain. After descending from the train, Julia and Ruby proceed in a straight path toward the stairs. A pedestrian walking just ahead of them discards part of his fast-food breakfast sandwich, missing the trash bin. Although it falls near the dog, Ruby has been trained to ignore food not presented to her by Julia, and she continues forward, concentrating on her guidework. When they reach the foot of the stairs that lead to the street level, Ruby stops with her front paws on the first step to signal a change in elevation. Julia responds to the signal by feeling for the first step with her foot. Finding it, she says, "Good girl, Ruby." She then says, "Ruby, forward," and they proceed.
Ruby steps out on the left and just ahead of Julia. They continue at a good pace until they come to a curb. Again, Ruby stops, signaling a change in elevation. Julia responds by again feeling with her foot. This time, it is a step down. She praises Ruby for stopping, and Ruby wags her tail in response and waits for her next command.
Julia has a mental map of where she needs to go. She knows she needs to cross the street to get to her destination. Julia listens for the flow of traffic to determine when traffic is in her favor and it is safe to give the command to cross the street. When she decides it's OK to go, she gives Ruby the command to proceed by saying, "Ruby, forward!"
As they begin to cross the street, they pass a person who is walking a small pet dog. The pet is excited to greet Ruby, and the pet owner does not control the dog properly. Ruby twitches her nose but otherwise ignores the little dog, as she has been trained to do. Julia says, "Good girl, Ruby," as they continue to cross the street.
A student on a bicycle turns into their path. Ruby halts suddenly. Although she had been given the command to go forward, she has also been trained to disobey a command if the safety of the team is in jeopardy. Julia praises Ruby: "That was a close one! Very good girl!" and they continue across the street.
About half-way down the block, the rain starts. Julia stops to pull up the hood of her coat. She does not need to tell Ruby to stop. The harness and handle that Ruby wears are designed so that the slightest change in Julia's stride is communicated to Ruby. A guide dog does not continue walking when the handler stops.
Ruby doesn't mind the rain. She just shakes the wetness from her body from time to time. They continue along until Julia gives Ruby a command to turn right, swinging her hand in the direction of the turn. They turn a neat corner into the office building. In the foyer, they wait for the elevator. Julia's office is on the fourteenth floor.
In the office, Julia gives Ruby a nice rubdown with a towel that she keeps in the closet. Julia brings the dog a bowl of water and then sits down at her desk to start her work. Ruby takes a long drink and then lies down under the desk.
Hernando and Stark
Hernando kisses his wife goodbye and walks with his dog, Stark, toward the bus stop. He is on his way to his first day at a new job, and his wife, Marta, observes how confident he looks as he prepares to board the bus. She cannot believe four years have gone by since they and their three children moved from Ecuador to live near her sister in the United States.
The bus stop is across a busy street. Hernando listens to the traffic before crossing. While waiting for the traffic to clear, Hernando is greeted by a neighbor, who asks whether he can pet Stark. "Not right now, he's got to watch traffic for me," says Hernando, in his best English. When Hernando believes that it is safe to cross, he says "Stark, forward," and they cross.
Stark leads Hernando to the door of the bus, and then Hernando goes in first. He calls, "Stark, come," and Stark propels himself up the steps into the bus. After inserting his fare, Hernando takes a seat near the front. Stark settles himself in a sitting position against Hernando's legs.
The driver announces the stop where Hernando has to get off. Once the bus has stopped, Hernando and Stark move to the stairs. After descending the stairs himself, Hernando instructs Stark, "Come!" That way, Hernando is sure Stark is near his body and safe. "Stark, forward," instructs Hernando.
Hernando is going to a new job orientation. Not only is this Hernando's first day at work, it is also a new experience for his coworkers to have a person who is blind and a guide dog in the office. Naturally, Hernando is a little nervous, but the receptionist puts him at ease and directs him to the meeting room. Stark leads Hernando down the hall and around a tripod that had been placed in the middle of the corridor. A participant indicates an empty seat. Hernando thanks her and sits down. Then he says, "Stark, down. Good boy," as he moves the dog into position near his feet. The dog lies quietly under the table during the meeting.
Phyllis and Gilli
Phyllis finishes her breakfast, pulls on a pair of comfortable pants and a sweater, and prepares for a walk with her guide dog, Gilli. While her husband works on a carpentry project, she and Gilli make a circuit of about a mile. It is a gorgeous spring day. Phyllis decides to take the bike and pedestrian path that goes through a park. The birds and squirrels are busy. Gilli notices the squirrels that race alongside the path, but she continues to lead Phyllis at a steady pace.
At one point, Gilli stops walking. Phyllis reaches out with her foot and her hand to investigate the space in front of her. A branch, blown during last night's storm, is hanging down right in front of her face. "Good girl, Gilli," she exclaims, and lets the dog lead her around the obstacle.
They come out of the park near the neighborhood café, where Phyllis stops for a second cup of coffee and a chat with the owner of the café about her recent trip to Montana.
Joshua and Betsy
Joshua awakes suddenly, checks his watch, and leaps out of bed. Overslept again! He throws on some clothes, gathers Betsy's leash and harness, and gets her ready to go down the dormitory stairs. After Betsy has finished eliminating, they race back up the stairs, Betsy leading and indicating the first and last step of each floor. Joshua feeds Betsy, gets his electronic note taker, and then quickly walks with Betsy back down to the cafeteria. No time for a sit-down meal! Joshua buys a roll, and they're off to class. They enter the classroom just as the professor walks in. The other students are used to Betsy, and they usually spend a few minutes greeting her and Josh when he is not so late. Now he finds a seat near the back. "Down, Betsy," he says, and the dog lies quietly at his feet.
Now that you have discovered some of the highlights of different guide dog lifestyles, the remainder of this section provides a further description and summary of how guide dogs and their handlers work together.
A guide dog is one that is specially trained to act as a mobility aid for a person who is visually impaired. Functioning as a mobility aid includes avoiding obstacles, stopping at curbs and steps, and negotiating traffic.
Guide dogs and white canes are both mobility tools. While a dog sees and avoids obstacles and objects, a person with a cane locates obstacles by tapping the cane and using other senses. Handlers generally need good cane skills before learning how to use a guide dog. In the United States and Canada, a person generally chooses to use either a cane or a dog to travel independently. A person trained to use a guide dog outside of the United States and Canada may be instructed to also use a cane while traveling with a dog; in some countries it is mandatory to do so.
A well-trained guide dog is expected to perform its work while in harness, and not play, eat, greet other dogs, or relieve itself while leading its handler. A handler's job is to provide direction, to praise and sometimes correct the dog, and also to make sure the dog is safe, healthy, and well fed. Some of the handler's responsibilities are discussed in greater detail in Lesson 5.
Handlers expect the dog to follow instructions, such as "forward," "left," and "right," unless it is unsafe to do so. Disobeying a command for safety reasons is called intelligent disobedience. For example, if a handler gives the "forward" command, the dog will not obey if it sees a vehicle approaching or another unsafe situation in the way.
A dog is not expected to know where to go. Handlers must know the directions for reaching their desired destinations to be able to give the dog verbal commands to get there.
Dogs cannot see color, so they cannot be expected to know, for example, when a traffic light is green. They cannot read traffic signals. Handlers listen to the traffic and give the instruction to go forward when they believe it is safe to cross.
In addition to their role as mobility aids, dogs also provide constant companionship. Having a guide dog means that the handler rarely goes out alone. The special relationship that develops between a handler and a guide dog is an important element of the description and expectations of a guide dog. In a successful team, the bond is one of trust, mutual dependency, and affection.