[Blindtlk] Question Regarding Guide Dogs

[Marion & Martin]

HMP,
    This is Marion Gwizdala, president of the National Association of Guide 
Dog Users, a strong & proud division of the National Federation of the 
Blind. I will do my best to answer your questions.
    Guide dogs are generally matched with a specific person based upon the 
characteristics of the work the dog will be doing and the needs of the 
individual. Some dogs work better in a city environment in which they need 
to perform well in crowds, high traffic conditions, and an intense 
"on-the-go" lifestyle. Other dogs are better suited to a more rural 
environment in which there are few sidewalks and a less intense environment. 
Some dogs have a quick pace and others walk more slowly. Some have a very 
hard pull, while others have a more gentle approach to guiding. Some are big 
dogs (my next dog weighs in at 91 lbs.) and some are much smaller (a friend 
of mine has a 50 lb. lab). I write all of these things to say that the dog 
is matched based upon a set of criteria the handler gives to the training 
center during the initial process. If you are a part of a couple or have a 
child that walks with you frequently, this will be taken into account when 
the matching process begins.
    This being said, most guide dogs seem very flexible in their working 
conditions. At Convention, you will frequently see blind people guiding 
other blind people, including guide dog users guiding others. Right now I am 
not working a guide dog, as my last guide is retired and I am awaiting a new 
dog. My wife and I frequently travel together holding hands (how romantic!) 
and it doesn't interfere at all with her guide's work. In fact, her guide 
will frequently work in a way that gives both of us clearance, even though 
it has never been trained to do so! My wife also acts as my guide, though I 
always use my cane, as it is not her dog's responsibility to be my guide. 
BTW, I always recommend that a blind person use their white canes, even when 
using a guide (whether the guide is sighted or blind), since I believe our 
independence is primarily the blind person's responsibility.
    When I do work a guide dog, my wife and other friends who also work dogs 
often travel together. Guide dogs are accustomed to working with other dogs 
and people around, as this is the environment in which they are trained as 
pups.
    I'm not sure if your question implies whether one person's dog would 
work with another. Guide dogs are matched with one particular person, as I 
have already stated, based upon the individual's needs. Though some of the 
school's might have an issue with the practice of allowing another to work 
your dog, I believe the handler is the best person to make that call. For 
instance, I have let another person work my dog when they wanted to see what 
it would be like. My wife and I have also worked each other's dogs when one 
or the other didn't have one. For instance, Merry (my wife) and I were at an 
event when she was between dogs. She needed to go to the bathroom and the 
event was a very crowded venue, one place in which working a dog is a little 
more efficient than using a cane. She took my dog and went. Just the other 
day, her dog needed to be relieved while we were shopping. So that she could 
continue with the shopping, I gave her my cane and I took her dog out, 
working her through the store and out to an area to relieve her. I have 
never heard of one dog being trained and placed for two people and am not 
even sure why this would be done!
    As for hypoalergenic dogs, there are some breeds that are so. Poodles 
are trained by a few of the schools specifically for this reason. Some of 
the short-haired dogs, such as Doberman's and Rottweiler's, are also used.
    There is another email list hosted by NFBNET and sponsored by NAGDU that 
you might be interested in joining in order to network with other guide dog 
handlers, those considering a dog, and those who have an interest in the 
issues of guide dog handling, such as puppy raisers and trainers. To 
subscribe to this list, you can go to

HTTP://NFBNET.ORG

click on "Join or drop", find the link to the National Association of Guide 
Dog Users (NAGDU), and complete the subscription information. Once you get 
your confirmation, please introduce yourself and participate as much or 
little as you wish. We currently have more than 200 guide dog users and 
friends on the list, most of whom are in the U.S., but a few from other 
countries.
    If you have any further questions, please feel free to post them here or 
join the NAGDU list and ask them there. Guide dog related questions are 
appropriate to this list, as well,  and will help others understand more 
about their care and handling. Many are under the mistaken impression that 
the NFB is anti guide dogs and this is categorically untrue. Others have 
some of the misconceptions the general public have about guide dogs, such as 
who is really in control of mobility and how the dogs work. Such discussions 
will help dispel the myths and misconceptions others have about guide dog 
handling.

Fraternally yours,
Marion Gwizdala



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "hmp" <humbertoa5369 at netzero.net>
To: <Blindtlk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Sunday, February 07, 2010 6:29 PM
Subject: [Blindtlk] Question Regarding Guide Dogs


> To Whom It may Concern:
> I have a question relating to guide dogs. I am concerned about if you walk 
> with a guide dog, can you take someone else with you? Is there any problem 
> when two blind people walk with the same dog? I'm asking this question 
> because, let's say that, a blind couple wants to share the same guide dog 
> while walking together. So, is that possible?
> Also, is there any guide dogs out there that are especially for people who 
> are allergic to dogs, like those hair but not fur dogs?
>
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