An incident happened the other day that had me seething; a woman said, ‘I know I’m not supposed to pat your guide dog but can I talk to her. What’s her name?’ I had to remind her that working dogs deserve respect.
That wasn’t what ruffled my feathers. It was what happened next.
As the woman was helping me to move through a hectic cafe, she went to open the door so I felt obliged to be kind and divulge my guide dog’s name – big mistake!
Just at the moment of stepping through the door, the woman raised her voice to get my dog’s attention. ‘Dindi?’ My guide dog ignored her…at first. Then she spoke her name again, in a more urgent tone.
Dindi turned around to look at the woman who was delighted. I’m sure my guide dog was thinking, ‘You silly person. Can’t you see I’m working?’
Immediately outside the door was a step onto the street – and it caught us both off guard. Luckily Dindi stopped in time which alerted me to the step; but this one word, at the wrong time could have caused a minor fall.
why guide dog handlers do not reveal their dog’s name
Now I know why some guide dog handlers do not reveal their dog’s real name. But rather than having to resort to giving my guide dog a pseudo name, maybe it would serve my community better if they understood WHY interacting with an assistance dog of any kind could be more harmful than helpful.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that just before leaving the cafe by the counter, I had momentarily let go of the harness to hand over my cup. Then I reached down to pick up the leather handle but my hand couldn’t feel it on my guide dog’s back. That’s odd?
‘I’ve got it’. Smiled the same ‘helpful’ lady in the cafe.
ARGH! This makes me want to get on to my soapbox…
Working Dogs Too Cute to Ignore
You see, a major problem for a guide dog or seeing eye dog is that they are super-cute. Whenever people notice these working dogs assisting their handlers, they naturally gravitate towards us and will want to interact by asking, ‘What’s your dog’s name?
I really don’t want to be rude in my reply but if I spoke my thoughts I’d say, ‘Why do you need to know? Working Dogs deserve respect! You can’t talk to her anyway. She is a working dog not a sweet little toddler by my side.’ I try at all times to answer with diplomacy but the general public keep putting me in very difficult situations by covertly interacting with my WORKING guide dog.
I am well aware that my guide dog is graceful in her guiding work and attracts admirers everywhere we go. She certainly is a shining example of being theguiding eyes for this guide dog team. That leather harness gives her the cue: ‘Right. We are in serious mode now. Time to focus and help my blind handler get safely to her next destination.’
That leather contraption (her harness is a official symbol, like a policeman’s badge) is meant to alert both dog and the general public the dog is working – playtime comes later at home.
3 Ways to Help and not Hinder
I’ve been thinking about the other day in the cafe. Here are my 3 tips to help Dindi and I maintain a good working ethic as we face the many distractions in public. Please don’t become one of them…
1: Don’t ask me to tell you my guide dog’s name.
This is like asking a person what is their bankcard pin – seriously! Each assistance dog has a name and is trained to respond only to their handler; it is their ‘code-name’ which keeps the team working well on every task when in public. The moment we share the dog’s name with a total stranger who just wants to strike up conversation it can confuse the dog’s working ethics: the dog knows it is not supposed to socialise while working but the offer to be friendly is hard for our sociable Labrador to ignore.
Solution: Either smile and admire or talk to the human instead.
I don’t mind sharing some facts about guide dogs as long as we are not about to step off a kerb at a set of traffic lights or alight on a train.
2: Do realise that giving a ‘verbal pat’ is just the same as requesting a physical one.
It never ceases to amaze me when a person says, ‘I know I am not supposed to pat your dog but …’ Guess what I am thinking: If you know, then why ask?
Don’t get me wrong, I am delighted that the campaign to ‘Never pat a guide dog or seeing eye dog while it is in harness’ is respected by the majority of people we meet. I truly thank you when you restrain from interacting with my dog as she is doing her best to stay focused and is listening intently to be able to carry out her next command. She may look like she is off duty sitting on the floor in a cafe, or by a shop counter, or by a tram stop and this seems the perfect time to give her a pat.
In actual fact, this is not her coffee break, she will spring up the moment I go to move. If a person reaches out to pat her right at the moment we need to move on, this is like poking at the controls of an airplane just as the Captain has given the order to take off.
The unexpected interaction can cause confusion, awkward movements and quite frankly, the ill-timed request upsets our concentration as a team: I am like the navigator, giving the pilot her next directions for a smooth take off.
Solution: Either smile and admire or wish us a good day.
Consider that to interact ‘harmlessly’ with an assistance dog by giving it verbal praise is just the same as asking, ‘Can I pat your dog’ because she is trained to keep her eyes on our flight path at all times.
3: Working Dogs deserve respect
Being a guide dog handler means I can decide when and where the public can interact with my working dog. When we have time on our side and Dindi has been working well, I may take off her harness when a parent asks if her child can say hello and greet her with a friendly pat. I really do enjoy sharing her with my community as this helps promote the amazing work of these professional dogs.
‘Sure. A little hello is fine’.
But there are also times when we may be going to an appointment or need to catch a bus, the same request is met with a different response,
‘I’m sorry. We can’t stop now but thank you for asking.’
MMM. Are you now confused? How are you, the general public supposed to know when and where you CAN interact with an assistance dog?Solution: Either smile and admire or respect the choice is ours to make.
I never want to be rude in my interactions with anyone especially as it is such a privilege to be working alongside such a dedicated guide dog. At the right time, I am always happy to spend a few moments in conversation when approached by a curious onlooker – it just has to be left to my discretion, not as a matter of obligation.
Right – I’ve hopped off my soapbox.
Forward, girl. Find the way.’
You might also like to read:
Preparing for Guide Dog Training
Copyright © Maribel Steel 2019
A really informative article on how to behave towards a guide dog
Great article! Clear and so honoring of your working team–Dindi and yourself . Ilearned things i didn’t know. Well done!
Thank you . I did not realise the importance of this . I suppose , as many may be , I just never thought of that . Excellent comparison to an Airline Pilot . Many happy take-offs and landings . Cheers