Guide dogs for the blind: they look cute, but are not for petting. These facts will make you look at these loyal Viet-footers differently.
1. The history of guide dogs
Guide dogs are four-legged friends that have long been used to help blind and partially sighted people in everyday life. We know from literature and art that they have probably been used since the sixteenth century. Since the twentieth century, training for dogs has become more common, making owning such a special pet more accessible.
2. Different breeds
Service dog breeds are chosen based on several factors: trainability and temperament. That is why German Shepherds, Labradors and Golden Retrievers are the most chosen. These breeds are a good size, gentle and generally the healthiest. And that is important, because you want such an animal to be able to help you and to last with you for a long time. The most popular breed is the Labrador Retriever, but other crosses between Retrievers, Labradors and Labradoodles are also used.
3. Accurate match
Matching an assistance dog to a blind or visually impaired person is not an easy task. Both are scanned from head to toe, both physically and mentally, in order to find a good match. For example, an interview is held with a screening process, and later a dog can be paired that suits the mobility, lifestyle and personality.
4. Don’t distract
A fact that most people know, but which is still tempting: you are absolutely not allowed to pet a guide dog. If you do this, the animals will be distracted while they are working. Not only is it not possible to pet them, but feeding them, whistling at them or talking to them is not good unless the owner has been asked first. The owner must be able to rely on the dog, because that is what the help is for.
5. Retired
A guide dog can also retire, just like people. The regular career is on average seven to ten years. The dog is then adopted by a new family, where he can enjoy his old age for the rest of his life. The partially sighted or blind owner will then receive a new dog, a younger replacement. Of course that is difficult, both for the owner and for the dog: you have built up a good bond over those years. It has become not only a service animal, but also a loyal friend. Fortunately, the dogs are always matched based on the owner’s physical and emotional needs, so a new four-legged friend takes some getting used to, but is ultimately just as fun and helpful.
