Guide dog sizing
A guide dog got on the train the other day with its owner. I find it fascinating watching guide dogs work; the way they instantly snap into readiness as soon as their harness is on is really touching. Andâas far as you can tell from all the waggingâthey really enjoy their work.
The thing that caught my attention about this particular guide dog was its size. It was a huge hearth rug of a dog, part German Shepherd and part a variety of other big and slightly wolf-like dogs. After its harness was taken off, it tried to curl up in the spaces between people’s feetâwith only partial success. I was quite touched by the way it kept trying to squish itself into a smaller parcel as more passengers got on. I think guide dogs are trained to tuck themselves away when off duty outside the home.
For probably the first time, I wondered whether you need to be fitted for a guide dog. I don’t just mean that you need to find a dog you can work with happily, and who bonds with you, but also one that’s the right height for you. This dog’s owner was pretty tall, and I suppose that it’s a good idea for the dog’s back to be quite close to your hand so that you feel his movement clearly through as short a length of harness handle as possible.
As soon as the dog heard the announcement for New Street Station (or perhaps when he noticed his owner react slightly to the announcement), he jumped up, gave a cavernous yawn, shook his rug-like pelt and looked towards his owner. Once the harness was on, you saw the look of concentration in his eyes, and he and his perfectly matched human were off.
1
My father is blind and has a guide dog.
To answer your question: yes. My fathers weight, size and even his sway while he walked was taken in to account in the choice of dog he got, but it did not stop there. They even tried to find a dog who's personality matched my fathers.
My father has a rather large sway in his walk (left to right and back again). This means that during walking his hands lift and drop the whole time. You don't want to use a guide dog which is so small that he's lifted for the ground halve of the time.. Also, a heavier dog will be beter able to push and pull back if the user walks of the path.
(I'm living in The Netherlands, I've no idear how this is done in the rest of the world.)----- Apparently guide-dogs are out -- guide-horses are the in thing these days.
by David @ 13/10/2004 11:11 pm • Permalink •
2
There's a guide dog training program associated with the vet school at UC Davis, so we see guide puppies in training with their green coat-signs all over campus and town. They are mostly yellow labs. I think this breed is chosen for its easiness to train and "middle" size--large enough to be strong and assertive, but not so overhwelming to most people.
I have a friend who has MS and is also blind. Her dog Bruno is much, much more than a "guide dog" -- he can bring her things like the phone. But he's getting old now, has had a couple of tumors. I have no idea what it must be like to lose a dog that is a pet but also a lifeline...
by Pica @ 14/10/2004 1:10 pm • Permalink •
3
gmlk: Excellent! It's a fascinating process. For me, it was one of those moments when you suddenly think about something you've never considered before. Like the time when I realised that there must be whole businesses devoted to making those polystyrene packing peanuts.
David: Before I followed your link I was thinking, "...but you'd never get a guide horse on to a packed commuter train..." How wrong I could I have been? Do they shrink them with a ray gun?
Fantastic, and I want a miniature horse now to carry my shopping back from Tescos.
Pica: It hardly bears thinking about does it? I get all emotional when I see programmes about guide dogs, hearing dogs or dogs for the disabledâtheir seriousness and devotion is wonderful. I know that it's just training and bonding with their owner, but it's incredible how much they want to please their pack leader.
by bsag @ 14/10/2004 9:11 pm • Permalink •
4
I have never thought that the size of a guide dog made a difference like that.
by Portable Dog Crates @ 26/02/2008 10:45 pm • Permalink •
Page 1 of 1 pages