Have you ever seen a Guide Dog at work? Do you know someone who uses a Guide Dog? What goes into the making of a good Guide Dog?
People with many different kinds of disabilities rely on a specially trained dogs to assist them on a day-to-day basis. Without these dogs, these people would not be able to venture out of their homes without confidence or having the need to have another human help them.
In recent years our family supported the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation (for the blind) and became ‘foster parents’ to German Shepard pups. Each foster family is able to think up a name for the dog with rules set behind the creation of the name. For example one of the rules: the name had to be no longer than two syllables. Each week, the foster family takes their pup back to the foundation for ‘puppy classes’. These classes are the foundation’s way of teaching and training while helping each family overcome any obstacles that they may have encountered since they last came to class. These classes are also a way for the pups from that particular litter to have a ‘reunion’. Watching them romp around and chase each other was always fun.
When the pup reaches a certain age, the foster families receive a jacket that the pup wore to malls, stores etc... which tells the world “a Guide Dog in training”. The families are encouraged to take their pups everywhere they go which helps them become socialized and more familiar with different environments and situations. The grocery store was always fun especially when we got near the pet food isle! When we trained these pups, we always had people who wanted to come and pet the dog. We spent a lot of time asking them to please not touch the dog because the dog is working and in training to become a guide dog. If someone wants to pet a working dog, they need to ask the owner/handler for permission so they do not distract the dog and cause potential harm to a blind person. If an establishment refused to let us come inside with our well marked pup, we simply had to report back to the foundation. In most states it is illegal to deny a working dog access to a facility. We only encountered a few of those places and it turned out to be an educational moment for them since they did not know what a 'Guide Dog' was.
Foster families’ keep these dogs until they are about 12-14 months old, then they are returned to the foundation for completion in training. Most dogs continue to train for another 15 months before they can be fully tested to either pass or fail. There were many people who asked us, ‘How can you do that? How can you just give that puppy away?’ What they were not able to understand and grasp was that through us we were giving someone less fortunate than we were a chance to have a ‘normal’ life again. It is very rewarding to see a guide dog that passed the course to be leading someone down the road, in a store or even on a public bus.
When I was running my mobile grooming business, I received a call from a new customer who owned a guide dog. She lost her sight from diabetes. I took her on as a client even though my sink was not big enough. I knew that the disposition of the dog would be spectacular and I would not have a flood in my van. This woman was pleasant and very funny to sit and chat with. Her son was entering the pre-teen years and each time I went and gave her dog a bath she would say, ‘What does his hair look like today?’ I would reply, ‘He has a braid down the back but it is short everywhere else. She would get so mad at him. She then said, ‘Do me a favor PLEASE!!! Go out to your van and get those scissors and cut that braid off!’ I would laugh with her and decline that request! She was an emotionally strong woman who was in her early 40’s and had lost her sight only a few years before. I think that would be the most difficult challenge in life. Have your sight for a short time then lose it forever. We spoke about her dog and what having that dog meant to her. She said with an excited voice ‘I can walk down the street again. I can get on the bus and go shopping for food. I can go to the bank. I can live again!!!!!’ I smiled and said I was so pleased to hear that and explained that our family was active foster parents. She started to cry. I didn’t want to make her cry I just wanted to let her know we supported the whole process! She said, ‘Because of families like you, I have my life again. I may not be able to see again, but I can still do things and my pity party is over.’
Our first guide dog failed. She came back to live with us for a short time but we were not able to hold onto her for a lot of reasons, mostly bad timing. She went on to become a Search and Rescue dog. I saw her on TV for the Oklahoma City Bombing and then again I saw her on working on TV with the 9/11 attacks. She had unmistakable markings and I got the chills when I saw her on TV. Our second dog failed as well. He was like a toddler and never wanted to grow up. He is living with a family in Palm Beach, Florida now. Lucky dog!
If you ever have the opportunity to become a foster parent to a guide dog, please think about doing it. You would be doing a service for someone out there by giving them back their independence. What better way to be empathetic in life than to be a selfless individual who can make a difference! You will feel so good about yourself and the gift you can give by being a foster parent.
For more information about Guide Dogs please visit the Fidelco Guide Dog Foundation or Guiding Eyes for the Blind.
