Learn How a Guide Dog Guides

Sometimes members of the public do not know how to behave when they encounter a person with a guide dog. They do not understand the relationship between dog and handler, or are uncertain how to approach either.

Recently I answered some questions from a friend, who asked me about how I got my guide dog and how the relationship works between us works. "You should write about this and let other people know," he said.

Here I try to explain how a handler works with a guide dog.

Question: How does the guide dog (or dog guide, as some prefer to call them) know where to go?

Answer: During their training to become handlers, students learn required and appropriate verbal commands, hand gestures and body positions that let the dog know what you want to do and the direction you want it to go in.

The handler must know how to get to their destinations, and must have the ability to issue the proper commands to their dog partner.  The dog does not automatically know how to go to the bank or anywhere else; it must be directed by its handler. Directions are basically given in terms of forward, left, right.

Question: How does the dog know when to cross the street?

Answer: Guide dogs do not look at or respond to the traffic lights. The handlers listen for the sound of halting traffic flow from all directions before giving the dog the command to cross.

Question: What happens if you get lost?

Answer: My personal solution is to rely on my memory, my other senses, awareness of traffic and my surroundings and, as soon as possible, ask assistance from the first sighted person I encounter who shows a willingness to help.

Question: Should we offer assistance to a person with a dog or a cane who wants to cross the street?

Answer: It’s best to let them make the crossing without your assistance. Crossing streets requires utmost concentration on the part of a blind person and an offer of assistance might prove distracting and possibly harmful. If you must ask a question or make a comment, kindly wait until the blind person has safely reached the opposite side of the street.

If, however, the blind person appears to be in a hazardous situation, please do offer assistance. If they refuse, please don’t take it personally. The guide dog user may feel they can handle the crossing by themselves.

Our guide dogs have a huge responsibility of guiding us through busy streets, in and out of buildings and on and off of cars, trains, buses and airplanes. They protect us from obstacles such as trees, posts or even an uneven sidewalk.

In my next piece, I will discuss how members of the public should behave around a guide dog.