Guide Dogs
Guide
dogs provide independence for visually impaired people who need a helping hand
to get through day to day life. This will include getting to work, the shops
see friends and family and other daily activities and challenges.
This helps humans as it creates independence and freedom for visually impaired people allowing them to carry out daily activities like every other person. It also takes pressure off the visually impaired persons friends and families as they do not have to be looking after the visually impaired person all the time, giving them more time to do things for themselves.
At 6-8 weeks old, the pups have their first taste of guide dog training. Volunteer puppy walkers introduce the young pups to the sights, sounds and smells of a world in which they will play such an important part. This will mean taking the dogs on buses and trains, into shops and along busy streets. The puppy walker will also teach the puppy to walk ahead on the leash (not ‘to heel’) as it will once a guide dog, and to obey simple commands such as ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and ‘come’. When the pup is about a year old it returns to Guide Dogs for the next part of its important training.
The young dogs then go onto learn the skills needed to guide a blind or partially-sighted person. These include walking in a straight line in the centre of the pavement unless there is an obstacle, not to turn corners unless told to do so, to stop at kerbs and wait for the command to cross the road, or to turn left or right to judge height and width so that its owner does not bump their head or shoulder and how to deal with traffic.
Once trained the dogs’ then out to its new owner who will be in much need of them, they are treat like other family dogs, but the dog has the responsibility of guarding its owners. It will play part as a guard dog for 5 to 6 years and then it will retire either in the same home or if this is not appropriate it will go to a new loving home.
This job affects the dogs welfare as it minimalizes the amount of play time the dog can have drastically due to it being responsible for its visually impaired owner. This affects being able to express normal behaviours such as playing with people and other dogs. The dog will be provided with food and water ensuring it is free from hunger and thirst and regular checks from the guide dogs trust will take place to ensure that the dog is being looked after suitably. Due to the owner being visually impaired, they may not recognise if the dog was in pain, or had an injury or a disease. But in most cases family and friends would be regular visitors meaning that they can carry out health checks on the dog ensuring that it is free from pain, injury and disease. The dog would also have indoor accommodation as it has to look after its owners meaning that it will be free from discomfort. Lastly the dogs are trained to be calm and courageous meaning that it is unlikely that it will become fearful or distressed.
This helps humans as it creates independence and freedom for visually impaired people allowing them to carry out daily activities like every other person. It also takes pressure off the visually impaired persons friends and families as they do not have to be looking after the visually impaired person all the time, giving them more time to do things for themselves.
At 6-8 weeks old, the pups have their first taste of guide dog training. Volunteer puppy walkers introduce the young pups to the sights, sounds and smells of a world in which they will play such an important part. This will mean taking the dogs on buses and trains, into shops and along busy streets. The puppy walker will also teach the puppy to walk ahead on the leash (not ‘to heel’) as it will once a guide dog, and to obey simple commands such as ‘sit’, ‘down’, ‘stay’ and ‘come’. When the pup is about a year old it returns to Guide Dogs for the next part of its important training.
The young dogs then go onto learn the skills needed to guide a blind or partially-sighted person. These include walking in a straight line in the centre of the pavement unless there is an obstacle, not to turn corners unless told to do so, to stop at kerbs and wait for the command to cross the road, or to turn left or right to judge height and width so that its owner does not bump their head or shoulder and how to deal with traffic.
Once trained the dogs’ then out to its new owner who will be in much need of them, they are treat like other family dogs, but the dog has the responsibility of guarding its owners. It will play part as a guard dog for 5 to 6 years and then it will retire either in the same home or if this is not appropriate it will go to a new loving home.
This job affects the dogs welfare as it minimalizes the amount of play time the dog can have drastically due to it being responsible for its visually impaired owner. This affects being able to express normal behaviours such as playing with people and other dogs. The dog will be provided with food and water ensuring it is free from hunger and thirst and regular checks from the guide dogs trust will take place to ensure that the dog is being looked after suitably. Due to the owner being visually impaired, they may not recognise if the dog was in pain, or had an injury or a disease. But in most cases family and friends would be regular visitors meaning that they can carry out health checks on the dog ensuring that it is free from pain, injury and disease. The dog would also have indoor accommodation as it has to look after its owners meaning that it will be free from discomfort. Lastly the dogs are trained to be calm and courageous meaning that it is unlikely that it will become fearful or distressed.