I was driving into work today when I saw a man and his guide dog clearly getting in a bit of a fix, on a patch of grass at junction of two busy but rural main roads. They appeared to be going across the verge towards a hedge with a ditch along side, and the man seemed to be shaking the lead. All was clearly not going as it ought to be. I've seen the man before over the years walking the 2 miles from the village to the nearby town, with a yellow lab who was clearly no spring chicken, she must have retired and he now has a new black dog it seems. I stopped to lend assistance and the man was in quite a state, it was his first solo outing with this lovely dog , he was going to the bus stop to go to our main city, about 25 miles away. To my surprise the dog did sort of lunge and go to jump up on me, which didn't help at all. He the dog was paying no attention to the owner and was more intent on eating grass and sniffing, and didn't react at all when he was encouraged to lead his man along the path, once we got back on it, but if I walked along side the dog he did so, he seemed very willing to engage with me. There I am in my community nurse uniform, and the man was in such a tiz he wanted me to accompany him to the bus stop. He kept saying "I've got cross with him, now he won't do it for me". He was going to meet the dogs trainer in town, and the best advice I could give was to phone the trainer and explain it wasn't going well. Then a lady came along who was a neighbour and knew him, and I left them in her capable hands. I felt so sad for them both, the man must have felt pretty vulnerable, and the dog just seemed perplexed. I hope they can be helped to bond and go forward. I don't know perhaps the dog would be better with a woman as he responded to both me and the other lady quite willingly. It made me realise just what a special thing raising and training any sort of assistance dog really is.
Thankfully you were there to help. I can only imagine how hard it must be to build up such a unique bond. I'm sure at that moment the man was missing his old trusted companion. There are a number of guide dogs around near where we live or I meet at the station. Sometimes they just want to get on with it on their own but sometimes are grateful for a little help.
Well done for stopping and helping. One of our volunteers has just been given a new guide dog and I know they have had a few mishaps. Luckily she doesn't live too far away from our office and we keep an eye out for her. So many people know her locally due to the amazing volunteering she does to help others, which has meant that she has been offered help when they have had the mishaps. I have been very honoured over the past few years to be allowed to take her guide dog outside for a rest break when they have attended events that have gone on a long time.
Thank goodness you were there with such lovely support and advice. Hopefully all that is needed is a bit more help from the GDA. How terrifying for the owner though...
He is a lovely dog @Beanwood, actually looks very much like Bramble. I learnt later in the day that the man concerned is the uncle of a lovely HCA who works in the GP surgery, we nursed her mother who also was blind and had a dear guide dog, so I should be able to find out how they progress.
What a good job you were there. It must have been so frightening for the man. A good number of years ago a blind person whose children I taught had to retire his wonderful GSD guide dog and he had a nightmare time with the next one (flatcoat) he was given. In the house it jumped up, grabbed things and chewed them up ( I actually saw it doing this) and he said he felt really unsafe when he tried to get it to guide him. In the end it was taken back and he was given a replacement (Lab) which worked out fine.
Reality check how amazing guide dogs are and the amount of work required by all to get them to the working state that seems to magically happen. Poor man and poor dog - confusion and uncertainty for both. So lucky you were there to help them in that moment.
Yes, this absolutely. It was at a busy road junction (for us) and could easily of gone very badly wrong.
Thank goodness you were there to help them both out! About four years ago in Spain, there was a visitor at the little group of houses where I live with a newly-minted guide dog. He was there on holiday for about three weeks, so I got the chance to know him and his dog. She was his first dog and he was so grateful for all the freedom she gave him. BUT...she was a complete spazz. I really couldn't believe she was a fully 'graduated' guide dog as she whizzed around the shared garden, wee-ed on everything in sight, tore everything up in the house, jumped up on me (and him), etc. I didn't really see how she could possibly help him, but he insisted that when she was working, she did just fine. At least after the first couple months, which were apparently pretty rough. They'd been together about six months at that point. I gotta say, I was sometimes embarrassed of some of Brogan's behaviours if he wasn't absolutely perfect, but getting to know that young guide dog made me realise that even the most highly trained dogs are still dogs and not robots. They can get flustered, have a bad day, lose concentration, fart at the worse moment... it's all part of the experience, I guess! And yes, I was very proud of Brogan (and the man was impressed as well) because Brogan seemed like the cool, calm professional next to the guide dog newbie.
Yes, I think that sums up how I felt. It was as if the dog was thinking " I don't know what the hell to do, so, actually, I'm going to sniff like billio and be a dog", he wasn't pulling or anything. And I don't think the man had upset him like he thought he had.
