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When you meet a guide dog leading someone along the street, or anywhere else for that matter, it is important that you remember it is working. You should not distract it, or treat it like a pet, because it might put the person it is looking after in danger. It will also ruin the dog's training, and cause a lot of problems. |
Look at what could happen in this
picture. If the dog running free goes up to the
guide dog, it could be very dangerous for the blind person.
How can the guide dog concentrate on its job if another dog
is rushing up to it? If you take your best friend for walks
off the lead, please stop. If you keep it on the lead,
please keep it close when you meet a guide dog in harness.
Your dog wants to say "hello" in that special doggy way.
Please remember that working guide dogs
are really a breed apart. Not because they are superior or
smarter, but because they've got a job to do while most pets
are on one long holiday. It is also important that you don't
whistle (which will make the dog turn its head - and that is
a signal to its owner who can't see, remember) or pat a
guide dog while it is working. If it is wearing a harness, you should
not pat it, or feed it, or talk to it, even though it is a
lovely dog, and you would really like to. If you talk to the
blind owner, and ask them first, they may say it is OK to
pat the dog. But please remember, a dog in harness is
at work, and you should not distract it in any
way!
