A Sight That Gladdened My Heart

[Loving my Oldies]

Legally blind does not meant that you can't see anything I know lots of people who are legally blind (I work doing specialised vision testing LOL) who can read better than "average"! They just have very restricted visual fields.

Interesting concept actually. I was stunned to discover (at the reading of his will ) that my father had been declared legally blind. . He could still read (with difficulty and with a large magnifying glass) and watched television.

[Baby Dragon]

Can someone please post something that will restore the pleasure I was feeling when I started this thread

In restaurant and on plane

Edited June 1, 2010 by Baby Dragon

[Loving my Oldies]

Can someone please post something that will restore the pleasure I was feeling when I started this thread

In restaurant and on plane

Lovely.

[kyliegirl]

at the woolworths I went to there were two people with guide dogs,a lady and a man. And another lady who regularly came in with guide dogs in training, was great to meet these dogs

[Tatelina]

My brother's assistance dog has never been refused from entering any establishment... and if it's a restaurant, he usually gets asked if the dog will be dining too - and they will bring a bowl of food for the dog if he's allowed to eat whatever they are serving.

Most of the time the dog will happily curl up under my brother's chair - you wouldn't even know he was there.

T.

How cute...

[jacqui835]

I love seeing the assistant dogs. We have 2 at my uni and the other day I saw a cute black lab in the supermarket. They're just incredible dogs and I also think they add to the mood/atmosphere of any place the way any well-trained dogs would do. I'm one of those people though who think dogs are about as dirty as children and neither are anything to worry about...

edit: changed guide to assistant in light of this thread

Edited June 1, 2010 by jacqui835

[Kajtek]

[quote name='Mother Moocher' date='1st Jun 2010 - 06:18 PM' post='4575125'

Can someone please post something that will restore the pleasure I was feeling when I started this thread ]

I can

It is wonderful to see dogs as partners.

It is wonderful to see the community understanding how important dogs are to us.

It is wonderful to notice the meaningful, the "small" things in life - one is so enriched by the experience.

Should I continue.... perhaps not.

Enough cheer for now

Edited June 1, 2010 by Anna

[becks]

I was in the veg section of the supermarket the other day and a lady was in there 'puppy walking' I had to restrain myself from saying hello to the dog, as he was under training at the time.

[Crazy Daisy]

I know that feeling Becks. It's so hard to restrain yourself from wanting to talk to and pat a well trained puppy

[Scarlet]

I was in the veg section of the supermarket the other day and a lady was in there 'puppy walking' I had to restrain myself from saying hello to the dog, as he was under training at the time.

I think if you had asked you probably could have patted the pup. As pups they are usually out being socialised. I don't think they are in training mode until around 12 months and they are with Guide dog staff and/or a sight impaired person.

I live near a training centre so see them in the shopping centre quite often. I might smile at the trainers but I ignore the dogs.

There are also a few puppy walkers around here and I often stop for a pat or stop on a walk for my dogs to say hello.

[sas]

I don't see why it should be a big deal....they're allowed anywhere or did I miss something?

Oh sas, why do you so often want to put a downer on things.

Let me give you a few :D ;)

How's it a downer?

I don't see how it's a big deal....why don't you educate me as to why it is and then I would have learned something as I thought they were allowed everywhere.

Okay, looks like the hugs didn't work. I have explained why it made me happy to see it and others have posted that Guide Dogs are allowed everywhere.

Just because it is legislated that Assistance Dogs have to be allowed everywhere doesn't mean that all establishments welcome them with open arms and food bowls. There has been quite a bit in the news of late about taxi drivers refusing to take Guide Dogs.

Can someone please post something that will restore the pleasure I was feeling when I started this thread ;)

Maybe you need one of those famous hugs

[Kelly_Louise]

I saw one in a Sizzler restaurant once - just casually lying down quietly, having a rest before it was back to the job I guess.

There should be no reason that anyone should not allow them inside a restaurant or similar. They are so well behaved, and their job IS to help their person, they are like their person's 'eyes' - part of them.

They are awe inspiring to see though.

[Loving my Oldies]

I was in the veg section of the supermarket the other day and a lady was in there 'puppy walking' I had to restrain myself from saying hello to the dog, as he was under training at the time.

;) I can relate to that. You just want to say something encouraging and in recognition of the wonderful dogs and people.

I'm happy again :D

[♪♫LMBC♫♪]

Slighty off topic but I've seen a lady a couple of times over the last few weeks with a guide dog in training, once at the local shopping centre where she was teaching him to use the escalator, and another time crossing the road at traffic lights. Both times she was trying to get the dog to go when it shouldn't (trying to go down the 'up' escalator and cross the road when the pedestrian light was red) and both times this dog did the right thing, didn't move at the intersection until he light was green and directed her to the right side of the escalator. He was only a little guy and I was amazed at how good he was already, it was very cute

[The Spotted Devil]

One of the most incredible experiences I've ever had was being blindfolded and led by a Guide Dog in training. My admiration for the handlers increased 100 fold - I felt so disoriented and you still have to give the dog direction. By the time the dog found me a seat in a cafe I was in desperate need of some caffeine and about 2L of water. The dog just relaxed quietly under my chair

[Loving my Oldies]

One of the most incredible experiences I've ever had was being blindfolded and led by a Guide Dog in training. My admiration for the handlers increased 100 fold - I felt so disoriented and you still have to give the dog direction. By the time the dog found me a seat in a cafe I was in desperate need of some caffeine and about 2L of water. The dog just relaxed quietly under my chair

I'm going all goosey and hot and cold just reading that, TSD. How came you were given this experience? Was it for an article, were you wanting to become a trainer ...... more info please :D ;) .

Not that I want to do it - too much of a wimp - I'm just interested in the background.

[mita]

And another lady who regularly came in with guide dogs in training, was great to meet these dogs

While back I was going into one of the major stores that has a 'monitoring' person at the front door. A couple were coming in with a guide dog in training.....clearly marked as required. The store 'monitor' told them they couldn't bring a dog into the shop. The man answered that it was fine by the law for guide dogs (& in training)....& she could check that with her management. And the couple & the dog just kept walking into the store.

People around were stunned that a person employed by a major store chain, would not know the law. I think a few complaints were subsequently made to the management.

So I can understand MM's feeling that all was right in the world to see a guide dog happily being where the law allows him to be.

Baby Dragon, I've learned a great deal about Assistance Dogs from your posts on DOL.

Edited June 2, 2010 by mita

[The Spotted Devil]

One of the most incredible experiences I've ever had was being blindfolded and led by a Guide Dog in training. My admiration for the handlers increased 100 fold - I felt so disoriented and you still have to give the dog direction. By the time the dog found me a seat in a cafe I was in desperate need of some caffeine and about 2L of water. The dog just relaxed quietly under my chair

I'm going all goosey and hot and cold just reading that, TSD. How came you were given this experience? Was it for an article, were you wanting to become a trainer ...... more info please .

Not that I want to do it - too much of a wimp - I'm just interested in the background.

It was a fabulous experience. I did a placement at Guide Dogs through my undergrad degree - I spent most of my time with the kennels but spent a day with the Puppy Raising supervisor and another day with one of their experienced trainers. We talked dogs, horses and training non-stop - we drove around the suburbs with the dogs and the trainer selected various environments he could test/train the dogs in. Having 4 dogs meant each stop was quite a lot of work! Towards the end of the day, the trainer asked if I would mind being a guinea pig as he really wanted to try his most advanced dog out with a complete stranger. It turns out that the dog had never led anyone who had actually been blindfolded (he told me that afterwards ) but you would never know it - very solid, calm, reliable and focussed - would have been great in a busy city. I ended up meeting the trainer with the dogs some time later in the city to see how they had progressed - the Lab I worked with was still amazing although one of the Goldens was a bit.....*cough*....."blonde" ;)

[emery]

I saw one in a Sizzler restaurant once - just casually lying down quietly, having a rest before it was back to the job I guess.

There should be no reason that anyone should not allow them inside a restaurant or similar. They are so well behaved, and their job IS to help their person, they are like their person's 'eyes' - part of them.

They are awe inspiring to see though.

This is great I remember a friend who was a manager over at sizzler here getting a letter as a sizzler store over there refused a guidedog he got thesack and rightly so. they were reminded that they are always welcome in their stores. good on these restaurants

[LDR]

There's a regular at a pub I go to who brings in his guide dog all the time.

The handler is rather cheeky and flirtatious with other patrons and staff too.

It cracked me up when he said one night "Me? Oh I'm closely supervised, I can't be toooo cheeky, then again, lucky me old mate can't talk!" and nodded at his guide dog.